Keith B . McCutcheon General Keith Barr McCutcheon ( August 10 , 1915 – July 13 , 1971 ) was a highly decorated Marine Corps aviator , seeing combat in World War II , the Korean War , and the Vietnam War . He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and ten Air Medal s . Early years . Keith McCutcheon was born on August 10 , 1915 in East Liverpool , Ohio . He graduated from East Liverpool High School and received his B . S . degree from Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1937 . An honor graduate of the schools ' ROTC unit , he resigned a U . S . Army Reserve commission to accept appointment as a Marine Corps second lieutenant on July 1 , 1937 . Marine Corps career . McCutcheon ' s first assignment upon completion of Basic School was with the Marine Detachment aboard the USS " Yorktown " . In 1940 , he completed flight training , was designated a Naval aviator , and subsequently served with a Marine Observation Squadron aboard the aircraft carriers , , and USS " Yorktown " . He later completed aeronautical engineering courses at the U . S . Naval Postgraduate School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , earning his Master ' s Degree in 1944 . World War II . In September 1944 , as a lieutenant colonel , he departed for the Pacific area . He served as Operations Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 24 at Bougainville , and at Luzon and Mindanao in the Philippine Islands . Additionally , he saw duty as Operations Officer of Marine Aircraft Groups , Dagupan on Luzon and , later , Zamboanga , on Mindanao . During the period from November 1 , 1944 to May 26 , 1945 , he earned the Silver Star , the Legion of Merit with Combat " V " , the Distinguished Flying Cross , and six Air Medal s in the Solomons , New Guinea , and Philippine Islands area . In November 1945 , he returned to the United States to serve as an instructor in the Aviation Section , Marine Corps Schools , Quantico . From October 1946 until December 1949 , he was assigned to the Bureau of Aeronautics , Navy Department , in Washington , D . C . . He served in the Guided Missiles ( then Pilotless Aircraft ) Division of the Design and Engineering Group , and was Branch Chief at various times of the Liaison , Experimental Projects , and Target Drone branches . He also performed additional duty in 1947 as Senior Marine Corps Aide to the White House . 1950s . Marine Helicopter Squadron One . Lieutenant Colonel McCutcheon was transferred to Norfolk in January 1950 and completed the course at the Armed Forces Staff College in June 1950 . He was then ordered to Quantico for duty as Commanding Officer of Marine Helicopter Squadron One ( HMX - One ) , the Corps ' only helicopter squadron at that time . During the next 18 months , HMX - One served as a focal point for the expansion of the Marine Corps Helicopter program . He was promoted to colonel in June 1951 . Korean War . In December 1951 , Colonel McCutcheon took command of Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 161 in Korea . He earned his second Legion of Merit with Combat " V " and his seventh through tenth Air Medals in this capacity . In October 1952 , he reported to Headquarters , United States European Command , in Frankfurt , Germany , where he served successively as Operations Officer , Assistant Chief , and later Chief , Operations Branch , J - 3 Division until May 1954 . Colonel McCutcheon assumed duties in June 1954 as Chief , Air Section , Marine Corps Equipment Board , Quantico . In August 1957 , he reported as Commanding Officer , MAG - 26 , at New River , North Carolina . He commanded the helicopter group until June 1959 , when he was detached to enter the National War College in Washington . 1960s . Following graduation , he was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps in July 1960 as Assistant Director of Aviation , becoming Director of Aviation in September 1961 . In March 1962 , he was promoted to brigadier general and assumed command of the Hawaii - based 1st Marine Brigade . Remaining in Hawaii , General McCutcheon joined the Staff of the Commander in Chief , Pacific , in January 1963 as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations . For exceptionally meritorious service in this capacity from 1963 to 1965 , he was awarded his third Legion of Merit . Vietnam War . Ordered to the Republic of Vietnam in June 1965 , General McCutcheon earned his first Distinguished Service Medal for service as Commanding General , 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and as Deputy Commander , III Marine Amphibious Force . He was also awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm , and the Vietnamese Medal of Honor ( First Class ) . In January 1966 , he was promoted to major general while serving in Vietnam . Upon his return to the United States in June 1966 , General McCutcheon served almost four years as Deputy Chief of Staff ( Air ) , at Headquarters Marine Corps , and earned a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal . 1970s . Nominated for promotion to lieutenant general , his nomination was approved by President Nixon on February 5 , 1970 , and confirmed by the Senate on February 24 , 1970 . After his promotion to that rank on February 26 , 1970 , he returned to the Republic of Vietnam for duty as Commanding General , III Marine Amphibious Force . For exceptionally meritorious service in this assignment through January 1971 , he was awarded his third Distinguished Service Medal . At the time of his retirement , he was Special Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps . Promotion to General and retirement . McCutcheon was nominated for his fourth star and appointed Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1970 by President Nixon . He was unable to assume the post because of ill health . However , because of his distinguished career as a Marine , Congress passed special legislation which provided that he be placed on the retired list with the rank of general . On July 1 , 1971 , General McCutcheon received his fourth star and was placed on the retired list . He died of cancer on July 13 , 1971 , at the National Naval Medical Center , Bethesda , Maryland . He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . Decorations . A complete list of his decorations and medals include :