Alfred M. Gray Jr.
Alfred M. Gray, Jr. | |
|---|---|
 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1987-1991) | |
| Allegiance | USMC |
| Years of service | 1950-1991 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | 1st Battalion 2nd Marines 2nd Marine Regiment 4th Marine Regiment 33d Marine Amphibious Unit 2nd Marine Division II Marine Expeditionary Force Marine Forces Atlantic Commandant of the Marine Corps |
| Battles/wars | Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart |
General Alfred M. Gray, Jr. (born June 22, 1928) is a former Commandant of the Marine Corps, Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
General Gray enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1950. He served overseas with Fleet Marine Force (FMF), Pacific, attaining the rank of sergeant before being commissioned a second lieutenant in April 1952. Early tours included service with 11th Marines and 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in Korea, the 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., during which he saw service in Guantanamo Bay and Vietnam.
As a major, General Gray joined the 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Vietnam in October 1965, serving concurrently as regimental communications officer, regimental training officer, and artillery aerial observer. He took command of the Composite Artillery Battalion and U.S. Free World Forces at Gio Linh in April 1967. In September 1967, General Gray was reassigned to the III Marine Amphibious Force in Da Nang where he commanded the 1st Radio Battalion elements throughout I Corps until February 1968. Following a brief tour in the United States, he returned to Vietnam from June to September 1969 in conjunction with surveillance and reconnaissance matters in the I Corps area.
After his Vietnam tour, General Gray served as Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, Battalion Landing Team 1/2; the 2nd Marine Regiment; the 4th Marine Regiment; and Camp Commander of Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. While commanding the 33rd Marine Amphibious Unit and Regimental Landing Team-4, and concurrently serving as Deputy Commander, 9th Marines Amphibious Brigade, General Gray directed the Southeast Asia evacuation operations in 1975.
Advanced to brigadier general in March 1976, General Gray served as Commanding General, Landing Force Training Command, Atlantic, and the 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade. Promoted to Major General in February 1980, he assumed command of the 2nd Marine Division, FMF, Atlantic, Camp Lejueune, N.C., in June 1981. Following his promotion to lieutenant general on August 29, 1984, he was reassigned as Commanding General, FMF, Atlantic/Commanding General, II MAF, and Commanding General, FMF, Europe. General Gray was promoted to general and became Commandant of the Marine Corps on July 1, 1987.
The Marine Corps Base in Quantico, VA is the home of the beautiful Alfred M. Gray Research Center. The center houses an archives, a post library, and the library for the Marine Corps University. General Gray routinely stops by to donate his recently read books.
His appointment as Commandant of the Marine Corps was advocated by Jim Webb, then Secretary of the Navy.
Awards
General Gray’s personal decorations and awards include:
- Distinguished Service Medal
- Silver Star Medal
- Legion of Merit with Combat “V” and a gold star in lieu of a second award
- Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” and three gold stars in lieu of second, third and fourth awards
- Purple Heart with a gold star in lieu of a second Purple Heart
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Joint Service Commendation Medal
- Navy Commendation Medal
- Combat Action Ribbon with a gold star in lieu of a second award.