Retired Gen. Paul Kelley, once the 28th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, died at the age of 91 on Sunday.
Current commandant Gen. David Berger announced the news on Monday, tweeting, “We should honor Gen Kelley’s lifetime of service to the Corps and to the nation. From his service in Vietnam, to leading our Corps through the Beirut bombing aftermath, Gen Kelley served with honor and distinction.”
Our 28th Commandant, General P.X. Kelley, passed away yesterday. We should honor Gen Kelley’s lifetime of service to the Corps and to the nation. From his service in Vietnam, to leading our Corps through the Beirut bombing aftermath, Gen Kelley served with honor and distinction. pic.twitter.com/bJFWz8wzrd
— David H. Berger (@CMC_MarineCorps) December 30, 2019
Kelley, a Massachusetts native, graduated from Villanova University in 1950 and joined the Marine Corps soon after. After serving as an infantry officer, he commanded the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company and later deployed as commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, in Vietnam in 1965. He was awarded the Silver Star during that tour.
In 1970, Kelley returned to Vietnam as commander of the 1st Marines. In 1983, he was promoted as commandant and led the corps during the terrorist bombing at the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, which killed 241 Americans just four months later. After the attack, he visited with wounded victims and officiated the dedication of the Beirut Memorial wall on Oct. 23, 1986, at Lejeune Memorial Gardens in North Carolina.
During his service, he was also awarded the the Legion of Merit with Valor device and two Bronze Stars with Valor device. He retired in 1987 after 37 years and later became chairman of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
