LIEUTENANT GENERAL RICHARD E. CAREY

USMC-retired

Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey retired from the Marine Corps on 1 March 1983. The general was presented the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service to the Government of the United States in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding General, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia, from November 1980 through February 1983.

Born 10 January 1928, in Columbus, Ohio, he enlisted in the V-5 program in 1945. With the discontinuance of the V-5 program, he was discharged and enlisted in the Marine Corps and advanced to the rank of sergeant prior to his commissioning as a second lieutenant in 1948. As a rifle platoon commander, he participated in combat operations in Korea, including the Inchon Landing and Chosin Reservoir, where he earned the Silver Star Medal prior to his medical evacuation to the United States after being wounded in action.  In 1951, he served for a year as a company commander at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, and then reported to Pensacola, Florida, for flight training.

Since his designation as a Naval Aviator in 1953, General Carey held a variety of squadron pilot and staff assignments including separate tours as an intelligence, maintenance, material and logistics officer in both attack and fighter squadrons. He also served as the Assistant G-4 (Logistics) for the 2d Marine Division and spent one tour as the Aviation Logistics Officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Air, Headquarters Marine Corps.

Additionally, he had a diversified operations and planning background through assignments in that area at the squadron, group, wing and air station levels. As a colonel, he also served as the Battle Staff Chief in the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific and later as the G-3 Officer, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.

His aviation command experience began in 1958 with Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 32 while a major, stationed at MCAS, Beaufort, South Carolina. As a lieutenant colonel at Cherry Point in 1966, General Carey assumed command of then Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 513. Following his assignment to the Republic of Vietnam, the general commanded Marine Air Base Squadron 13 and later Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 during combat operations, while operating from Chu Lai Air Base. As a colonel in 1971, he commanded Marine Aircraft Group 24, with the 1st Marine Brigade in Hawaii.

Following his advancement to brigadier general on 1 July 1974, he became Assistant Wing Commander, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. In 1975, he concurrently commanded the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade where he directed the Marine Corps participation in the evacuation of Saigon.

Upon his return to the United States, he served as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps where he was advanced to major general on 2 March 1976, and served there until he was assigned duty as Commanding General of the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point, North Carolina, in July, 1976. In June, 1978 he was assigned duty as Deputy Chief of Staff, Commander in Chief, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia. He was promoted to lieutenant general on 24 October 1980 and assumed duty as CG, MCDEC, Quantico, Virginia. He served in this capacity until his retirement on 1 March 1983.

In addition to the Silver Star Medal, General Carey’s personal awards and decorations include: the Legion of Merit with gold star in lieu of a second award; the Distinguished Flying Cross; the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” and gold star in lieu of a second award, the Air Medal with Numeral 15; the Joint Service Commendation Medal; the Purple Heart Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation with two bronze stars; the Navy Unit Commendation Medal with one bronze star; and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. General Carey is a graduate of the College of Naval Command and Staff and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from George Washington University.