Wallace M. Greene

Wallace Martin Greene Jr. (December 27, 1907 – March 8, 2003) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 23rd Commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1, 1964, to December 31, 1967.

Greene served in China in the 1930s, in the South Pacific in World War II, and was commandant during the military buildup in Southeast Asia and when the first United States troops entered South Vietnam. During Greene's tenure as commandant, the Marine Corps grew from 178,000 active-duty personnel to nearly 300,000. He retired at the end of his term as commandant, having served 40 years in the Marine Corps.

Early life Wallace Martin Greene Jr. was born on December 27, 1907, in Waterbury, Vermont. In 1925, he graduated from high school in Burlington, Vermont, then attended the University of Vermont for a year before entering the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Marine Corps career Upon graduation from the Naval Academy on June 5, 1930, Greene was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and ordered to Marine Officers' Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. After completing Basic School in June 1931, Greene served for a year at the Marine Barracks, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine. In July 1932, he completed the Sea School at San Diego, California, and joined the Marine Detachment aboard the . Returning from sea duty in March 1934, he served briefly at Pensacola, Florida, and Quantico, Virginia, before reporting to the Marine Barracks, Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, that November. He was promoted to first lieutenant the same month.

Except for a temporary assignment at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, where he completed a course in the Chemical Warfare School, Greene remained stationed at Lakehurst until March 1936. After that, he served at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, until he sailed for Guam in October 1936. He was stationed there until June 1937, when he embarked for Shanghai, China, to join the 4th Marine Regiment. In September 1937, the 4th Marines became a part of the 2nd Marine Brigade and Greene was promoted to captain.

Along with his unit, Greene was commended for performance of duty while attached to the defense forces of the International Settlement during the Sino-Japanese hostilities of 1937 and 1938. Upon his return from China in August 1939, he entered the Junior Course, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. He completed the course in May 1940, then took command of the 1st Chemical Company, 1st Marine Brigade, sailing with it that October for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. While there, the brigade was redesignated the 1st Marine Division.

Returning with his unit in April 1941, Greene served at Quantico and New River (later Camp Lejeune), North Carolina, as assistant operations officer, 1st Marine Division. In November 1941, he was ordered to London, England, as a Special Naval Observer. During that assignment, he attended the British Amphibious Warfare School in Inverary, Scotland, and the Royal Engineer Demolitions School in Ripon, York. He was promoted to major in January 1942 and returned to the United States the following month.

Named Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, 3rd Marine Brigade, in March 1942, Greene sailed with the brigade for Upolu, Western Samoa, the following month. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1942 and remained on Samoa until November 1943 when he joined the V Amphibious Corps in Hawaii.

Commandant Wallace M. Greene congratulates Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Henry W. Buse Jr. on his promotion to lieutenant general on December 30, 1964. For outstanding service as assistant chief of staff, G-3, Tactical Group One, during the planning and execution of the Marshall Islands invasion, Greene was awarded his first Legion of Merit with Combat "V". Following the disbanding of the group in March 1944, he joined the 2nd Marine Division as G-3, earning a second Legion of Merit for outstanding service in this capacity prior to and during combat on Saipan and Tinian. Greene died on March 8, 2003, in Alexandria, Virginia, at age 95. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

Beginning in 1987, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation awarded the General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award to an author of a nonfiction book, published during the preceding three years pertinent to Marine Corps history.

Decorations and awards

Navy Distinguished Service Medal w/ 1 star Legion of Merit w/ 1 star & valor device Navy Unit CommendationChina Service MedalAmerican Defense Service Medal w/ 1 star ("Base" clasp)American Campaign MedalEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 3 starsWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service Medal w/ 1 starOrder of the Cloud and Banner, 2nd class (Grand Cordon)The Order of Service Merit, First Class (Blue Stripes Medal)Order of the Southern Cross, Grand Officer (Brazil)Brazilian Order of Naval Merit, Grand OfficerNational Order of Vietnam, Commander Grade

Personal Greene was married to the former Vaughn H. Emory (d. 2001) in 1931. They had two children, a son, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Wallace M. Greene III and a daughter, Vaughn.

Education University of Vermont, 1925. U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, graduated June 5, 1930. Marine Officers Basic School, Philadelphia Navy Yard, June 1931. Sea School, USN, San Diego, California, 1932. Chemical Warfare School, Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland. Junior Course, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, 1939–1940. British Amphibious Warfare School, Inverary, Scotland, 1941. Royal Engineer Demolitions School, Ripon, York, England, 1941. National War College, Washington, D.C., August 1952 – June 1953.