R 121640Z MAR 03
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 019/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/DMCS//
SUBJ/DEATH OF GENERAL WALLACE M. GREENE, JR., FORMER
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//
RMKS/1.  IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET THAT I ANNOUNCE TO
THE MARINE CORPS THE DEATH ON 8 MARCH 2003 OF GENERAL
WALLACE M. GREENE, JR., U.S. MARINE CORPS, RETIRED,
WHO SERVED AS THE 23RD COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.
2.  GENERAL GREENE WAS BORN DECEMBER 27, 1907, IN
WATERBURY, VERMONT.  UPON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, HE
ATTENDED A YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT, BEFORE
ENTERING THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND.  
UPON GRADUATION FROM THE NAVAL ACADEMY IN JUNE 1930,
HE WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT AND ORDERED TO
MARINE OFFICER'S BASIC SCHOOL AT THE PHILADELPHIA NAVY
YARD.  AFTER BASIC SCHOOL HE WAS ASSIGNED TO MARINE
BARRACKS, NAVY YARD, PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.  DURING
JULY 1932, HE COMPLETED SEA SCHOOL AT SAN DIEGO,
CALIFORNIA, AND JOINED THE MARINE DETACHMENT ABOARD THE
USS TENNESSEE.  IN MARCH 1936, HE SERVED AT MARINE CORPS
RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO, UNTIL LEAVING FOR GUAM IN OCTOBER
1936. GENERAL GREENE THEN EMBARKED FOR SHANGHAI, CHINA IN
JUNE 1937 AND JOINED THE 4TH MARINE REGIMENT.  RETURNING
TO THE STATES IN 1939, HE ATTENDED THE JUNIOR COURSE AT
QUANTICO, AND SUBSEQUENTLY SERVED WITH THE 1ST MARINE
DIVISION AT GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA.  IN 1941, HE ATTENDED
THE BRITISH AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE SCHOOL AT INVERARY, SCOTLAND,
AND THE ROYAL ENGINEER DEMOLITIONS SCHOOL AT RIPON, YORK,
ENGLAND.  IN 1943 HE TOOK PART IN PLANNING THE EXECUTION
FOR THE INVASION OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS.  IN 1944,
HE WAS G-3, 2D MARINE DIVISION DURING THE SAIPAN AND
TINIAN OPERATIONS.  STAFF DUTY FOLLOWED AT HEADQUARTERS
MARINE CORPS, FLEET MARINE FORCE PACIFIC, AND MARINE
CORPS SCHOOLS QUANTICO.  AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE NATIONAL
WAR COLLEGE, WASHINGTON, JUNE 1953, HE BECAME SPECIAL
ASSISTANT TO THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF FOR NATIONAL
SECURITY COUNCIL AFFAIRS.  IN 1955 HE SERVED AS ASSISTANT
DIVISION COMMANDER, 2D MARINE DIVISION, AND IN 1956, HE
TRANSFERRED TO MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, PARRIS ISLAND,
SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE HE SERVED AS COMMANDING GENERAL,
RECRUIT TRAINING COMMAND.  IN MARCH 1957 HE BECAME
COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE RECRUIT DEPOT.  IN JULY
HE BECAME COMMANDING GENERAL OF MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP
LEJEUNE.  RETURNING TO HEADQUARTERS IN 1958 HE BECAME G-3,
AND LATER WAS APPOINTED DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR PLANS.  
IN JANURARY 1960, HE WAS PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL AND
NAMED CHIEF OF STAFF.  ON JANUARY 1, 1964 HE BECAME THE
TWENTY-THIRD COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.  HE RETIRED ON
DECEMBER 31, 1967.
3.  A COMPLETE LIST OF GENERAL GREENE'S MEDALS AND
DECORATIONS INCLUDE: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL WITH ONE
GOLD STAR IN LIEu OF SECOND AWARD, THE LEGION OF MERIT
wITH COMBAT "V" AND GOLD STAR IN LIEU OF SECOND AWARD,
NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION, CHINA SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN
DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH BASE CLASP, EUROPEAN
AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE
ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH THREE BRONZE STARS, THE
AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL, AND
THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE STAR.  
HE WAS ALSO AWARDED THE ORDER OF THE CLOUD AND BANNER, GRAND
CORDON, BY THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE ORDER OF SERVICE MERIT,
FIRST CLASS BY THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA; THE BRAZILIAN ORDER OF
NAVAL MERIT, GRAND OFFICIAL, FROM BRAZIL AND THE NATIONAL
ORDER OF VIETNAM, 3D CLASS FROM THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.
4.  A MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR GENERAL GREENE WILL BE HELD AT
1245 ON APRIL 3, 2003, AT THE OLD POST CHAPEL, FT MYER,
VIRGINIA.  BURIAL WILL FOLLOW AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL
CEMETERY.
5.  ALL BASES AND STATIONS ARE DIRECTED TO MAINTAIN
HALF-STAFF OF THE NATIONAL ENSIGN UNTIL SUNSET ON 26 MARCH
2003.
6.  M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT
OF THE MARINE CORPS.//