Carl Epting Mundy, Jr.

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Carl Epting Mundy, Jr. bigraphy, stories - United States Marine Corps Commandant

Carl Epting Mundy, Jr. : biography

July 16, 1935 –

Carl Epting Mundy, Jr. (born July 16, 1935) is a retired United States Marine Corps General who was the 30th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from July 1, 1991 until his retirement on June 30, 1995, after 38 years of active duty service.

From 1996 to 2000, he served as president and CEO of the USO. General Mundy is the chairman of the Marine Corps University Foundation. He also serves on a number of corporate boards.

Remarks on minority officers

In an October 31, 1993 segment on the CBS program 60 Minutes on the dearth of minority promotions in the US Marine Corps, General Mundy was quoted as saying, "In the military skills, we find that the minority officers do not shoot as well as the non-minorities. They don’t swim as well. And when you give them a compass and send them across the terrain at night in a land navigation exercise, they don’t do as well at that sort of thing." Mundy, noted for being blunt, though possibly the "victim of selective editing", apologized for "any offense that may have been taken" from his remarks. According to The Times, the general elaborated on this question at a 1993 commemoration of the Battle of Iwo Jima, when commenting on Ira Hayes, he said "Were Ira Hayes here today … I would tell him that although my words on another occasion have given the impression that I believe some Marines … because of their color … are not as capable as other Marines … that those were not the thoughts of my mind … and that they are not the thoughts of my heart.

Personal

Carl Epting Mundy, Jr. was born on July 16, 1935 in Atlanta, Georgia. His family moved frequently when he was a young child, settling in Waynesville, North Carolina when Mundy was about 10 years old. He graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama. At age 18, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps Reserve.

Mundy is married and has three children – two sons and a daughter. Both sons are U.S. Marine Corps officers, one of whom is a brigadier general.https://slsp.manpower.usmc.mil/GOSA/biographies/rptBiography.asp?PERSON_ID=2982&PERSON_TYPE=General

Awards and decorations

General Mundy’s awards include:

number=0|ribbon=Navy Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=0|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=0|ribbon=Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=0|ribbon=Coast Guard Distinguished Service ribbon.svg|width=106}}
number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=0|other_device=v|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=0|ribbon=Purple Heart BAR.svg|width=106}} number=1|type=award-star|other_device=v|ribbon=Navy and Marine Corps Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}}
number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Combat Action Ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=0|ribbon=US Navy Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon.png|width=106}} number=0|ribbon=Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
number=0|ribbon=AFEMRib.svg|width=106}} number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.svg|width=106}} number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Vietnam gallantry cross-3d.svg|width=106}}
number=0|ribbon=Vietnam gallantry cross unit award-3d.svg|width=106}} number=0|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal Ribbon.png|width=106}}
number=0|ribbon=Legion Honneur Commandeur ribbon.svg|width=106}}
Marine Corps Parachutist badge
1st Row Defense Distinguished Service Medal Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
2nd Row Navy Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
3rd Row Legion of Merit Bronze Star w/ valor device Purple Heart Medal Navy Commendation Medal w/ 1 award star & valor device
4th Row Combat Action Ribbon Navy Presidential Unit Citation Navy Unit Commendation National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star
5th Row Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal w/ 2 service stars Sea Service Ribbon Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry w/ 1 gold star
6th Row Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation Vietnam Campaign Medal Colombian Distinguished Service Spanish Grand Cross of Naval Merit
7th Row French Legion of Honor, Grade of Commander Argentinian Order of the Liberator General San Martin, Grand Cross Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Grand Cross Netherlands Medal of Merit