caption serviceyears laterwork branch commands birth_place allegiance awards image_size name battles birth_date rank image article_title birth_name
general 28th commandant of the u.s. marine corps -lrb- 1983 -- paul 1987 -rrb- xavier kelley , united states marine corps 1950 -- 1987 cassidy -rrb- & associates american battle monuments commission -lrb- chairman united states marine corps 2nd division rapid deployment joint task force assistant commandant commandant of battalion the marine corps 4th marines 1st marine regiment 4th marine boston , massachusetts , u.s. united states of america defense distinguished service medal air force distinguished service medal silver star distinguished medal legion of merit -lrb- 3 -rrb- w / combat service `` v '' bronze star medal -lrb- 2 -rrb- w medal / combat `` v '' navy distinguished service medal army 230px paul x. kelley vietnam war 11 november 1928 24px general gen kelley , paul x.jpg paul x. kelley
 paul xavier kelley
paul x. kelley

paul xavier kelley -lrb- born november 11 , 1928 -rrb- is a retired united states marine corps general who served as the 28th commandant of the u.s. marine corps , from july 1 , 1983 , to june 30 , 1987 .
kelley served 37 years active duty in the marine corps .
after his commission in 1950 , he served as an infantry officer in a wide variety of billets .
his first assignment after receiving his commission through villanova college 's naval rotc program was with aircraft engineering squadron 12 -lrb- aes-12 -rrb- at marine corps air station quantico , virginia .
he then served as an exchange officer with the royal marines .
he then joined the marine force reconnaissance community and served with distinction during the vietnam war .
his final assignments were as assistant commandant of the marine corps and then commandant of the marine corps until his retirement in 1987 .
following his retirement from the marine corps , kelley has served on a number of corporate boards .
