Commandant of the Marine Corps Video
| # |
class="unsortable"Picture |
Name |
Rank |
Start of tenure |
End of tenure |
class="unsortable"Notes |
|---|
| 1 |
|
NicholasSamuel Nicholas > |
O-04 Major > |
November 28, 1775 |
August 27, 1783 |
The first de facto Commandant for his role as the senior-most officer of the Continental Marines. |
| 2 |
|
BurrowsWilliam W. Burrows > |
O-05 Lieutenant Colonel > |
July 12, 1798 |
March 6, 1804 |
The first de jure Commandant, he started many important organizations within the Marine Corps, including the United States Marine Band |
| 3.03 > |
|
WhartonFranklin Wharton > |
O-05 Lieutenant Colonel > |
March 7, 1804 |
September 1, 1818 |
Was the first Commandant to occupy the Commandant's House at the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. |
| 3.5 > |
|
Henderson1Archibald Henderson (acting) > |
O-05 Major > |
September 16, 1818 |
March 2, 1819 |
Acting Commandant, would later serve as Commandant from 1820 to 1859 |
| 4 |
|
GaleAnthony Gale > |
O-05 Lieutenant Colonel > |
March 3, 1819 |
October 8, 1820 |
The only Commandant to be fired |
| 5 |
|
Henderson2Archibald Henderson > |
O-07 Brevet Brigadier General > |
October 17, 1820 |
January 6, 1859 |
The longest-serving Commandant; known as the "Grand old man of the Marine Corps"; known for his role in expanding the Marine Corp's mission to include expeditionary warfare and rapid deployment |
| 6 |
|
HarrisJohn Harris > |
O-06Colonel > |
January 7, 1859 |
May 1, 1864 |
Commandant during the start of the American Civil War |
| 7 |
|
ZeilinJacob Zeilin > |
O-07Brigadier General > |
June 10, 1864 |
October 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 > |
November 1, 1876 |
January 29, 1891 |
Chose "Semper Fidelis", Latin for "Always Faithful", as the official Marine Corps motto |
| 9 |
|
HeywoodCharles Heywood > |
O-08 Major General > |
June 30, 1891 |
October 2, 1903 |
Was the first Marine to hold the rank of Major General |
| 10 |
|
ElliottGeorge F. Elliott > |
O-08 Major General > |
October 3, 1903 |
November 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 > |
February 3, 1911 |
February 24, 1914 |
Established the Advanced Base Force, forerunner of today's Fleet Marine Force |
| 12 |
|
BarnettGeorge Barnett > |
O-08 Major General > |
February 25, 1914 |
June 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 > |
July 1, 1920 |
March 4, 1929 |
Started the tradition of the birthday ball with Marine Corps Order 47, still read annually |
| 14 |
|
NevilleWendall C. Neville > |
O-08 Major General > |
March 5, 1929 |
July 8, 1930 |
Recipient of the Medal of Honor and Marine Corps Brevet Medal |
| 15 |
|
FullerBen H. Fuller > |
O-08 Major General > |
July 9, 1930 |
February 28, 1933 |
Consolidated the Fleet Marine Force concept |
| 16 |
|
RussellJohn H. Russell, Jr. > |
O-08 Major General > |
March 1, 1934 |
November 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 > |
December 1, 1936 |
December 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 A. Vandegrift > |
O-09 General > |
January 1, 1944 |
December 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 > |
January 1, 1948 |
December 31, 1951 |
Recipient of the Navy Cross |
| 20 |
|
ShepherdLemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. > |
O-10General > |
January 1, 1952 |
December 31, 1955 |
First Commandant to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff |
| 21 |
|
PateRandolph M. Pate > |
O-10General > |
January 1, 1956 |
December 31, 1959 |
|
| 22 |
|
ShoupDavid M. Shoup > |
O-10General > |
January 1, 1960 |
December 31, 1963 |
Recipient of the Medal of Honor |
| 23 |
|
GreeneWallace M. Greene, Jr. > |
O-10General > |
January 1, 1964 |
December 31, 1967 |
Oversaw the proliferation of the Corps in the Vietnam War |
| 24 |
|
ChapmanLeonard F. Chapman, Jr. > |
O-10General > |
January 1, 1968 |
December 31, 1971 |
Was the Commandant during the Vietnam War |
| 25 |
|
CushmanRobert E. Cushman, Jr. > |
O-10General > |
January 1, 1972 |
June 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 > |
July 1, 1975 |
June 30, 1979 |
Recipient of the Medal of Honor |
| 27 |
|
BarrowRobert H. Barrow > |
O-10General > |
July 1, 1979 |
June 30, 1983 |
Was the first Commandant to serve a regular four-year tour 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 > |
July 1, 1983 |
June 30, 1987 |
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 > |
July 1, 1987 |
June 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. |
| 30 |
|
MundyCarl E. Mundy, Jr. > |
O-10General > |
July 1, 1991 |
June 30, 1995 |
Is currently on the board of directors for General Dynamics and is the Chairman of the Marine Corps University foundation |
| 31 |
|
KrulakCharles C. Krulak > |
O-10General > |
July 1, 1995 |
June 30, 1999 |
Was the son of Marine Corps Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak |
| 32 |
|
JonesJames L. Jones > |
O-10General > |
July 1, 1999 |
January 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 > |
January 13, 2003 |
November 13, 2006 |
Guided the Corps through the initial years of the Iraq War |
| 34 |
|
ConwayJames T. Conway > |
O-10General > |
November 14, 2006 |
October 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 > |
October 22, 2010 |
Incumbent |
First United States Naval Aviator to serve as Commandant |
United States Joint Chiefs of Staff
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