# Lewis G. Lee

Lewis G. Lee (born January 19, 1950) is a retired United States Marine who served as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from 1995 to 1999. He retired from active duty in 1999 after over 31 years of service. He was the last Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps to serve in combat in the Vietnam War.

## Early life

Lewis Lee was born on January 19, 1950, in North Carolina, and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on March 28, 1968. He graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in May 1968, and completed Infantry Training at Camp Lejeune in July 1968.

## Military career

In August 1968, Lee was assigned to A Company, 1st Battalion 4th Marines and deployed to South Vietnam, eventually becoming a squad leader and platoon sergeant. In June 1969, he was sent to Sub Unit #1 U.S. Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, and remained there for seven months. In March 1970 until December 1971, he served at Weapons and Tactics Instructor with the Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Lejeune. He then served as a Drill Instructor and Instructor at DI School Staff at Parris Island.
In August 1975, Lee was sent to the 3rd Marine Division to become the Operations Chief for the division's Headquarters Battalion. The next year, he was Assistant Marine Officer Instructor in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit at The Citadel. He became the platoon sergeant for the Officer Candidates School's NROTC Bulldog Course in the summer of 1977, and became the first sergeant the following year.
In August 1979, Lee was the first sergeant of Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, and later moved to Lima Company. He became the Inspector/Instructor Staff First Sergeant for Company B, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion at Jacksonville, Florida, in January 1981, until October 1983. Lee was transferred to 2nd Battalion 4th Marines at Camp Lejeune. After getting promoted to sergeant major on 1 January 1984, he became the sergeant major of 2nd Recruit Training Battalion at MCRD Parris Island in December 1985, until he moved to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, to become the base sergeant major from September 1988 until February 1991.
Lee transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps in March 1991 and worked in the Personnel department until June 1995, when he was selected as the 13th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. He was the last Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps to have served in the Vietnam War, and retired in 1999.

## Awards and honors

Lee's personal decorations include:
| 1st Row | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | Purple Heart w/ 1 award star |
| 2nd Row | Meritorious Service Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/ valor device & 1 award star | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal w/ 2 award stars | Combat Action Ribbon |
| 3rd Row | Navy Unit Commendation | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 1 service star | Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal w/ 9 service stars | National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star |
| 4th Row | Vietnam Service Medal w/ 3 service stars | Humanitarian Service Medal | Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 3 service stars | Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon w/ 2 service stars |
| 5th Row | Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ gold star | Vietnam Gallantry Cross unit citation | Vietnam Civil Actions unit citation | Vietnam Campaign Medal |
| Badges | Rifle Expert Badge | Rifle Expert Badge | Pistol Expert Badge | Pistol Expert Badge |