Vietnam War. His final assignments were as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and then Commandant of the Marine Corps until his retirement in 1987. Following his retirement from the Marine Corps, Kelley has served on a number of corporate boards.
Contents
1 Biography
1.1 Promotion record
2 Post-Marine Corps career 3 Military awards and badges
3.1 Civilian
4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External links
Biography[edit]
Paul Kelley was born on November 11, 1928, in Boston, Massachusetts.
He earned his
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Villanova
University in 1950.
Kelley was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps
in June 1950. After
The Basic School
The Basic School in March 1951, he served with the
2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as an infantry
officer in a wide variety of billets, including his first assignment
to Aircraft Engineering Squadron-12 (AES-12) out of Marine Corps Base
Quantico in Virginia. In September 1952, he was assigned to the
USS Salem (CA-139) where he served for 20 months, first as
Executive Officer and then as
Commanding Officer
Commanding Officer of the Marine
Detachment on the Salem. In December 1953, he was promoted to captain.
From July 1956 to December 1957, Kelley served as the Special
Assistant to the Director of Personnel at Headquarters Marine Corps,
Washington, D.C.. He then completed the Airborne Pathfinder School at
Fort Benning, Georgia.
In February 1958, he was assigned to the newly activated 2nd Force
Reconnaissance Company, Force Troops, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic,
Camp Lejeune, when he served as the
Executive Officer and then
Commanding Officer.
From September 1960 to May 1961, he was the U.S. Marine Corps Exchange
Officer with the British Royal Marines, becoming one of the few
foreigners to earn the
Royal Marines
Royal Marines Commandos' coveted green beret.
During this tour, he attended the Commando Course in England, served
as Assistant Operations Officer with
45 Commando
45 Commando in Aden, and as
Commander "C" Troop,
42 Commando
42 Commando in Singapore, Malaya and Borneo. On
March 1, 1961, he was promoted to major. From June 1964 until August
1965, Kelley became Commanding Officer, Marine Barracks, Newport,
Rhode Island.
In 1965, he deployed to Vietnam. He first served as the Combat
Intelligence Officer for the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force, FMF,
Pacific. Following this assignment, he served as the Commanding
Officer, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment in combat. He was promoted
to lieutenant colonel on January 20, 1966. During his tour as
battalion commander, he earned the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit
with
Valor device
Valor device and two awards of the Bronze Star with Valor device.
Four years later, 1970 to 1971, Kelley commanded the 1st Marines,
which was the last Marine regiment in combat in Vietnam; earning a
second Legion of Merit.
In 1974, Kelley was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. As a
general officer, he served as Commanding General of the 4th Marine
Division, Fleet Marine Force; Director, Marine Corps Development
Center; Director, Marine Corps Education Center; and Deputy Chief of
Staff for Requirements and Programs, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.
In February 1980, Kelley was promoted to lieutenant general and named
as the first Commander of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force.[1]
From July 1, 1981, Kelley was promoted to the rank of General and
became the
Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and Chief of
Staff, Headquarters Marine Corps. On July 1, 1983 Kelley was named
Commandant of the Marine Corps, succeeding General Robert H. Barrow.
Promotion record[edit]
June 1950 — commissioned as Second Lieutenant December 16, 1953 — Captain March 1, 1961 — Major. January 20, 1966 — Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 1970 — Colonel August 6, 1974 — Brigadier General June 29, 1976 — Major General February 4, 1980 — Lieutenant General July 1, 1981 — General
Post-Marine Corps career[edit]
In 1989, Kelley joined the
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. public policy firm Cassidy
& Associates; he is the Vice Chairman Emeritus.[2] From 1989 to
1994, he served as Chairman of the American Battle Monuments
Commission.[2] Kelley is on the board of directors for a number of
corporations, including Allied Signal, Inc., GenCorp, Inc., Saul
Centers, Inc., Sturm Ruger & Co., Inc.; and the Wackenhut
Corporation.[2][3]
On July 26, 2007, the
Washington Post
Washington Post published an op-ed by Kelley and
Robert F. Turner, in which they warned that the July 20, 2007.
executive order issued by President George W. Bush, purporting to
define torture and allowable interrogation methods, appeared to
violate Common Article 3 of the
Geneva Conventions
Geneva Conventions and thus expose the
President and other persons to potential liability for war crimes. On
November 9, 2010, he was named an honorable Reagan Fellow from Eureka
college.[4] Kelley currently sits on the Honorary Board for the 501
(c) (3) Non Profit Wine Country Marines [5]
Military awards and badges[edit]
Kelley's decorations, awards, and badges include:
Marine Corps Parachutist badge
1st row
Defense Distinguished Service Medal Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
2nd row
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Silver Star Medal
Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit w/
Combat "V"
Combat "V" and 2 gold stars
3rd row
Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal w/
Combat "V"
Combat "V" and 1 gold star
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
4th row Combat Action Ribbon Navy Presidential Unit Citation w/ 1 bronze star Navy Unit Commendation Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
5th row
Navy Occupation Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 bronze star
Vietnam
Vietnam Service Medal w/ 1 silver star
Order of National Security Merit,Tong-il Medal
6th row
Vietnam
Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order, 2nd Class
Vietnam
Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ 2 palms and 2 gold stars
Vietnam
Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal 1st class
Vietnam
Vietnam Staff Service Medal 1st class
7th row
Vietnam
Vietnam
Training Service Medal
Training Service Medal 1st class
Vietnam
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation w/ palm and gold frame
Vietnam
Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation w/ palm and gold frame
Vietnam
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Army Master Parachutist Badge Pathfinder Badge
Note: The gold US Navy Parachute Rigger badge was worn unofficially by USMC personnel in place of US Army parachutist badge from 1942-1963 before it officially became the Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist insignia on July 12, 1963 per BuPers Notice 1020. Members of the Marine Corps who attended jump school before 1963 were issued the silver Army parachutist badge but may be depicted wearing the gold Navy Parachute Rigger badge as it was common during this time period to do so.
Civilian[edit]
Kelley has been awarded honorary doctoral degrees from Villanova
University, Norwich University, Webster University, Jacksonville
University, and the
United States
United States Sports Academy.
He is the recipient of the National Geographic Society’s Major
General O.A. Anderson Award, the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ National
Armed Forces Award, the American Academy of Achievement’s Golden
Plate Award, the Navy League’s Admiral John M. Will Award, the
Ireland Fund’s Irishman of the Year for Southern California Award,
the Reserve Officers Association’s Minuteman Hall of Fame Award, and
the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund’s Semper Fidelis Award.
In December 2006, Kelley chaired a panel of military and business
leaders looking to improve the U.S.’s energy security. They
recommended tougher emission standards and greater access to offshore
U.S. gas and oil reserves.[5]
In 2007, in an op-ed piece in the Washington Post, Kelley and Robert
F. Turner, a Reagan Administration lawyer, spoke out against President
George W. Bush's executive order interpreting Common Article 3 of the
1949 Geneva Conventions — concerning the interrogation and
torture of terrorism suspects.[4]
Eureka College, alma mater of President Ronald Reagan, named Kelley as
its third "Honorary Reagan Fellow" to celebrate his lifetime of
service and leadership on November 9, 2010, at the Reagan Building in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. The date was chosen to correspond with the 21st
anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
See also[edit]
United States
United States Marine Corps portal
List of
United States
United States Marine Corps four-star generals
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
Notes[edit]
^ Simmons, Edwin Howard (2003). The
United States
United States Marines: A History.
Naval Institute Press. p. 264. ISBN 978-1-55750-868-3.
Retrieved March 2, 2009.
^ a b c "General Paul X. Kelley". Staff Bios. Cassidy and Associates.
Archived from the original on 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
^ "Profile: Paul X. Kelley". Forbes.com. 2008. Retrieved March 2,
2009.
^ a b Kelley, P. X.;
Robert F. Turner
Robert F. Turner (July 26, 2007). "War Crimes and
the White House; The Dishonor in a Tortured New 'Interpretation' of
the Geneva Conventions". Washington Post. p. A21. Retrieved
2007-08-08.
^ Ivanovich, David (December 13, 2006). "Leaders urge tougher fuel
standards, more offshore access". Houston Chronicle.
References[edit]
"General Paul X. Kelley, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History.
History Division,
United States
United States Marine Corps. Archived from the
original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2009.
"Official Biography: General Paul X. Kelley". Biographies: General
Officers & Senior Executives. Manpower & Reserve Affairs,
United States
United States Marine Corps. April 22, 1987. Archived from the original
on April 30, 2011. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
"Nomination of General
Paul X. Kelley
Paul X. Kelley To Be Commandant of the Marine
Corps". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. March 24, 1983. Retrieved
2007-05-25.
Kelley, P.X.;
Robert F. Turner
Robert F. Turner (July 26, 2007). "War Crimes and the
White House; The Dishonor in a Tortured New 'Interpretation' of the
Geneva Conventions". Washington Post. p. A21. Retrieved
2007-08-08.
External links[edit]
Media related to
Paul X. Kelley
Paul X. Kelley at Wikimedia Commons
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Preceded by
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1983–1987
Succeeded by
Gen. Alfred M. Gray, Jr.
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