George C. AXTELL, Lieutenant General,USMC (Ret), was born in Ambridge, PA November 29, 1920 and died August 20, 2011.

CIVILIAN EDUCATION
Graduated from Ambridge High School 1938
Attended the University of Alabama, 1938-1940; Aeronautical Engineering; active participant in the Glider Club (Flight Instructor); Acquired private pilot's license
Graduated George Washington Law School-January 1952:-LLB-Member District of Colombia Bar-Attorney and Counsellor of the Supreme Court of the United States of America
Graduated George Washington School of General Studies MS: 1958 (Controllership)

ACTIVE DUTY
November 4, 1940 to August 31,1974.
Chronology Assignments
November 1940-May 1941 Student, Naval Aviation Training Command; Designated Naval Aviator, Commissioned Second Lieutenant, USMCR, May 10,1941, NA 7648
July 1941-December 1941 Instrument Instructor Naval Training Command
January 1942-April 1943 Student, US Naval Post Graduate School, Annapolis, MD
May 1943 Promoted to Major
May 1943-June 1943 CO Service Squadron 32
July 1943-June 1945 CO-VMF 323 July 1943 (April 1945. June 1945, Kadena, Okinawa)
July 1945-December 1946 CO MCVG 16/VMF 452-carrier based
January 1947-July 1947 Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, VA
July 1947-February 1952 Staff, Headquarters USMC, Naval Aviator Detail Officer
January 1, 1951 Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
March 1952- October 1952 Tactical Officer, MAG 12/ CO VMFA 312 carrier based, Korea
November 1952-
November 1953 Asst. to A/S G-3,2nd MAW, Cherry Point, NC
December 1953-Mayl955 CO MACG-2,2nd MAW
May 1955-May 1959 Staff, Personnel Plans, Hq. US Marine Corps
July 1,1959 Promoted to Colonel
June 1959-January 1960 Wing Legal Officer, 1st MAW, Iwakuna, Japan
February-1960 July 1960 CO MAG 12,1st MAW,
September-1960-
December 1961 Wing Legal Officer, 2nd MAW, Cherry Point, NC
January 1962-August 1963 G-3,2nd MAW
August 1963-June 1964 Student, National War College
July 1964- September 1965 Chief of Staff, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii
October 1965-April 1966 Chief of Staff, III Marine Amphibious Force, Da Nang, Vietnam
April 1966-October 1966 CO Force Logistics Command, Vietnam (organized this unit)
November 3, 1966 Promoted to Brigadier General
July 1968 Promoted to Major General
November 1966-April 1970 Asst. Chief of Staff (Logistics), Hq. US Marine Corps
May 1970-April 1972 CG 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Cherry Point, NC
April 1, 1972 Promoted to Lieutenant General
April 1972- August 1974 CG Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, Norfolk, VA

Flight Hours:
- Total 7,900
- Jet-710
- Propeller-6790
- Helo-400.

Type: VF/VA-4900: VR-1850, VT-750; Carrier/ship landings: Fixed 235: Rotary 31

COMBAT TOURS:
- CO VMF 323-April 45-June 45-Okinawa (F4Us-WWII) 52 missions; 6 aircraft destroyed in aerial combat; (squadron destroyed 124 enemy aircraft in six weeks; twelve Fighter Aces).
- Tactical Officer MAG 12/ CO VMF 312-April 52-Oct 52 Korea (F4Us) Carrier based 123 missions.
- Chief of Staff HJ Marine Amphibious Force, and CO Force Logistics Command, Da Nang, Vietnam-October 65-October 66.

AWARDS:
Navy Cross; Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and three Gold Stars; Distinguished Flying Cross with one Gold Star; Air Medal with one Silver Star.

SIGNIFICANT MILITARY EVENTS
- American Fighter Ace
- Assigned at the age of 22 to commission and train VMF 323 to be ready for deployment within six months.
- Survived a mid-air collision while conducting an instrument instructional flight using the Crestview range, FL, during September 1941. Aircraft head-on collision in solid clouds. Two SNJs destroyed; three persons killed; one person survived.
- Member, The Early and Pioneer Naval Aviators Association (Honor Association limited to 200 active members).

FAMILY
My first wife, Phyllis Crafton Axtell died September 9, 1975.

Married to Shirley Barnes
Son: Grey Axtell, Washington, DC
- Grandson: Jeoffery Axtell, Philadelphia, PA
- Granddaughter: Holly Axtell, Scranton, PA
Son: Guy Axtell, Richmond, VA
- Grandson: George Axtell, Richmond, VA
- Grandson: Crafton Axtell, Richmond, VA

POST RETIREMENT
Past, President Marine Corps Historical Association (now Marine Corps Heritage Foundation)
Past, President National War College Alumni Association
Past, Commander, Marine Cops Aviation Association
Past, President, President National Association Uniformed Services
Past, Vice President of two Military- Industrial Associations (Ten year period)
Squadron activities of VMF 323 during World War II are described in a hard copy book by Dr. William Wolf, titled "Death Rattlers," Schiffer Military History.