James E . Livingston Major General James Everett Livingston ( born January 12 , 1940 ) is a retired United States Marine Corps general . He was awarded the United States ' highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor — for heroic actions in 1968 during the Vietnam War . Maj Gen Livingston served on active duty in the Marine Corps over 33 years before retiring on September 1 , 1995 . His last assignment was the Commanding General of Marine Forces Reserve in New Orleans , Louisiana . Early life . James Livingston was born on January 12 , 1940 in Towns , Georgia . He graduated from Lumber City High School in 1957 . He entered North Georgia College and State University ( The Military College of Georgia ) in 1957 and was a member of the school ' s nationally recognized Corps of Cadets until he transferred to pursue a major that the school did not offer . In 1962 , Livingston earned a B . S degree in civil engineering from Auburn University . While at Auburn University he pledged and was initiated into the Alpha - Delta Chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity . He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in June 1962 . Military service . Livingston ' s early assignments included service as a platoon commander , intelligence officer and as a Recruit Training Regiment series commander . Promoted to captain in June 1966 , Capt Livingston served as the Commanding Officer of the Marine detachment aboard the Aircraft Carrier , before joining the 3rd Marine Division in the Republic of Vietnam in August 1967 . On May 2 , 1968 , while serving as Commanding Officer , Company E , 2nd Battalion , 4th Marines , he distinguished himself above and beyond the call of duty in action against enemy forces , and earned the Medal of Honor . He returned to the U . S . in November 1968 and completed the Amphibious Warfare School in Quantico , Virginia . He was presented the Medal of Honor on May 14 , 1970 by President Richard Nixon . After his second tour in Vietnam , he served as an instructor at the U . S . Army Infantry School , Director of Division Schools for the 1st Marine Division , and later , as S - 3 of the 3rd Battalion , 7th Marines . In March 1975 he returned to Vietnam and served as Operations Officer for the Vietnam evacuation operations which included Operation Frequent Wind , the evacuation of Saigon . He then commanded the Marine Barracks , United Kingdom , London , and served as Commanding Officer , 3rd Recruit Training Battalion and then as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations and Training at the Marine Recruit Depot , Parris Island , South Carolina . During this period , he earned a master ' s degree in Management from Webster University ( 1984 ) . He then served with the 2nd Marine Division and commanded the 6th Marines before joining the Joint U . S . Assistance Group in the Republic of the Philippines . Following advancement to brigadier general on June 10 , 1988 , he served as Deputy Director for Operations at the National Military Command Center in Washington , D . C . During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm , Gen Livingston commanded the Marine Air Ground Combat Center , 29 Palms , California and developed the Desert Warfare Training Program . After command of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade , he was advanced to major general on July 8 , 1991 , and assumed command of the 4th Marine Division . In July 1992 , he assumed command of the newly created Marine Reserve Force , and continued through its reorganization in October 1994 , with its new title , " Marine Forces Reserve " . Livingston is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School , the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the Air War College . In retirement , MajGen Livingston is serving on the Board of Trustees of the National World War II Museum . On November 6 , 2007 the Fred Thompson presidential campaign announced that MajGen Livingston will serve as the National Co - Chair of Veterans for Fred Thompson . Awards and honors . His decorations include : On November 19 , 1993 , the State of Georgia dedicated a historical marker in Lumber City , Georgia , honoring Livingston and his Medal of Honor actions . Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to CAPTAIN JAMES E . LIVINGSTON UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION : / S / RICHARD M . NIXON References . Autobiography : Noble warrior : The Story of Major General James E . Livingston , USMC ( Ret . ) , Medal of Honor , with Colin D . Heaton and Anne Marie Lewis . Zenith Press , 2010 .