Alfred M . Gray , Jr . Alfred M . Gray , Jr . ( born June 22 , 1928 ) , is a retired United States Marine Corps general who served as the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1987 - 91 . He retired from the Corps in 1991 after 41 years of service . Early life and education . Gray was born on June 22 , 1928 to Emily and Alfred Mason Gray and was raised in Point Pleasant , New Jersey . He studied at Lafayette College , and received a Bachelor of Science degree from State University of New York . He has honorary degrees from Lafayette College , Monmouth University , Norwich University , the National Defense Intelligence College , and Franklin University . He married the former Jan Goss of Burlington , Vermont on July 20 , 1980 . Marine Corps service . Gray enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1950 . He served overseas with Fleet Marine Force ( FMF ) , Pacific , attaining the rank of sergeant before being commissioned a second lieutenant in April 1952 . By definition , serving in the enlisted ranks prior to becoming an officer makes Gray a " mustang , " which generally commands more respect in the Corps because of the combination of officer smarts and enlisted practicality . His early tours included service with 11th Marines and 7th Marines , 1st Marine Division in Korea , the 8th Marine Regiment , 2nd Marine Division at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , and Headquarters Marine Corps , Washington , D . C . , during which he saw service in Guantanamo Bay and Vietnam . As a Major , Gray joined the 12th Marine Regiment , 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam in October 1965 , serving concurrently as regimental communications officer , regimental training officer , and artillery aerial observer . He took command of the Composite Artillery Battalion and U . S . Free World Forces at Gio Linh in April 1967 . In September 1967 , Gray was reassigned to the III Marine Amphibious Force in Da Nang where he commanded the 1st Radio Battalion elements throughout I Corps until February 1968 . Following a brief tour in the United States , he returned to Vietnam from June to September 1969 in conjunction with surveillance and reconnaissance matters in the I Corps area . After his Vietnam tour , Gray served as Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion , 2nd Marines , Battalion Landing Team 1 / 2 ; the 2nd Marine Regiment ; the 4th Marine Regiment ; and Camp Commander of Camp Hansen , Okinawa , Japan . While commanding the 33rd Marine Amphibious Unit and Regimental Landing Team - 4 , and concurrently serving as Deputy Commander , 9th Marines Amphibious Brigade , Gray directed the Southeast Asia evacuation operations in 1975 . Advanced to brigadier general in March 1976 , General Gray served as Commanding General , Landing Force Training Command , Atlantic , and the 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade . Promoted to major general in February 1980 , he assumed command of the 2nd Marine Division , FMF , Atlantic , Camp Lejueune , N . C . , in June 1981 . Following his promotion to lieutenant general on August 29 , 1984 , he was reassigned as Commanding General , FMF , Atlantic / Commanding General , II MEF , and Commanding General , FMF , Europe . General Gray was promoted to general and became Commandant of the Marine Corps on July 1 , 1987 . His appointment as Commandant of the Marine Corps was recommended by Jim Webb , then Secretary of the Navy . As a reminder that the primary role of every Marine is a rifleman , he had his official photograph taken in the Camouflage Utility Uniform , the only Commandant to have done so . Television appearances . Gray appeared as himself on the Birthday Ball episode of " Major Dad " , a second season episode that celebrated the 215th birthday of the Marine Corps . Appearing on " 60 Minutes " in the 1980s , he addressed the graduating class at the Naval Academy . He summarized the core of leadership — civilian or military , " If you come and join my Marines , I want you to know that your ' number one ' job is to take care of the men and women you are privileged to lead . " Namesake . The Marine Corps Base in Quantico , Virginia is the home of the Alfred M . Gray Research Center . The center houses the Marine Corps Archives and Special Collections , the Quantico Base Library , and the research library for the Marine Corps University , as well a conference center . General Gray routinely stops by to donate his recently read books . Awards and decorations . A partial list of General Gray ’ s personal decorations and awards include , but are not limited to the Defense Distinguished Service Medal ( 2 awards ) , Navy Distinguished Service Medal ( 2 awards ) , Army Distinguished Service Medal , Air Force Distinguished Service Medal , Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal , Silver Star , Legion of Merit ( 2 awards with Combat " V " ) , Bronze Star ( 4 awards with Combat " V " ) , Purple Heart ( 2 awards ) . In 1991 , he was awarded the Distinguished Sea Service Award by the Naval Order of the United States . Post Marine Corps career . Gray serves on the Board of Directors or Board of Advisors of a number of companies , including :