I was saddened to hear that General Al Gray passed away today. General Gray was the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps. He was always a class act and a Marines Marine. I met him when I was a young Corporal. He took the time to stop in and talk to the junior Marines, asked sincere questions and took genuine interest in what we had to say. It wasn’t like talking to a politician on a campaign stop. He truly loved and admired the Marines under his watch.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.c...dant-dies-at-age-95/

Rest easy sir, you will be missed.

Private to Four Star General is quite a story in itself. I imagine you can be proud to have served with the man.

Photo circa 1990
Then Commandant of the Marine Corps General Al Gray made a stop on Okinawa.

I heard he was coming to the chow hall on Kinser so I blew off 13:00 formation so I could meet him.

Gunny was PISSED and I pushed a lot of concrete. nearly 30 years later? Worth it!

Believe that was the same time he came to the Philippines.

I got to meet him back in 1990 or so. My dad was then an O-5 at the Navy Annex and I was there to pick him up for dinner when I was a senior in high school. He stopped to say hello while walking down one of the corridors.

Outside the Annex, I saw a beautiful gold Nissan 300ZX with a placard in the window with base sticker on it. I asked my dad why the sticker was on a placard and not affixed outside per norm and he replied "How many four stars are there in the Corps?" Good point....OPSEC.

Class act.

It had to be the same Far East tour Gen. Gray did in 1990.

We were in Central Training Area doing a block of instruction with SOTG on Urban Warfare.

General Gray walks up on the training. Of course everyone is jumping to attention, General Gray casually says "At Ease, pay attention to the class" and the Instructor continues.

The class ends, General Gray yells out to the Instructor "Hey Sergeant, come over here"

The Instructor is looking around for who the General is talking to... The Instructor is only a Corporal.

"Sir, I'm only a Corporal"

"Not anymore, I'm the fucking Commandant of the Marine Corps, and I just said you're a Sergeant!"

One of the General's Aids pulls out some Sgt Chevrons from his briefcase, hands them to General Gray... Meritoriously promoted him right on the spot.

Very down to earth person, and had no problems actually talking to any one of his Marines, no matter the rank. I was fortunate to talk to the General 3 times while I was in.


"Grayisms"-

https://potomacinstitute.org/i...cations/Grayisms.pdf

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CPD SIG,

I remember him from my days in the Marine Corps, I got out about the time of his promotion to Commandant. I remember him being well liked. 95 years old, heck of a run.

CPD SIG, what a story, thanks for sharing that.

I was from 1986-1990. He was the Commandant most of the time I was in. He was a great Commandant and did a lot or good for the Corps. He really got us back to being true warriors. He will truly be missed.