| Carl Epting Mundy, Jr. | |
|---|---|
30th Commandant of the Marine Corps (1991-1995) (pictured as a Brigadier General) |
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| Born | July 16, 1935 Atlanta, Georgia |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1953-1995 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines 2nd Marine Regiment 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade II Marine Expeditionary Force Marine Forces Atlantic Commandant of the Marine Corps |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (2, of which 1 for valor) Bronze Star Purple Heart |
| Other work | USO Marine Corps University Foundation Schering-Plough General Dynamics Council on Foreign Relations |
Carl Epting Mundy, Jr. (born July 16, 1935) is a retired United States Marine Corps general who was the thirtieth 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, having given 38 years of active duty service.
From 1996 to 2000, he served as President and CEO of the USO.[1] General Mundy is currently the Chairman of the Marine Corps University Foundation.[2] He also serves on a number of corporate boards.
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Carl Epting Mundy, Jr. was born on July 16, 1935 in Atlanta, Georgia.[3] His family moved frequently when he was a young child, settling in Waynesville, North Carolina when Mundy was about 10 years old.[3] He graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama. At age 18, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve.[4]
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.[5][6]
Mundy enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and enrolled in the Navy ROTC Program in December 1953 while attending college — serving in the 38th Special Infantry Company, Montgomery, Alabama and rising to the grade of sergeant. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in June 1957, following graduation from Auburn University. His later military education included the Command and General Staff College and the Naval War College.
His early assignments included service in the 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division; duty aboard the aircraft carrier USS Tarawa (CV-40) and the cruiser USS Little Rock (CG-4); instructor at The Basic School; and as Officer Selection Officer, Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1966-67, Mundy served in Vietnam as operations and executive officer of the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, and as an intelligence officer in the Headquarters, III Marine Amphibious Force.
After Vietnam, his principal assignments were:
Following advancement to Brigadier General in April 1982, Mundy's assignments were:
General Mundy's awards include:
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In an October 31, 1993 segment on the CBS program 60 Minutes on the dearth of minority promotions in the 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."[7] Mundy, noted for being blunt, though possibly the "victim of selective editing", apologized for "any offense that may have been taken" from his remarks.[8] 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.[9][10]
Mundy issued an order in 1993 to cut down (and eventually eliminate) the recruitment category for married Marines; the order was rescinded following a public outcry.
From 1996 to 2000, Mundy served as President and CEO of the USO.[3][1] He is Chairman of the Marine Corps University Foundation.[2] He also serves on the boards of directors of Schering-Plough and General Dynamics, as well as serving on the Board of Advisors for Veterans Direct.[11]
Mundy was signatory to an open letter delivered to President Barack Obama and Members of Congress expressing support for the 1993 law stating that self-identified homosexuals are not eligible to serve in the military, commonly referred to as "Don't ask, don't tell."[12] The letter said in part, "We believe that imposing this burden on our men and women in uniform would undermine recruiting and retention, impact leadership at all echelons, have adverse effects on the willingness of parents who lend their sons and daughters to military service, and eventually break the All-Volunteer Force."[13] However unlike the 34th Commandant, Gen. James T. Conway, Mundy has said that if the restriction were repealed the troops should not be segregated.[14][15]
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon issued an apology Tuesday for remarks made by Gen. Carl E. Mundy Jr., commandant of the Marine Corps, who said in a televised interview that black officers and those of other minority groups do not shoot, swim or read compasses as well as whites.
In a statement to reporters, Navy Capt. Michael Doubleday said that Mundy "regrets any offense that may have been taken by his statements," which were televised Sunday on the CBS program "60 Minutes" as part of a segment on problems minority officers have receiving promotions.
| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by Gen. Alfred M. Gray, Jr. |
Commandant of the United States Marine Corps 1991—1995 |
Succeeded by Gen. Charles C. Krulak |
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