18th Gen. Alexander A. Vandegrift (MOH)	1 Jan 1944 - 31 Dec 1947
19th General Clifton B. Cates	1 Jan 1948 - 31 Dec 1951
20th General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.	1 Jan 1952 - 31 Dec 1955
21st General Randolph McC. Pate	1 Jan 1956 - 31 Dec 1959
22nd General David M. Shoup (MOH)	1 Jan 1960 - 31 Dec 1963
23rd General Wallace M. Greene, Jr.	1 Jan 1964 - 31 Dec 1967
24th General Leonard F. Chapman, Jr.	1 Jan 1968 - 31 Dec 1971
25th General Robert E. Cushman, Jr.	1 Jan 1972 - 30 Jun 1975
26th General Louis H. Wilson (MOH)	1 Jul 1975 - 30 Jun 1979
27th General Robert H. Barrow	1 Jul 1979 - 30 Jun 1983
28th General Paul X. Kelley	1 Jul 1983 - 30 Jun 1987
29th General Alfred M. Gray, Jr.	1 Jul 1987 - 30 Jun 1991
30th General Carl E. Mundy, Jr.	1 Jul 1991 - 30 Jun 1995
31st General Charles C. Krulak	1 Jul 1995 - 30 Jun 1999
32nd General James L. Jones	1 Jul 1999 - 12 Jan 2003
33rd General Michael W. Hagee	13 Jan 2003 - Now 13 2006
34th General James T. Conway	14 Now 2006 -

The first Marine to hold the grade of four-star general was Thomas Holcomb, the 17th Commandant. General Holcomb was promoted from lieutenant general to general upon retirement, 1 January 1944, by reason of combat citation, as provided by the Act of 23 February 1942.

This provision was repealed, however, on 11 August 1959, effective 1 November 1959.

The repeal meant that the grade of four-star general would be limited to the Commandant, incumbent of retired, but it would not effect those Marines who already had received the honor.

Between 1948 and the date of its repeal, 16 Marines serving in the grade of lieutenant general were promoted to general upon retirement, under the provision of the Act of 23 February 1942. They were:

William O. Brice	Alfred H. Noble	Holland M. Smith
Graves B. Erskine	Edwin A. Pollock	Oliver P. Smith
Franklin A. Hart	Ray A. Robinson	Gerald C. Thomas
Robert E. Hogaboom	Christian F. Schilt	Allen H. Turnage
Leroy P. Hunt	Harry Schmidt	Merrill B. Twining
Vernon E. Megee

NOTE: General Roy S. Geiger was posthumously promoted from lieutenant general to general, by a special Act of Congress, effective from the date of his death, 23 January 1947.

In April 1969, the Senate passed and sent to the White House a bill to make the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps a four-star general when the active duty strength of the Marine Corps exceeds 200,000. On 5 May 1969, President Nixon signed the bill, and Lieutenant General Lewis W. Walt was promoted to that rank, 2 June 1969, thus becoming the first Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps to attain four-star rank. Legislation allowing the Assistant Commandant to wear the four-star insignia regardless of the strength of the Marine Corps was approved by President Ford on 4 March 1976. The legislation is contained in Public Law 94-225. Subsequent to General Walt, the following Assistant Commandants of the Marine Corps have served with the rank of four-star general.

*General Keith B. McCutcheon	30 Jan 1971 - 11 Mar 1971
General Raymond G. Davis	12 Mar 1971 - 30 Mar 1972
General Earl E. Anderson	31 Mar 1972 - 30 Jun 1975
Lt. General Samuel Jaskilka	1 Jul 1975 - 3 Mar 1976
General Samuel Jaskilka	4 Mar 1976 - 30 Jun 1978
General Robert H. Barrow	1 Jul 1978 - 30 Jun 1979
**General Kenneth McLennan	1 Jul 1979 - 30 Jun 1981
** General Paul X. Kelley	1 Jul 1981 - 30 Jun 1983
General John K. Davis	1 Jul 1983 - 31 May 1986
General Thomas R. Morgan	1 Jun 1986 - 30 Jun 1988
**General Joseph J. Went	1 Jul 1988 - 31 Jul 1990
**General Jospeh R. Dailey	1 Aug 1990 - 31 Aug 1992
General Walter E. Boomer	1 Sep 1992 - 14 Jul 1994
General Richard D. Hearney	15 Jul 1994 - 26 Sep 1996
General Richard I. Neal	27 Sep 1996 - 4 Sep 1998
General Terrence R. Dake	5 Sep 1998 - 7 Sep 2000
General Michael J. Williams	8 Sep 2000 - 9 Sep 2002
General William L. Nyland	10 Sep 2002 -

On 22 November 1985, General George B. Crist was promoted to four-star rank and on 27 November assumed the position of Commander in Chief of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. His appointment marked the first time a Marine headed a unified command and the first time the Corps had three four-star generals on active duty at the same time. Since 1985, a number of Marines have headed unified commands holding four-star rank, and it is no longer uncommon for the Corps to have three or four star-star generals on active duty at the same time.

*Assigned but did not assume duties due to ill health.
**Served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and Chief of staff.

Friday October 23, 2009