James Mattis
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| James N. Mattis | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Nickname | Mad Dog |
| Place of birth | Richland, Washington |
| Allegiance | USMC |
| Years of service | 1972 - present |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | 1st Battalion, 7th Marines 7th Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division Marine Corps Combat Development Command I Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Battles/wars | Operation Desert Storm Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal with "V" |
James N. Mattis is a United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General currently serving as the Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, and Commander, United States Marine Forces Central Command.
Mattis attended Central Washington University and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1972 [1]. As a Lieutenant, he served as a rifle and weapons platoon commander in the 3rd Marine Division. As a Captain, he commanded a rifle company and a weapons company in the 1st Marine Brigade. As a Major, he commanded RS Portland. As a Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, one of Task Force Ripper's assault battalions in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As a Colonel, he commanded 7th Marines (Reinforced). As a Brigadier General, he commanded 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade and then Task Force 58 (TF 58), during Operation Enduring Freedom in southern Afghanistan. As the commander of TF 58, he became the first Marine to command a Naval Task Force in combat [2]. As a Major General, he commanded the 1st Marine Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent stability operations in during the Iraq War.
He is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the National War College.
On February 1, 2005, Lieutenant General Mattis, speaking at a forum in San Diego, apparently said "You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them. Actually, it's a lot of fun to fight. You know, it's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people. I'll be right upfront with you, I like brawling." Mattis's remarks sparked controversy, and General Michael W. Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps, issued a statement suggesting that Mattis should have chosen his words more carefully, but would not be disciplined.
The Pentagon announced on May 31, 2006 that LtGen Mattis had been chosen to take command of the I Marine Expeditionary Force based out of Camp Pendleton, California. [3]
General Mattis popularized the slogan "no better friend, no worse enemy", (originally coined by the Dictator Sulla as his own epitaph in 78 BC) for his command. This phrase became central in the investigation into the conduct of Lieutenant Ilario Pantano, a platoon commander serving under General Mattis. Lieutenant Pantano shot a pair of prisoners on April 15, 2004. He said that he thought they represented a threat. Lieutenant Pantano emptied two entire magazines into their bodies, because he wanted "to leave a message". He then scrawled General Mattis's slogan over the bodies.
Lieutenant General James N. Mattis will be played by Harrison Ford in the upcoming film No True Glory: The Battle for Fallujah, based on the book by Bing West. The film will be the first major feature film about the war in Iraq.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Reynolds, Nicholas E. (2005). ‘’Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond - The U.S. Marine Corps in the Second Iraq War.’’p. 4. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-717-4
- ^ Reynolds, Nicholas E. (2005). ‘’Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond - The U.S. Marine Corps in the Second Iraq War.’’p. 5. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-717-4
- ^ Lowe, Christian. "Popular commander to lead I MEF", The Marine Corps TImes, 2006-6-12, p. 24. Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
