
Flag of the Commandant of the Marine Corps
The 'Commandant of the United States Marine Corps' is the highest ranking officer of the
United States Marine Corps and a member of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, reporting to the
Secretary of the Navy but not to the
Chief of Naval Operations. As with the other joint chiefs, the commandant is responsible for ensuring the organization and readiness of his respective service branch and for advising the President. However, as with the other joint chiefs, the commandant has no operational command authority.
"The Commandant is directly responsible to the Secretary of the Navy for the total performance of the Marine Corps. This includes the administration, discipline, internal organization, training, requirements, efficiency, and readiness of the service. The Commandant also is responsible for the operation of the Marine Corps material support system."
[ Marine Corps Concepts and Programs 2006, , , , United States Marine Corps, , ]
Since 1801, the home of the Commandant is located in
Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C..
List of Commandants
General James T. Conway
34th and current Commandant
| # | Name | Start of Tenure | End of Tenure |
|---|
| 1. | Samuel Nicholas | November 28, 1775 | August 27, 1783 |
| 2. | William W. Burrows | 12 July, 1798 | 6 March, 1804 |
| 3. | Franklin Wharton | 7 March, 1804 | September 1, 1818 |
| | Archibald Henderson (acting) | September 16, 1818 | March 2, 1819 |
| 4. | Anthony Gale | 3 March, 1819 | 8 October, 1820 |
| 5. | Archibald Henderson | October 17, 1820 | January 6, 1859 |
| 6. | John Harris | January 7, 1859 | 1 May, 1864 |
| 7. | Jacob Zeilin | 10 June, 1864 | October 31, 1876 |
| 8. | Charles G. McCawley | November 1, 1876 | January 29, 1891 |
| 9. | Charles Heywood | 30 June, 1891 | October 2, 1903 |
| 10. | George F. Elliott | October 3, 1903 | November 30, 1910 |
| 11. | William P. Biddle | February 3, 1911 | February 24, 1914 |
| 12. | George Barnett | February 25, 1914 | 30 June, 1920 |
| 13. | John A. Lejeune | 1 July, 1920 | 4 March, 1929 |
| 14. | Wendall C. Neville | 5 March, 1929 | 8 July, 1930 |
| 15. | Ben H. Fuller | 9 July, 1930 | February 28, 1934 |
| 16. | John H. Russell, Jr. | 1 March, 1934 | November 30, 1936 |
| 17. | Thomas Holcomb | December 1, 1936 | December 31, 1943 |
| 18. | Alexander A. Vandegrift | January 1, 1944 | December 31, 1947 |
| 19. | Clifton B. Cates | January 1, 1948 | December 31, 1951 |
| 20. | Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. | January 1, 1952 | December 31, 1955 |
| 21. | Randolph M. Pate | January 1, 1956 | December 31, 1959 |
| 22. | David M. Shoup | January 1, 1960 | December 31, 1963 |
| 23. | Wallace M. Greene, Jr. | January 1, 1964 | December 31, 1967 |
| 24. | Leonard F. Chapman, Jr. | January 1, 1968 | December 31, 1971 |
| 25. | Robert Everton Cushman, Jr. | January 1, 1972 | 30 June, 1975 |
| 26. | Louis H. Wilson, Jr. | 1 July, 1975 | 30 June, 1979 |
| 27. | Robert H. Barrow | 1 July, 1979 | 30 June, 1983 |
| 28. | Paul X. Kelley | 1 July, 1983 | 30 June, 1987 |
| 29. | Alfred M. Gray, Jr. | 1 July, 1987 | 30 June, 1991 |
| 30. | Carl E. Mundy, Jr. | 1 July, 1991 | 30 June, 1995 |
| 31. | Charles C. Krulak | 1 July, 1995 | 30 June, 1999 |
| 32. | James L. Jones | 1 July, 1999 | January 12, 2003 |
| 33. | Michael W. Hagee | January 13, 2003 | November 13, 2006 |
| 34. | James T. Conway | November 14, 2006 | Incumbent |
See also
★
Headquarters Marine Corps
★
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, senior enlisted Marine
References
External links
★
Sec. 5043. Commandant of the Marine Corps