Victor H. Krulak

Victor Harold Krulak (January 7, 1913 – December 29, 2008) was a decorated United States Marine Corps officer who saw action in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Krulak, considered a visionary by fellow Marines, was the author of First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps and the father of the 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Charles C. Krulak.

Personal life Krulak was born in Denver, Colorado, to Jewish parents, Bessie (Zall) and Morris Krulak. He later denied Jewish ancestry and claimed to have been raised Episcopalian. He was married to Amy Chandler. The couple had three sons: Victor, Jr., an Episcopalian minister and former Navy chaplain; William, a former Marine; and Charles, who became a commandant of the Marine Corps. In 1936, Lt. Krulak was coxswain in Navy's unsuccessful eight-man boat at the Olympic trials in Princeton, NJ.

His early Marine Corps service included sea duty aboard USS Arizona, an assignment at the United States Naval Academy; Krulak built a model of the Japanese boat design and discussed the retractable ramp approach with boat builder Andrew Higgins who incorporated elements of Krulak's input into the Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) or "Higgins boat", which played critical roles in the Normandy Landings and amphibious assaults in the Pacific. Later, he joined the newly formed 6th Marine Division and took part in the Okinawa campaign and the surrender of Japanese forces in the China area, earning the Legion of Merit with "V" device for valor and the Bronze Star.

The navy PT boat PT-59, captained by John F. Kennedy, helped evacuate Krulak's force from Choiseul at the end of the operation. In response, Krulak promised Kennedy a bottle of whiskey which he delivered almost 20 years later when Kennedy was serving as President of the United States.

After the war, Krulak returned to the United States and served as assistant director of the Senior School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, and, later, as regimental commander of the 5th Marines at Camp Pendleton.

Krulak inspecting Marines from First Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company in Hawaii, April 1965. On March 1, 1964, Krulak became the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, efn-ua|"Krulak named Chu Lai after himself, having been the General who first flew over the area and selected the site. There were no towns nearby, just a wide open area, so he called it Chu Lai, which means Krulak in Mandarin Chinese".

Krulak hoped to become the next Commandant of the Marine Corps, but in 1967 Lyndon B. Johnson selected Leonard F. Chapman, Jr. As a result, Krulak retired on June 1, 1968, receiving a Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his performance during that period.

Medals and decorations Krulak's medals and decorations include:

Strategic vehicle advocacy Krulak was an early advocate of using helicopters for infantry assault. He was also instrumental in the development of Higgins boats, which enabled beach landings of men and material in World War II.

Personal life After retiring from the Marine Corps, Krulak worked for Copley Newspapers, including serving as president of Copley News Service and vice president of Copley Press. He retired from Copley in 1977, though he continued to contribute to their news service.

Krulak also wrote a number of books, including the iconic Marine Corps history First to Fight.

Krulak was a personal friend of Ronald Reagan. They wrote each other regularly. Krulak (age 91) at MCRD San Diego for the Marine Corps Birthday celebration; waiting for the passing of the cake ceremony, from the oldest to the youngest Marine. (2004) In retirement, Krulak was active in community organizations, as well as participating in Marine Corps activities. He served as president and trustee of the Zoological Society of San Diego. His wife, Amy, died in 2004. He was survived by his three sons – retired Marine Corps Commandant General Charles Krulak, Reverend Victor Krulak (Commander Navy Chaplain Corps), Reverend William Krulak (Colonel USMCR) – four grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

In 2007, at the Marine Corps Association's first annual banquet, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recounted the story of Krulak's time in China and his career:

His book First to Fight won the 1984 Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature.

The Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Creativity (BKCIC) at the Marine Corps University, a research support center that "serves as an incubator of academic innovation and mentation," is named after Victor Krulak.

Published works