George C . Axtell Lieutenant General George C . Axtell ( November 29 , 1920 – August 20 , 2011 ) was a retired United States Marine Corps general officer and a World War II ace and Navy Cross recipient . During World War II , he was the youngest commanding officer of a Marine Fighter Squadron . He also served in the Korean War and Vietnam War . Biography . Axtell was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of 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 held a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Master of Arts degree ( Comptroller ) from George Washington University . Axtell 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 Naval Air Station 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 , Axtell 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 from March to June . During the Okinawa campaign , VMF - 323 scored 124 enemy planes led by Axell who was credited with destroying 6 enemy planes on April 22 with his F4U Corsair and was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism . Following the Okinawa campaign , he was assigned as the Commanding Officer , Marine Carrier Air Group - 16 , operating from the . Following the deactivation of MCVG - 16 in March 1946 , he served as Commanding Officer , VMF - 452 until the following January . 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 , Axtell was ordered to Korea where he again saw combat in an F4U Corsair 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 2nd 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 , 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 , Axtell 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 2nd 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 , Axtell was assigned in July as Chief of Staff , Fleet Marine Force , Pacific until September 1965 . Ordered to the Far East in September 1965 , he served as Chief of Staff , III Marine Amphibious Force until March 1966 and was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat " V " . During March 1966 , he organized and commanded the Force Logistics Command , Fleet Marine Force , Pacific , located in the in South Vietnam until October 1966 . He was awarded a second Legion of Merit with Combat " V " 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 third Legion of Merit medal . He was promoted to major general on 7 August 1969 . From late June 1970 to March 1972 , he served as Commanding General , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing , Cherry Point , North Carolina . On 10 March 1972 , it was announced that President Nixon had nominated 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 Navy Distinguished Service Medal upon his retirement on 1 September 1974 . Military awards and decorations . Axtell ' s awards and decorations include :