Herbert Beckington Herbert L . Beckington ( October 3 , 1920 – October 14 , 2007 ) was a Lieutenant General who served for 32 years in the United States Marine Corps . He served in combat during World War II and the Vietnam War . He later served as the first Inspector General for the United States Agency for International Development . Biography . Herbert Beckington was born in Rockford , Illinois . He graduated from Rockford High School in 1938 . He received his B . A . degree upon graduation from The Citadel in 1943 , and his LLB ( Law ) from Catholic University , Washington , D . C . , in 1953 . Upon graduation from The Citadel , he was commissioned a Marine Corps Reserve second lieutenant on May 29 , 1943 . He completed the Reserve Officers ' Class , Marine Corps Schools , Quantico , Virginia , in August 1943 and the Officers ' Base Defense School at Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , the following November . He was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1944 and integrated into the regular Marine Corps in 1946 . His first duty assignment was as a battery officer with the 18th Defense Battalion at Camp Lejeune . In April 1944 , First Lieutenant Beckington became a platoon commander and , later a battery executive officer and battery commander with the * 18th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion . From June 1944 until January 1946 , he served with the battalion on Tinian and Saipan in the Pacific . Returning to the United States with the battalion in February of that year , he remained with the unit until March 1946 . Later completion of Sea School at Marine Corps Base , San Diego , California , in June 1946 , Lieutenant Beckington became Commanding Officer , Marine Detachment , , and served in this capacity until October 1948 . He was promoted to captain in August of that year . Captain Beckington next saw duty at the Marine Barracks in Norfolk , Virginia , until August 1950 , then became a student , Postgraduate Law Course at Catholic University . While attending Catholic University , he served in the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy and was promoted to major in June 1952 . Following graduation in 1953 , he was assigned duty at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California , until January 1955 , then he was reassigned duty as Staff Secretary , 3rd Marine Division , and later , Secretary of the General Staff , Provisional Corps , Japan , and Battalion , S - 3 , 3rd Tank Battalion , 3rd Marine Division . Major Beckington returned to the United States in February 1956 , and was assigned as a member , Board For Data Processing Requirements of the Marine Corps , Headquarters Marine Corps until July 1957 . He completed the Amphibious Warfare School , Junior Course , Quantico in June 1958 , then returned to Headquarters Marine Corps for duty as Assistant to the Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps . Promoted lieutenant colonel in October 1959 , he was detached from Headquarters Marine Corps in July 1961 and assumed duty for one year as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy ( Installations and Logistics ) , Navy Department . Lieutenant Colonel Beckington returned to Camp Lejeune in July 1962 and served , consecutively , as a battalion commander , 2nd Anti - tank Battalion , Executive Officer , Eighth Marines , 2nd Marine Division , and as Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 3 , Force Troops . This was followed by duty from March 1965 until September 1967 as Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States , the Honorable Hubert H . Humphrey . He earned his first Legion of Merit during this assignment , and was promoted to colonel in September 1965 . Ordered to the Republic of Vietnam , he served initially as Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 5 , 1st Marine Division , as Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 2 , ITT Marine Amphibious Force , and again with the 1st Marine Division , as Commanding Officer , 7th Marines . For his Vietnam service , he earned his second and third Legion of Merit with Combat " V " . Upon his return to the United States in February 1969 , Colonel Beckington served briefly as Chief , Academic Department , Education Center , Quantico . In April , he returned to Headquarters Marine Corps for duty in the Policy Analysis Division . Beckington was promoted to brigadier general on August 15 , 1969 and was reassigned duty as Assistant Director , and later , Deputy Director of Personnel and was awarded his fourth award of the Legion of Merit . From November 1971 until August 1972 , General Beckington was the Assistant Division Commander , 2nd Marine Division , Camp Lejeune . Reporting to Headquarters Marine Corps in August 1972 , he was promoted to major general and assigned as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff ( Plans ) and Director , Joint Planning Group . On July 1 , 1973 he assumed the duties as Deputy Chief of Staff ( Plans and Programs ) and was promoted to lieutenant general . Due to a reorganization of Headquarters Marine Corps , he was reassigned as Deputy Chief of Staff Plans and Operations ) in October 1973 . Beckington retired from active duty on September 1 , 1975 and was awarded the Distinguished Service medal upon his retirement . In 1977 , Beckington took the position of Inspector General for the United States Agency for International Development . Beckington died in Alexandria , Virginia , in October 2007 .