H. C. Stackpole III

Henry Charles Stackpole III (7 May 1935 – 29 May 2020) was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general. He was a combat veteran of the Vietnam War and his last post was as commander, Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, and commanding general, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, from 1992 to 1994.

Early life and education Hank Stackpole was a graduate of Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in English in 1957, and held master's degrees from George Washington University and Stanford University.

Marine Corps career After commissioning, he was a combat engineer officer and a base public affairs officer. In 1964 Stackpole served in Da Nang, South Vietnam, and returned in 1966 as a captain in the role of company commander, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division in South Vietnam. When his unit ran into a North Vietnamese regimental headquarters, he was hit in the leg by a .50 caliber bullet. Stackpole's other commands during his career included the Recruit Training Regiment at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, the 17th Marine Amphibious Unit, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Marine Corps Bases Japan, 3rd Marine Division, and III Marine Expeditionary Force. Stackpole was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general on 23 July 1991 and was deputy chief of staff for plans, policies and operations, Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., followed by assignment as commander of Marine Forces Pacific and Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, at Camp Smith in Hawaii from 8 July 1992. In that role, Stackpole oversaw two of the Corps' three Marine Expeditionary Forces and had an area of responsibility that covers over half of the earth's surface. That was his last post before he retired on 1 September 1994. Even after his retirement from the military he continued to attend ceremonial events at the Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, such as the Marine Corps birthday ball.

He was married to Vivien Jean To, a native of Hong Kong, since 1962,