Axtell, Geroge C., LtGen

Deceased
 
 Service Photo 
 Service Details
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Final Rank
Lieutenant General
Last MOS
8003-General Officer
Primary Unit
1972-1974, 8003, HQ FMFLANT/MarForLant (Marine Forces Command)
Service Years
1940 - 1974
Official/Unofficial USMC Certificates
Shellback Certificate
Tailhook Certificate
Lieutenant General

 Last Photo 
 Personal Details 



Home State
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Year of Birth
1920
 
This Military Service Page was created/owned by Sgt Ryan Mahana (Alcatraz) to remember Marine LtGen Geroge Axtell.

If you knew or served with this Marine and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
 
Contact Info
Home Town
Ambridge
Date of Passing
Aug 20, 2011
 
Location of Interment
Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia

 Official Badges 

USMC Retired Pin (30 Years)


 Unofficial Badges 

Cold War Medal


 Military Associations and Other Affiliations
Arlington National Cemetery (VLM)
  2011, National Cemetery Administration (NCA), Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) (Arlington, Virginia)


 Additional Information
Last Known Activity:

Lieutenant General George C. Axtell, World War II ace and Navy Cross winner for heroism during the battle for Okinawa, retired from active duty on 1 September 1974. He was born in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, on 29 November 1920, and graduated from high school there in 1938. He attended the University of Alabama before enlisting in the Marine Corps in July 1940 as a Marine Aviation Cadet. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Master of Arts degree (Comptroller) from George Washington University.

He was assigned to flight school and was commissioned as a second lieutenant and designated a Naval Aviator in May 1941. From May until December 1941, he was an instructor at Pensacola, and then was transferred to the U.S. Naval Academy's Postgraduate School where he studied meteorological engineering, graduating in March 1943. He was promoted to first lieutenant in June 1942, and to captain in August 1942.

Promoted to major in May 1943, he saw duty from that July until June 1945, as Commanding Officer, Marine Fighter Squadron 323 (VMF-323), from the date of its formation at Cherry Point, North Carolina, and then throughout the Okinawa campaign. During the Okinawa campaign, VMF-323 scored 124 enemy planes. Following the Okinawa campaign he was assigned as the Commanding Officer, Marine Carrier Air Group-16, operating from the USS Badoeng Strait. Following the deactivation of MCVG-16 in March 1946, he served as Commanding Officer, VMF-452 until the following January.

Major Axtell completed the Junior Course at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, early in 1947, and began his first tour of duty at Headquarters Marine Corps as Naval Aviator Detail Officer, followed by a two-year tour with the Judge Advocate General's Office. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in January 1951.

In 1952, he was ordered to Korea where he took part in combat with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing as Tactical Officer of Marine Aircraft Group -12, and later, as Commanding Officer of Marine Attack Squadron 312. He served next with the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point, North Carolina, as Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, for a year, then as Commanding Officer, Marine Air Control Group 1. In 1955, Lieutenant Colonel Axtell reported to Headquarters Marine Corps for four years' duty as Assistant Head of Aviation Training and Distribution Branch, and Head of Program Planning, Division of Aviation. He was promoted to colonel in July 1959.

From 1959 until 1960, he served in Japan as 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Legal Officer and, later, as Commanding Officer, MAG-12. Returning to MCAS, Cherry Point, for a three-year period, he was initially assigned as 2d Wing Legal Officer and then reassigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3.

After completing the National War College, Washington, D.C., in June 1964, Colonel Axtell was assigned as Chief of Staff, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Ordered to the Far East in September 1965, he served as Chief of Staff, III Marine Amphibious Force, and was awarded his first Legion of Merit with Combat "V," for service in this capacity.

During March 1966, he organized and commanded the Force Logistics Command, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, located in the Republic of Vietnam. A second Legion of Merit with Combat "V" was awarded him for exceptionally meritorious conduct during this assignment.

Upon his return to the United States in December 1966, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, and assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps. For his service as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4, from December 1966 until June 1970, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of his third Legion of Merit. He was promoted to major general, 7 August 1969.

From late June 1970 to March 1972, he served as Commanding General, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, Cherry Point, North Carolina.

On 10 March 1972, it was announced that President Nixon had nominated Major General Axtell for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, in Norfolk, Virginia. He was advanced to three-star rank on 1 April 1972. He received the Distinguished Service Medal upon his retirement on 1 September 1974.  LtGen Axtell passed away at the age of 90 on 20 August 2011.







 






 

In addition to the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal, his awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Combat "V," and Gold Stars in lieu of second and third awards, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Gold Star in lieu of a subsequent award, the Air Medal with one Silver Star in lieu of second through sixth awards, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Commendation with one bronze star, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star, the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the United Nations Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

   
Other Comments:










































Naval Aviator insignia
1st Row   Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal  
2nd Row Legion of Merit w/ v device & 2 award stars Distinguished Flying Cross w/ 1 award star Air Medal w/ 5 award stars Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/ 2 service stars
3rd Row Navy Unit Commendation w/ 1 service star American Defense Service Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 1 campaign star
4th Row World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star Korean Service Medal w/ 2 service stars Vietnam Service Medal w/ 3 service stars
5th Row Korean Presidential Unit Citation Vietnam Gallantry Cross unit citation United Nations Korea Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal

   


Korean War/Korean Summer (1953)
From Month/Year
May / 1953
To Month/Year
July / 1953

Description
Korea, Summer 1953, 1 May - 27 July 1953. There was little activity anywhere along the front as 1953 began. Then, as spring approached, the enemy renewed his attacks against the Eighth Army 's outpost line. By July these attacks had increased in frequency and intensity until they were nearly as heavy as those of May 1951.

In January 1953 Van Fleet had twelve South Korean and eight U.N. divisions to defend the army front. Total strength of combat, service, and security troops was nearly 768,000. Opposing the U.N. forces were seven Chinese armies and two North Korean corps, totaling about 270, 000 troops. Another 531,000 Chinese and North Korean troops remained in reserve. With service and security forces, total enemy strength in Korea was estimated at more than a million men.

Other than a few patrol clashes, little fighting occurred during January and February 1953. On 11 February Lt. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor took command of the Eighth Army as Van Fleet returned to the United States for retirement. The enemy increased his attacks during March, striking at outposts of the 2d and 7th Divisions and the 1st Marine Regiment. During the period 9-10 March the Chinese were successful in ambushing several U.N. patrols, inflicting heavy casualties in each instance. After these flare-ups the front quieted down until late May, when the enemy struck at the outposts of the U.S. 25th Division that were guarding the approaches to the Eighth Army's western positions. Although the enemy was successful in occupying three of the division outposts, he suffered nearly 3,200 casualties.

On the night of 10 June three Chinese divisions struck the ROK II Corps in the vicinity of Kumsong, attacking down both sides of the Pukhan River. Several attacks forced these units to withdraw about two miles. Both sides lost heavily; the Chinese suffered about 6,000 casualties and the ROK units about 7,400. By 18 June the attacks had subsided. By the end of the month, action along the entire front had returned to routine patrolling and light attacks.

Operation LITTLE SWITCH, an exchange of Allied and Communist sick and wounded prisoners, began on 20 April. When it was completed in the latter part of the month, 684 Allied prisoners had been exchanged for more than 6,000 Communists.

Armistice negotiations were resumed in April. The prisoner-of-war question was settled by providing each side an opportunity to persuade those captives who refused repatriation to their homeland to change their minds. By 18 June the terms of the armistice were all but complete; but on this date President Syngman Rhee ordered the release of 27,000 anti-Communist North Korean prisoners of war unilaterally, in protest against armistice terms which left Korea divided. U.N. officials disclaimed any responsibility for this action; but the enemy delegates denounced it as a serious breach of faith and delayed the final armistice agreement for another month. Enemy forces took advantage of this delay. On 13 July the Chinese launched a three-division attack against the left flank of the ROK II Corps and a one-division attack against the right flank of the U.S. IX Corps, forcing U.N. forces to withdraw about eight miles to positions below the Kumsong River. By 20 July, however, U.N. forces had counterattacked, retaken the high ground along the Kumsong River, and established a new main line of resistance. No attempt was made to restore the original line, as it was believed that the armistice would be signed at any time. Enemy casualties in July totaled about 72,000 men. Out of the five Chinese armies that had been identified in the attacks, the enemy had lost the equivalent of seven divisions.

By 19 July the negotiators at Panmunjom had reached an accord on all points. Details were worked out within a week and the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed at 1000 hours 27 July 1953.
   
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
May / 1953
To Month/Year
July / 1953
 
Last Updated:
Mar 12, 2023
   
Personal Memories
   
Units Participated in Operation

7th Marine Regiment

1st Marine Regiment

2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (2/1)

1st Battalion, 1st Marines (1/1)

Marine Attack Squadron 121 (VMA-121)

2nd Battalion, 7th Marines (2/7)

Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 161 (HMR-161)

E Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines (2/1)

Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352)

Marine Attack Squadron 323 (VMA-323)

H&S Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group (1st MLG)

Marine Detachment (MARDET) USS Bremerton (CA-130)

 
My Photos From This Battle or Operation
No Available Photos

  2538 Also There at This Battle:
  • Abel, Daniel, Sgt, (1952-1955)
  • Adams, Richard F., Cpl, (1958-1964)
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