This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Cpl David R. Evans (D.R.)
to remember
Marine Gen Wallace Martin Greene, Jr. (23rd CMC).
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General Wallace Martin Greene, Jr. (December 27, 1907-March 8, 2003) was the 23rd Commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1, 1964 to December 31, 1967, when he retired from active service. Greene's decorated Marine career spanned 37 years.
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 US troops entered South Vietnam. During General Greene's tenure, the Marine Corps grew from 178,000 active-duty personnel to nearly 300,000.
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 U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, 5 June 1930, he was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant and ordered to Marine Officers' Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
After completing Basic School in June 1931, 2dLt Greene served for a year at the Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. During July 1932, he completed the Sea School at San Diego, California, and joined the Marine Detachment aboard the USS Tennessee. 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, he remained stationed at Lakehurst until March 1936. After that, he served at the 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. During September 1937, the 4th Marines became a part of the 2nd Marine Brigade and he was promoted to captain.
Along with his unit, Capt 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, Capt 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, England. 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, Maj 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.
Other Comments:
For outstanding service as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, Tactical Group One, during the planning and execution of the Marshall Islands invasion, LtCol 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. He remained with the 2nd Division until his return to the United States in September 1944.
In October 1944, LtCol Greene was appointed Officer in Charge, G-3, Operations, Division of Plans and Policies, Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC). He held that post until July 1945, then served as Executive Officer, Special Services Branch, Personnel Department. In April 1946, he was ordered to Little Creek, Virginia, as G-3, Troop Training Unit, Amphibious Training Command, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. While there, he was promoted to colonel in February 1948, with rank from August 1947.
Detached from Little Creek in June 1948, Col Greene reported to Pearl Harbor that August as G-3, Fleet Marine Force (FMF), Pacific. He returned from that assignment in June 1950 and for the next two years was Chief of the Combined Arms Section, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. He also served briefly as Chief of the Coordination &XXevalXX. Section there, before entering the National War College, Washington, in August 1952. He graduated in June 1953 and the following month became Staff Special Assistant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Security Council Affairs. Prior to his departure from Washington, he was promoted to brigadier general on 1 September 1955.
Later that September, BGen Greene assumed duty as Assistant Commander, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune. In May 1956, he was transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, where he served as Commanding General, Recruit Training Command, until March 1957, when he became Commanding General of the Recruit Depot. That July he became Commanding General of the Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune.
In January 1958, BGen Greene reported to HQMC as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3. While serving in this capacity, he was promoted to major general in August 1958. Following this assignment, he served from March through December 1959 as Deputy Chief of Staff (Plans). On 1 January 1960, he was designated as Chief of Staff, with the rank of lieutenant general.
Lieutenant General Greene was nominated by President John F. Kennedy on 24 September 1963 to become the 23rd Commandant of the Marine Corps for a four-year term. Upon assuming his post as Commandant on 1 January 1964, he was promoted to four-star rank. During his tenure, there was a proliferation of troops in Southeast Asia. In 1964, there were fewer than a thousand Marines in Vietnam but by 1968, the III Marine Amphibious Force in Vietnam numbered more than 100,000 Marines and sailors.
General Greene retired on 31 December 1967. n addition to the Distinguished Service Medal with one Gold Star in lieu of a second award, the general?s medals and decorations include: the Legion of Merit with Combat ?V? and Gold Star in lieu of a second award, the Navy Unit Commendation, the China Service Medal, the American Defense Service Medal with base clasp, the 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 also has been 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.
The primary mission of the 3d Marine Division is to execute amphibious assault operations and other such operations as may be directed. The Division is supported by Marine aviation, and force service support units and is prepared to be employed, as an integral part of a Marine Expeditionary Force in amphibious operations.
The Division is divided into the Third Marine Regiment at Kaneohe Bay, HI, the Twelfth Marine Regiment located at Camp Hansen, and the Fourth Marine Regiment at Camp Schwab. In addition, we are further broken down into a Headquarters Battalion on Camp Courtney, and a Force Recon Battalion located at Camp Schwab. The Division includes elements forward deployed under the Unit Deployment Program (UDP), reporting aboard for six month rotational training cycles.
The 3d Marine Division officially activated 16 September 1942 at Camp Elliott, San Diego, California. It was built around the 9th Marines, commanded by Colonel Lemuel C. SHEPHERD, Jr. who later became the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Major General Charles D. BARRETT was the first Commanding General of the Division. By August 1943 the Division was stationed on Guadalcanal where special training and rehearsals for the Bougainville operation were intensified. On 1 November 1943 the Division landed at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville. For approximately two months, the Division participated in the fight against stiff and heavy enemy resistance. On 16 January 1944, with the transfer of command in the area to the Army's XIV Corps, the last elements of the Division returned to Guadalcanal.
Following the Bougainville operation the Division began training for the next campaign. Verbal instructions received in February 1944 led to planning for an operation against the Japanese on Emirau Island. The projected Emirau operation was subsequently cancelled and instructions were received to initiate planning for an operation against enemy forces at Kavieng, New Ireland. This operation was also called off. A few days later, the Division received word to start training for the amphibious assault against the Japanese on Guam, Marianas.
The Division embarked at Guadalcanal on 2 and 3 June 1944 and sailed for Kwajalein, Marshall Islands enroute to the Marianas. It remained afloat off Saipan from 15 to 28 June 1944 as part of the reserve force for the Saipan operation, then being carried out by the 2d and 4th Marine Divisions in conjunction with the 27th Infantry Division. With the situation on Saipan well controlled the Division returned to its restaging area awaiting the target date for the Guam operation.
On 21 July 1944, as a part of the Southern Troops and Landing Force, the Division landed on western beaches of Guam in the vicinity of Asan Point. After twenty days of savage fighting, the Division troops reached the northern coast of the island. On 10 August 1944 Guam was declared secure. Until its departure for the Iwo Jima campaign in the middle of February 1945, the Division remained on Guam taking part in the mopping up operations.
Initially, the Division remained afloat off Iwo Jima as Expeditionary Troops Reserve. The Division landed on 24 February, and the next morning the 3d Marine Division launched an attack in its zone between the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions. The 3d Marine Division faced well-organized and determined enemy resistance. The terrain, ideal for defense, was heavily fortified by pillboxes, caves, and covered artillery emplacements. Progress was slow and casualties heavy during the first few days of fighting. The Division slowly pushed the enemy back and by 3 March had severed the last enemy east-west artery of communication by occupying positions overlooking the sea. The 3d Marine Division secured its zone of action on 11 March and then initiated intensive patrolling and mopping-up operations. On 16 March, units of the 3d Marine Division relieved elements of the 5th Division and delivered the final attack of the Iwo Jima operation - a drive to Kitano Point. Iwo Jima was declared secure on the same day. On 4 April the 3d Marine Division was relieved by Army units.
By mid-April 1945, the Division was back on Guam preparing for the next operation. On 3 August 1945 the Division received initial plans for the "Olympic" operation which called for an amphibious landing of Kyushu about 1 November 1945. The 3d Marine Division, along with the 2nd and 5th Marine Divisions, was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps for the projected operation. Japan's agreement to cease hostilities and subsequent surrender cancelled "Olympic", and the Division remained on Guam until the date of its disbandment on 28 December 1945.
The Division was reactivated on 7 January 1952 at Camp Pendleton, California. Immediately after its activation and still in its organizational state, the Division began intensive combat training, including new tactics and maneuvers based on lessons learned in Korean War. During the remaining part of 1952 elements of the Division participated in numerous exercises and training problems, including vertical envelopment (helicopter landing), air-borne operations and attack, and defense against atomic weapons and missiles.
In August 1953 the Division arrived in Japan to support the 1st Marine Division in the defense of the Far Eastern area. In March 1956 the Division moved to Okinawa and remained there in a readiness posture until 1965.
On 6 May 1965, the 3d Marine Division opened the Marine Compound at the Danang Air Base, Vietnam. The Division operated in Vietnam from this time participating in operations from Danang to Phi Bai to Quang Tri/Dong Ha Combat Base. The Division departed Vietnam in November 1969 and moved to Camp Courtney, Okinawa, where it is presently located.
From 2004 to 2011, elements of the 3d Marine Division participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. From March to May 2011 the Division participated in humanitarian relief efforts during Operation Tomodachi. From 2004 to present the Division remains successful fulfilling its mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and theater security cooperation exercises in the Pacific region. The Division continues to operate in an increasingly challenging and dynamic landscape and will be prepared to fight and win, tonight.
