The Commandant is nominated by the President for a four-year term of office and must be confirmed by the [4] Since 1801, the official residence of the Commandant has been located in the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. and his main offices are in Arlington, Virginia.
The responsibilities of the Commandant are outlined in Title 10, Section 5043 the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the Navy.[3]
#
|
Picture
|
Name
|
Rank
|
Start of tenure
|
End of tenure
|
Notes
|
1
|
|
NicholasSamuel Nicholas
|
O-04 Major
|
01775-11-28-0000November 28, 1775
|
01783-08-27-0000August 27, 1783
|
The first de facto Commandant for his role as the senior-most officer of the Continental Marines.[7]
|
2
|
|
BurrowsWilliam W. Burrows
|
O-05 Lieutenant Colonel
|
01798-07-12-0000July 12, 1798
|
01804-03-06-0000March 6, 1804
|
The first United States Marine Band
|
3.03
|
|
WhartonFranklin Wharton
|
O-05 Lieutenant Colonel
|
01804-03-07-0000March 7, 1804
|
01818-09-01-0000September 1, 1818
|
The first Commandant to be court-martialed (acquitted) and the first to occupy the Commandant's House at the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.
|
3.5
|
|
Henderson1Archibald Henderson (acting)
|
O-05 Major
|
01818-09-16-0000September 16, 1818
|
01819-03-02-0000March 2, 1819
|
Acting Commandant, would later serve as Commandant from 1820 to 1859
|
4
|
—
|
GaleAnthony Gale
|
O-05 Lieutenant Colonel
|
01819-03-03-0000March 3, 1819
|
01820-10-08-0000October 8, 1820
|
The second Commandant to be court-martialed and the only Commandant to be fired. Burial location is unknown and no photos have ever been located.
|
5
|
|
Henderson2Archibald Henderson
|
O-07 Brevet Brigadier General
|
01820-10-17-0000October 17, 1820
|
01859-01-06-0000January 6, 1859
|
The longest-serving Commandant; known as the "Grand old man of the Marine Corps"; known for his role in expanding the Marine Corps' mission to include expeditionary warfare and rapid deployment[8]
|
6
|
|
HarrisJohn Harris
|
O-06Colonel
|
01859-01-07-0000January 7, 1859
|
01864-05-01-0000May 1, 1864
|
Commandant during most of the American Civil War
|
7
|
|
ZeilinJacob Zeilin
|
O-07Brigadier General
|
01864-06-10-0000June 10, 1864
|
01876-10-31-0000October 31, 1876
|
Became the Marine Corps' first general officer, officially approved of the design of the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor as the emblem of the Marine Corps
|
8
|
|
McCawleyCharles G. McCawley
|
O-06Colonel
|
01876-11-01-0000November 1, 1876
|
01891-01-29-0000January 29, 1891
|
Chose "Semper Fidelis", Latin for "Always Faithful", as the official Marine Corps motto
|
9
|
|
HeywoodCharles Heywood
|
O-08 Major General
|
01891-06-30-0000June 30, 1891
|
01903-10-02-0000October 2, 1903
|
Was the first Marine to hold the rank of Major General
|
10
|
|
ElliottGeorge F. Elliott
|
O-08 Major General
|
01903-10-03-0000October 3, 1903
|
01910-11-30-0000November 30, 1910
|
Successfully resisted attempts to remove seagoing Marines from capital ships and to merge the Corps into the United States Army
|
11
|
|
BiddleWilliam P. Biddle
|
O-08 Major General
|
01911-02-03-0000February 3, 1911
|
01914-02-24-0000February 24, 1914
|
Established the Advanced Base Force, forerunner of today's Fleet Marine Force
|
12
|
|
BarnettGeorge Barnett
|
O-08 Major General
|
01914-02-25-0000February 25, 1914
|
01920-06-30-0000June 30, 1920
|
Served as Commandant during World War I, which caused a huge increase in personnel during his term
|
13
|
|
LejeuneJohn A. Lejeune
|
O-08 Major General
|
01920-07-01-0000July 1, 1920
|
01929-03-04-0000March 4, 1929
|
Started the tradition of the birthday ball with Marine Corps Order 47, still read annually. Commanded a US Army division (the 2nd Infantry Division) in combat during World War I.
|
14
|
|
NevilleWendell C. Neville
|
O-08 Major General
|
01929-03-05-0000March 5, 1929
|
01930-07-08-0000July 8, 1930
|
Recipient of the Medal of Honor and Marine Corps Brevet Medal
|
15
|
|
FullerBen H. Fuller
|
O-08 Major General
|
01930-07-09-0000July 9, 1930
|
01934-02-28-0000February 28, 1934
|
Consolidated the Fleet Marine Force concept
|
16
|
|
RussellJohn H. Russell, Jr.
|
O-08 Major General
|
01934-03-01-0000March 1, 1934
|
01936-11-30-0000November 30, 1936
|
The system of seniority promotions of officers was changed to advancement by selection, the 1st Marine Brigade was withdrawn from Haiti, and the number of ships carrying Marine detachments continued to increase.
|
17
|
|
HolcombThomas Holcomb
|
O-09 Lieutenant General
|
01936-12-01-0000December 1, 1936
|
01943-12-31-0000December 31, 1943
|
Expanded the Corps almost 20 times in size for World War II and integrated women into the Corps. The first Marine to be advanced (after retirement) to the rank of General
|
18
|
|
VandegriftAlexander Vandegrift
|
O-09 General
|
01944-01-01-0000January 1, 1944
|
01947-12-31-0000December 31, 1947
|
Recipient of the Medal of Honor. Was the first active duty Marine to hold the rank of General, resisted attempts to merge the Corps with the Army
|
19
|
|
CatesClifton B. Cates
|
O-10General
|
01948-01-01-0000January 1, 1948
|
01951-12-31-0000December 31, 1951
|
Recipient of the Navy Cross. Commandant during early stage of the Korean War.
|
20
|
|
ShepherdLemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.
|
O-10General
|
01952-01-01-0000January 1, 1952
|
01955-12-31-0000December 31, 1955
|
First Commandant to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Commandant during the Korean War.
|
21
|
|
PateRandolph M. Pate
|
O-10General
|
01956-01-01-0000January 1, 1956
|
01959-12-31-0000December 31, 1959
|
Commandant between U.S. involvement in the Korean War and Vietnam War.
|
22
|
|
ShoupDavid M. Shoup
|
O-10General
|
01960-01-01-0000January 1, 1960
|
01963-12-31-0000December 31, 1963
|
Recipient of the Medal of Honor. Opposed U.S. involvement in South Vietnam based on strategy and undue influence of corporations and military officials in foreign policy. Historians consider Shoup's criticisms to be among the most pointed and high-profile leveled by a veteran against the Vietnam War.
|
23
|
|
GreeneWallace M. Greene, Jr.
|
O-10General
|
01964-01-01-0000January 1, 1964
|
01967-12-31-0000December 31, 1967
|
Oversaw the proliferation of the Corps in the Vietnam War
|
24
|
|
ChapmanLeonard F. Chapman, Jr.
|
O-10General
|
01968-01-01-0000January 1, 1968
|
01971-12-31-0000December 31, 1971
|
Was the Commandant during the final years of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Chapman witnessed the III Marine Amphibious Force withdrawal from Vietnam and the strength of the Corps drop from a peak of 289,000 to 198,000.
|
25
|
|
CushmanRobert E. Cushman, Jr.
|
O-10General
|
01972-01-01-0000January 1, 1972
|
01975-06-30-0000June 30, 1975
|
Saw the last of the Marines leave Vietnam and the peacetime strength fall to 194,000 while still maintaining readiness
|
26
|
|
WilsonLouis H. Wilson, Jr.
|
O-10General
|
01975-07-01-0000July 1, 1975
|
01979-06-30-0000June 30, 1979
|
Recipient of the Medal of Honor
|
27
|
|
BarrowRobert H. Barrow
|
O-10General
|
01979-07-01-0000July 1, 1979
|
01983-06-30-0000June 30, 1983
|
Last World War II veteran to be Commandant. Was the first Commandant to serve as a full member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acquired approval of production of the American-modified Harrier aircraft, and several other improvements to enhance the effectiveness of the Marine Corps
|
28
|
|
KelleyPaul X. Kelley
|
O-10General
|
01983-07-01-0000July 1, 1983
|
01987-06-30-0000June 30, 1987
|
Commandant when the Marine Barracks bombing occurred in Beirut during the 1982-84 multinational force peacekeeping mission under the Reagan Administration. In 2007, General Kelley published in the Washington Post an opinion piece that had a negative opinion on the use of enhanced interrogation techniques
|
29
|
|
GrayAlfred M. Gray, Jr.
|
O-10General
|
01987-07-01-0000July 1, 1987
|
01991-06-30-0000June 30, 1991
|
The Alfred M. Gray Research Center at Marine Corps Base Quantico houses the Marine Corps Archives and Special Collections, the Quantico Base Library, and the research library for the Marine Corps University.
As a reminder that the primary role of every Marine is a rifleman, he had his official photograph taken in the Camouflage Utility Uniform, the only Commandant to have done so.
|
30
|
|
MundyCarl E. Mundy, Jr.
|
O-10General
|
01991-07-01-0000July 1, 1991
|
01995-06-30-0000June 30, 1995
|
After retirement, he served as president and CEO of the Marine Corps University Foundation.
|
31
|
|
KrulakCharles C. Krulak
|
O-10General
|
01995-07-01-0000July 1, 1995
|
01999-06-30-0000June 30, 1999
|
Was the son of Marine Corps Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak. Came up with the concept of the 'Strategic Corporal' and the 'Three Block War'. Introduced The Crucible, a final test of Marine recruits.
|
32
|
|
JonesJames L. Jones
|
O-10General
|
01999-07-01-0000July 1, 1999
|
02003-01-12-0000January 12, 2003
|
Oversaw the Marine Corps' development of MARPAT camouflage uniforms and the adoption of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program; later became the first Marine officer to serve as Commander, U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), then as National Security Advisor for the Obama Administration.
|
33
|
|
HageeMichael W. Hagee
|
O-10General
|
02003-01-13-0000January 13, 2003
|
02006-11-13-0000November 13, 2006
|
Guided the Corps through the initial years of the Iraq War
|
34
|
|
ConwayJames T. Conway
|
O-10General
|
02006-11-13-0000November 13, 2006
|
02010-10-22-0000October 22, 2010
|
Commanded Marines forces in the Iraq War and oversaw expansion of the Corps to 202,000 personnel
|
35
|
|
AmosJames F. Amos
|
O-10General
|
02010-10-22-0000October 22, 2010
|
02014-10-17-0000October 17, 2014
|
First United States Naval Aviator to serve as Commandant.[9] It should be also noted that he never attended the Basic School but became a Marine officer through "correspondence courses" as part of an inter-unit transfer program expediting Navy pilots into the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.[10]
|
36
|
|
AmosJoseph F. Dunford, Jr.
|
O-10General
|
02014-10-17-0000October 17, 2014
|
Incumbent
|
|
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