Robert E . Cushman , Jr . General Robert Everton Cushman , Jr . ( December 24 , 1914 – January 2 , 1985 ) served as the 25th Commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1 , 1972 to June 30 , 1975 . He was honored for heroism in battle during World War II at the battles of Guam ( Navy Cross ) , Bougainville ( Bronze Star ) and Iwo Jima ( Legion of Merit ) . He also commanded all Marine forces in Vietnam from June - December 1967 . Cushman served as Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) from 1969 - 1971 . Biography . Early life . Cushman was born December 24 , 1914 , in St . Paul , Minnesota , the son of Jennie Lind ( Cumley ) and Robert Everton Cushman . He attended Central High School and at sixteen , before graduating , was appointed to the U . S . Naval Academy . Cushman graduated tenth in his class of 442 from the Academy . Early career . He was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant on June 6 , 1935 . Second Lieutenant Cushman completed the Basic School for Marine officers at the Philadelphia Navy Yard , then served briefly at the Marine Corps Base , San Diego , California . In February 1936 , he arrived in Shanghai , China , and served as a platoon commander with the 4th Marines and later the 2nd Marine Brigade . On his return to the United States in March 1938 , he served at naval shipyards in Brooklyn , New York and Portsmouth , Virginia . He was promoted to First Lieutenant in August 1938 . In April 1939 , 1stLt Cushman was assigned to the Marine Detachment at the New York World ’ s Fair , and was subsequently stationed at the Marine Barracks , Quantico , Virginia . He was promoted to Captain in March 1941 . World War II . In June 1941 , Capt . Cushman reported aboard USS Pennsylvania in San Diego , en route to Pearl Harbor , as Commanding Officer of the ship ’ s Marine Detachment . He was serving in this capacity when the Japanese attacked the ship and other naval installations at Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 . Upon his transfer from the Pennsylvania , he joined the 9th Marine Regiment at San Diego as a battalion executive officer in May 1942 and was promoted to major that same month . Major Cushman hiked from San Diego to Camp Pendleton with his unit in September 1942 , and embarked for the $ 3 in January 1943 . That month , Maj Cushman was appointed Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion , 9th Marines , and in May 1943 was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel . During the two years he held that post , he led his battalion repeatedly into combat , earning the Bronze Star with Combat “ V ” on Bougainville , the Navy Cross during the Battle of Guam , and the Legion of Merit with Combat “ V ” during the Battle of Iwo Jima , where two of his companies were nearly wiped out ( 9 survivors - 3 from F Co , and 9 from E Co ) when they were trapped in a defilade later called " Cushman ' s Pocket . ” Post war years . Upon his return to the United States in May 1945 , LtCol Cushman was stationed at Marine Corps Schools , Quantico , for three years . During that period he completed the Senior School , served as an instructor in the Command and Staff School , and during the latter two years was Supervisory Instructor , Amphibious Warfare School . In June 1948 , he was named Head of the Amphibious Warfare Branch , Office of Naval Research , Navy Department , Washington , D . C . From October 1949 until May 1951 , he served on the staff of the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) . While there , he was promoted to Colonel in May 1950 . In June 1951 , Col . Cushman joined the staff of the Commander - in - Chief , U . S . Naval Forces , Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleet , in London , serving as Amphibious Plans Officer until June 1953 . Following his return to the United States , he was transferred to Norfolk , Virginia , where he served as a member of the faculty of the Armed Forces Staff College , and in July 1954 became Director of the Plans and Operations Division there . In July 1956 , he assumed command of the 2nd Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . Assigned to Washington , D . C . , in February 1957 , he served four years on the staff of then - Vice President Richard Nixon as Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs . While serving in this capacity he was promoted to Brigadier General in July 1958 . Following his departure from Washington , BGen Cushman became Assistant Division Commander , 3rd Marine Division , on Okinawa in March 1961 . He was promoted to Major General in August 1961 , and in September assumed command of the Division . In July 1962 , he reported to Headquarters Marine Corps ( HQMC ) in Washington , D . C . , where he was assigned as both Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 2 ( Intelligence ) and Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 3 ( Plans , Operations and Training ) , in which capacities he served until January 1 , 1964 . From that date until June 1964 , he served only as Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 3 . From June 1964 until March 1967 , MajGen Cushman served in the dual capacity of Commanding General , Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California , and Commanding General , 4th Marine Division Headquarters Nucleus . In June 1966 , he formed the 5th Marine Division , and additionally , he served as its Commanding General at Camp Pendleton until November 1966 . Vietnam War . Major General Cushman was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam in April 1967 and was assigned as the Deputy Commander , III Marine Amphibious Force . Upon assuming duty as Commanding General , III Marine Amphibious Force , the largest combined combat unit ever led by a Marine , he was promoted to lieutenant general in June 1967 . For his service as Deputy Commander , from April to May 1967 , and subsequently as Commanding General , III Marine Amphibious Force , from June to December 1967 , he was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal . A Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal was awarded for his service as Commanding General , III Marine Amphibious Force ; Senior Advisor , I Corps Tactical Zone ; and I Corps Coordinator for United States / Free World Military Assistance Forces , from January 1968 to March 1969 . Post Vietnam . On March 6 , 1969 , while serving in Vietnam , LtGen Cushman was nominated by President Richard M . Nixon to be the Deputy Director of the CIA ; the Senate confirmed his nomination , April 21 , 1969 . Upon his return to the United States , he served briefly as Director of Personnel / Deputy Chief of Staff ( Manpower ) at HQMC . LtGen Cushman subsequently served as Deputy Director of the CIA from April 1969 through December 1971 , for which service he was awarded the Distinguished Intelligence Medal . As Commandant . He was promoted to General and assumed the office of Commandant of the Marine Corps on January 1 , 1972 . During Gen Cushman ’ s tenure , he saw the last of the Marines leave Vietnam and the peacetime strength fall to 194 , 000 while still maintaining readiness to act in such emergencies as the Mayagüez incident and the evacuations of Phnom Penh and Saigon . Later life . Cushman died January 2 , 1985 at his home in Fort Washington , Maryland . He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . Awards . Cushman ' s medals and decorations include :