Wallace M. Greene
Wallace Martin Greene Jr. | |
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United States of America | |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1927–1967 |
Rank | ![]() |
Commands held | Commandant of the Marine Corps Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Recruit Training Command, Parris Island |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (2) |
Wallace Martin Greene Jr. (December 27, 1907 – March 8, 2003) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 23rd Commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1, 1964, to December 31, 1967.
Greene served in China in the 1930s, in the South Pacific in World War II, and was commandant during the military buildup in Southeast Asia and when the first United States troops entered South Vietnam. During Greene's tenure as commandant, the Marine Corps grew from 178,000 active-duty personnel to nearly 300,000. He retired at the end of his term as commandant, having served 40 years in the Marine Corps.
Early life
Wallace Martin Greene Jr. was born on December 27, 1907, in Waterbury, Vermont.[1] In 1925, he graduated from high school in Burlington, Vermont, then attended the University of Vermont for a year before entering the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Marine Corps career
Upon graduation from the Naval Academy on June 5, 1930, Greene was commissioned a second lieutenant in the
Except for a temporary assignment at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, where he completed a course in the Chemical Warfare School, Greene remained stationed at Lakehurst until March 1936. After that, he served at the
Along with his unit, Greene was commended for performance of duty while attached to the defense forces of the International Settlement during the
Returning with his unit in April 1941, Greene served at Quantico and New River (later Camp Lejeune), North Carolina, as assistant operations officer, 1st Marine Division. In November 1941, he was ordered to London, England, as a Special Naval Observer. During that assignment, he attended the British Amphibious Warfare School in Inverary, Scotland, and the Royal Engineer Demolitions School in Ripon, York. He was promoted to major in January 1942 and returned to the United States the following month.
Named Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, 3rd Marine Brigade, in March 1942, Greene sailed with the brigade for Upolu, Western Samoa, the following month. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1942 and remained on Samoa until November 1943 when he joined the V Amphibious Corps in Hawaii.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Wallace_M._Greene_and_Henry_W._Buse_Jr.%2C_December_30%2C_1964.jpg/220px-Wallace_M._Greene_and_Henry_W._Buse_Jr.%2C_December_30%2C_1964.jpg)
For outstanding service as assistant chief of staff, G-3, Tactical Group One, during the planning and
In October 1944, Greene was appointed officer in charge, G-3, Operations, Division of Plans and Policies,
Detached from Little Creek in June 1948, Greene reported to Pearl Harbor that August as G-3, Fleet Marine Force (FMF), Pacific. He returned from that assignment in June 1950 and for the next two years was Chief of the Combined Arms Section, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. He also served briefly as Chief of the Coordination and Evaluation Section there, before entering the National War College, Washington, in August 1952. He graduated in June 1953 and the following month became Staff Special Assistant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Security Council Affairs. Prior to his departure from Washington, he was promoted to brigadier general on September 1, 1955. Later that September, Greene assumed duty as assistant commander, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune. In May 1956, he was transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, where he served as commanding general, Recruit Training Command, until March 1957, when he became commanding general of the Recruit Depot. That July, he became commanding general of the Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Marine_general_officers_symposium_group_photo_1967.jpg/220px-Marine_general_officers_symposium_group_photo_1967.jpg)
In January 1958, Greene reported to HQMC as assistant chief of staff, G-3. While serving in this capacity, he was promoted to major general in August 1958. Following this assignment, he served from March through December 1959 as deputy chief of staff (plans) – an assignment for which he earned his first Navy Distinguished Service Medal.[2] On January 1, 1960, he was designated as chief of staff, with the rank of lieutenant general.
Greene was nominated by President
Post-military and legacy
Greene retired on December 31, 1967. He was a founding member of the
Beginning in 1987, the
Decorations and awards
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Navy Distinguished Service Medal w/ 1 star[2] | valor device[2]
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Navy Unit Commendation | |
China Service Medal | American Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star ("Base" clasp) | American Campaign Medal | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
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Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 3 stars
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World War II Victory Medal | National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star | Order of the Cloud and Banner, 2nd class (Grand Cordon) |
The Order of Service Merit, First Class (Blue Stripes Medal) | Order of the Southern Cross, Grand Officer (Brazil) | Brazilian Order of Naval Merit, Grand Officer | National Order of Vietnam, Commander Grade |
Personal
Greene was married to the former Vaughn H. Emory (d. 2001) in 1931. They had two children, a son, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Wallace M. Greene III and a daughter, Vaughn.
Education
- University of Vermont, 1925.
- U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, graduated June 5, 1930.
- Philadelphia Navy Yard, June 1931.
- Sea School, USN, San Diego, California, 1932.
- Chemical Warfare School, Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland.
- Junior Course, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, 1939–1940.
- British Amphibious Warfare School, Inverary, Scotland, 1941.
- Royal Engineer Demolitions School, Ripon, York, England, 1941.
- National War College, Washington, D.C., August 1952 – June 1953.
References
- ^ "Wallace M. Greene". United States Naval Academy. Retrieved 2010-07-21.
- ^ a b c d e f "Valor awards for Wallace Martin Greene Jr". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
- ^ "Marine Corps Heritage Foundation 2005 Awards Banquet". Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
- Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Archived from the originalon July 29, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- "General Wallace M. Greene Jr". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. United States Marine Corps History Division. Archived from the original on 2012-04-14. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- "Wallace Martin Green Jr". Arlington National Cemetery. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- Allan Reed Millett; Jack Shulimson, eds. (2004). Commandants of the Marine Corps. ISBN 978-0-87021-012-9.