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Deputy Commandant for Aviation

The Deputy Commandant for Aviation (DCA) is the United States Marine Corps' principal advisor on all aviation matters and is the spokesperson for Marine Corps Aviation programs, requirements, and strategy throughout the Department of the Navy and the Department of Defense.[1] DCA is normally the highest-ranking naval aviator in the Marine Corps and reports directly to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. The role of DCA is an administrative position and has no operational command authority over United States Marine Corps Aviation forces.

Deputy Commandant For Aviation
DCA
since 16 February 2024
Reports toCommandant of the Marine Corps
SeatThe Pentagon, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
AppointerCommandant of the Marine Corps
First holderAlfred A. Cunningham
DeputyAssistant Deputy Commandant for Aviation
Website[1]

DCA tour lengths have varied over the years based on war time requirements and personnel turnover. For the last two decades, typical tour lengths have been approximately three years. The billet is normally held by a lieutenant general. DCA and Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation work out of The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia.

Responsibilities

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The Deputy Commandant for Aviation is responsible for developing, integrating, and supervising plans, policies, and budgets for all aviation assets and aviation expeditionary enablers (aviation command and control, aviation-ground support, and unmanned aircraft systems) in support of Marine air ground task forces.[1]

History

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The Aviation Section, Headquarters Marine Corps was established in 1919. In charge initially was the Officer in Charge, Aviation. He was responsible to both the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Director of Naval Aviation for all Marine Corps related aviation matters. In 1920, Congress authorized Marine Corps Aviation to maintain a strength of approximately one-fifth the size of the Marine Corps. In 1936 the Aviation Section was renamed the Aviation Division and the billet was changed to the Director of Aviation.[2] In 1962 the name was again changed to Deputy Chief of Staff (Air). The current moniker of Deputy Commandant for Aviation began in Jun 1998.[3]

List of Deputy Commandants for Aviation

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# Picture Name Rank Term Notes
Took office Left office Duration
1   CunninghamAlfred A. Cunningham[4] O-04 Major 17 November 1919 12 December 1920 1 year, 25 days Naval Aviator #5.[5] He was the first Marine Corps aviator.[6] World War I.
2   TurnerThomas C. Turner[7] O-05 Lieutenant colonel 13 December 1920 2 March 1925 4 years, 79 days Naval Aviator #772.[5] Distinguished Flying Cross; served in the Philippines, at Veracruz and in Haiti. During WWI, at the request of Hap Arnold, served as the OinC of flying at the Army's Ellington Field.[8]
3   BrainardEdwin H. Brainard[9] O-04 Major 3 March 1925 9 May 1929 4 years, 67 days Naval Aviator #2982. Recipient of the Navy Cross for his actions during the Champagne Offensive in October 1918 while serving as the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment.[10] Obtained the Marine Corps' first cargo plane in 1927.[9]
4   TurnerThomas C. Turner[11] O-06 Colonel 10 May 1929 28 October 1931 2 years, 171 days See #2 above. The nine day gap between Col Turner and Maj Geiger was due to Col Turner being killed by a whirling propeller blade in Haiti on 28 October 1928.
5   GeigerRoy Geiger[4] O-04 Major 6 November 1931 29 May 1935 3 years, 204 days Naval Aviator #49.[5] Two time recipient of the Navy Cross. Served as the Commanding General of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing during the Battle of Guadalcanal[12] and Commanding General of the III Marine Amphibious Corps during the Battle of Okinawa. Also the only Marine to ever command a field army when he temporarily took command of the Tenth Army after the death of Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.[13]
6   RowellRoss E. Rowell[14] O-06 Colonel 30 May 1935 10 March 1939 3 years, 284 days Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross; Served in Nicaragua and flew at the Battle of Ocotal,[15] was Commanding General, Marine Aircraft Wings Pacific during World War II.
7   MitchellRalph J. Mitchell[4] O-07Brigadier General 11 March 1939 29 March 1943 4 years, 18 days Navy and Army Distinguished Service Medals; Distinguished Flying Cross from Nicaraguan Campaign.
8   GeigerRoy Geiger[16] O-08 Major General 13 May 1943 15 October 1943 155 days See #5 above.
9   WoodsLouis E. Woods[4] O-07Brigadier General 15 October 1943 17 July 1944 276 days Veteran Guadalcanal Campaign, veteran Okinawa Campaign, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; commanding general, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
10   HarrisField Harris[4] O-08 Major General 18 July 1944 24 February 1948 3 years, 221 days Graduate U.S. Naval Academy; Lieutenant general; Navy and Army Distinguished Service Medals
11   WallaceWilliam J. Wallace[4] O-08 Major General 24 February 1948 1 September 1950 2 years, 189 days Navy Distinguished Service Medal; Guadalcanal Campaign & Battle of Okinawa
12   JeromeClayton C. Jerome[4] O-07Brigadier General 1 September 1950 1 April 1952 1 year, 213 days Retired at Lieutenant General; Commanded both 1st and 2d MAW; veteran of Nicaraguan Campaign, Yangtze Patrol, Solomon Islands campaign, Bougainville campaign, Philippines campaign and the Korean War.
13   BriceWilliam O. Brice[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 1 April 1952 31 July 1955 3 years, 121 days Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Veteran of World War II, having fought at Guadalcanal, and the Korea; also served as Commanding General of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
14   SchiltChristian F. Schilt[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 1 August 1955 31 March 1957 1 year, 242 days Medal of Honor; General; Veteran World War I, United States occupation of Haiti, United States occupation of Nicaragua, and World War II[17]
15   McCaulVerne J. McCaul[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 1 April 1957 2 December 1957 245 days Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps; Veteran World War II and Korean War.[18]
16   JackSamuel S. Jack[3] O-08 Major General 14 January 1958 20 February 1958 37 days Veteran Nicaraguan Campaign, World War II and Korean War; Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy; Recipient of the Navy Cross
17   MunnJohn C. Munn[19] O-08 Major General 21 February 1958 14 December 1959 1 year, 296 days Silver Star; Guadalcanal Campaign & Battle of Okinawa; Korean War
18   BinneyAlbert F. Binney[3] O-08 Major General 15 December 1959 10 September 1961 1 year, 269 days Veteran World War II and Korean War; commanding general 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing; graduate U.S. Naval Academy in 1928;
19   McCutcheonKeith B. McCutcheon[3] O-06 Colonel 11 September 1961 17 February 1962 159 days General; Distinguished Flying Cross; Army Silver Star Medal; Commanding Officer Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1); commanding general, III Marine Amphibious Force; McCutcheon Field at MCAS New River, North Carolina is named in his honor.[20]
20   CarlMarion E. Carl[3] O-06 Colonel 18 February 1962 4 July 1962 136 days Twice awarded the Navy Cross; Battle of Midway & Guadalcanal Campaign; Vietnam War[21]
21   AndersonNorman J. Anderson[3] O-07Brigadier General 5 July 1962 20 October 1963 1 year, 107 days Navy Distinguished Service Medal; Distinguished Flying Cross with three gold stars; Air Medal with two silver stars; graduate UCLA
22   RobertshawLouis B. Robertshaw[22] O-08 Major General 21 October 1963 15 June 1966 2 years, 237 days Graduate U.S. Naval Academy; captain of the 1935 Naval Academy football team; Inspector General of the Marine Corps[22]
23   McCutcheonKeith B. McCutcheon[3] O-08 Major General 15 June 1966 18 February 1970 3 years, 248 days See #19 above.
24   HillHomer S. Hill[3] O-08 Major General 19 February 1970 24 August 1972 2 years, 187 days See #19 above.
25   FrisEdward S. Fris[3] O-08 Major General 25 August 1972 27 August 1974 2 years, 2 days Lieutenant general; Veteran of World War II and Vietnam War; pioneer in the development of today's Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS).
26   ShutlerPhilip D. Shutler[3] O-07Brigadier General 28 August 1974 19 January 1975 144 days Lieutenant general; Veteran of Korean War and Vietnam War.
27   ArmstrongVictor A. Armstrong[3] O-08 Major General 20 January 1975 21 August 1975 213 days Lieutenant general; Veteran World War II; Korean War, and Vietnam War; Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and 2 gold stars; Distinguished Flying Cross with gold star
28   MillerThomas H. Miller Jr.[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 22 August 1975 29 June 1979 3 years, 311 days First American to fly the Hawker Siddeley Harrier.[23]
29   WhiteWilliam J. White[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 1 July 1979 30 June 1982 2 years, 364 days Veteran Korean War, and Vietnam War; Legion of Merit with Combat "V"; Distinguished Flying Cross
30   FitchWilliam H. Fitch[24] O-09 Lieutenant General 1 July 1982 31 August 1984 2 years, 61 days Lieutenant general; Silver Star Medal
31 Lieutenant General Keith A. Smith USMC  SmithKeith A. Smith[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 1 September 1984 29 April 1988 3 years, 241 days Lieutenant general; Distinguished Flying Cross
32   PitmanCharles H. Pitman[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 1 July 1995 30 June 1999 3 years, 364 days Lieutenant general; Silver Star Medal
33   WillsDuane A. Wills[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 17 August 1990 30 June 1993 2 years, 317 days Lieutenant general; Veteran Vietnam War; Distinguished Flying Cross; lettered in football at UCLA;
34   HearneyRichard D. Hearney[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 1 July 1993 14 July 1994 1 year, 13 days Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps; General; Served in the Vietnam War and Gulf War; Navy Distinguished Service Medal
35   BlotHarold W. Blot[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 15 July 1994 21 July 1996 2 years, 6 days
36   DakeTerrence R. Dake[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 22 July 1996 28 June 1998 1 year, 341 days
37   McCorkleFrederick McCorkle[25] O-09 Lieutenant General 28 June 1998 2 August 2001 3 years, 35 days Vietnam War
38   NylandWilliam L. Nyland[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 2 August 2001 10 September 2002 1 year, 39 days Navy Distinguished Service Medal; Vietnam War[26]
39   HoughMichael A. Hough[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 3 October 2002 2 November 2005 3 years, 30 days
40   CastellawJohn G. Castellaw[3] O-09 Lieutenant General 3 November 2005 10 March 2007 1 year, 127 days
41   TrautmanGeorge J. Trautman III[27] O-09 Lieutenant General 5 July 2007 31 January 2011 3 years, 210 days
42   RoblingTerry G. Robling[28] O-09 Lieutenant General 31 January 2011 10 March 2012 1 year, 39 days
43   SchmidleRobert E. Schmidle Jr. O-09 Lieutenant General 31 January 2012 31 January 2014 1 year, 210 days
44   DavisJon M. Davis[29] O-09 Lieutenant General 31 January 2014 31 July 2017 3 years, 26 days
45   RudderSteven R. Rudder O-09 Lieutenant General 11 July 2017 16 July 2020 2 years, 360 days
46   WiseMark R. Wise O-09 Lieutenant General 6 July 2020 27 July 2022 2 years, 21 days
47   CederholmMichael Cederholm O-09 Lieutenant General 27 July 2022 16 February 2024 1 year, 204 days
48   GeringBradford Gering O-09 Lieutenant General 16 February 2024 Incumbent 283 days

Timeline

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Bradford GeringMichael CederholmMark R. WiseSteven R. RudderJon M. DavisRobert E. Schmidle Jr.Terry RoblingGeorge J. Trautman IIIJohn G. CastellawMichael A. HoughWilliam L. NylandFrederick McCorkleTerrence R. DakeHarold W. BlotRichard D. HearneyDuane A. WillsCharles H. PitmanKeith A. Smith (USMC)William H. FitchWilliam H. WhiteThomas H. MillerVictor A. ArmstrongPhilip D. ShutlerEdward S. FrisHomer S. HillKeith B. McCutcheonLouis B. RobertshawNorman J. AndersonMarion E. CarlArthur F. BinneyJohn C. MunnSamuel S. JackVerne J. McCaulChristian F. SchiltWilliam O. BriceClayton C. JeromeWilliam J. Wallace (USMC)Field HarrisLouis E. WoodsRoy GeigerRalph J. MitchellRoss E. RowellThomas C. TurnerEdward H. BrainardAlfred A. Cunningham

Citations

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Public Domain  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
  1. ^ a b "Marine Aviation". marines.mil. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  2. ^ Rottman 2002, pp. 384.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Kaufman 2012, pp. 315.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Sherrod 1952, pp. 433.
  5. ^ a b c Kaufman 2012, pp. 314.
  6. ^ Mersky 1983, pp. 2.
  7. ^ Sherrod 1952, pp. 21.
  8. ^ Sherrod 1952, pp. 19–21.
  9. ^ a b Sherrod 1952, pp. 27.
  10. ^ "Edwin H. Brainard". www.valor.militarytimes.com. The Hall of Valor Project. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  11. ^ Sherrod 1952, pp. 28.
  12. ^ Willock 1968, pp. 202–239.
  13. ^ Willock 1968, pp. 302–303.
  14. ^ "Ross Rowell". www.pioneersofflight.si.edu. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  15. ^ Sherrod 1952, pp. 24–27.
  16. ^ Willock 1968, pp. 240.
  17. ^ "Schilt, Christian F." www.history.navy.mil. Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  18. ^ "Lieutenant General Verne James McCaul, USMC (Deceased)". www.usmcu.edu. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  19. ^ John H. Hesterly (8 November 2010). "John Calvin Munn (1906–1986)". The Central Arkansas Library System – EncyclopediaOfArkansas.net. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  20. ^ "Keith B. McCutcheon". Arlington National Cemetery. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  21. ^ Goldstein, Richard (30 June 1998). "Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl, 82, Marine Air Ace in World War II". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 May 2018.
  22. ^ a b "Lieutenant General Louis B. Robertshaw". www.usmcu.edu. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  23. ^ "Thomas H. Miller". goefoundation.org. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  24. ^ "William H. Fitch". veterantributes.org. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  25. ^ "Frederick McCorkle, USMC (Retired)". www.tnaviationhof.org. Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  26. ^ "William L. Nyland, USMC (Retired)". www.usmcu.edu. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  27. ^ "LtGen George J. Trautman III USMC (ret.)". www.mcsf.com. Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  28. ^ "Terry G. Robling". www.ksaintegration.com. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  29. ^ "Lieutenant General Jon M. Davis". www.montgomerysummit.com. Macquarie. Retrieved 24 January 2020.

References

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  • Kaufman, Roxanne M. (2012). 1912-2012, 100 Years of Marine Corps Aviation: An Illustrated History. Department of the Navy. ISBN 978-0-160-89343-8.
  • Mersky, Peter B. (1983). U.S. Marine Corps Aviation – 1912 to the Present. Nautical and Aviation Publishing Company of America. ISBN 0-933852-39-8.
  • Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle: Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939-1945. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31906-5.
  • Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press.
  • Willock, Roger (1968). Unaccustomed to Fear – A Biography of the Late General Roy S. Geiger. Marine Corps Association. ISBN 0-940328-05-4.
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