Service for Gen Mundy, 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps

General Carl E. Mundy, Jr., 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps and friend of the USMCCCA.

General Carl E. Mundy, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps, Retired, 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps, passed away on April 3, 2014. He was honored in a Military Tribute at The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Va., April 12th. Funeral and burial services will be held at the First United Methodist Church and Greenhill Cemetery, both in Waynesville, NC, at 1400, Saturday, 19 April 2014. LtCol Jim Diehl, US Marines (ret), recounts his experience at the tribute. Diehl is a loyal friend of the USMCCCA, earning a DPA for open category in 1988 and was a 2008 conference panelist (Beirut).

An archive photo of Lt. Col. and Mrs. Jim Diehl, USMC (ret) who were among the guests at the DINFOS Birthday Ball. Diehl, a career infantry officer, was a 1988 USMCCCA DPA recipient and a guest speaker for the 2009 Annual Conference in San Antonio. (Photo by Claire Kelly)

The question of how to honor exemplary members of a tribe or nation is not new.  Those familiar with Scripture may recall King Nebuchadnezzar asking Haman: “What shall be done to bestow honor upon one to whom the King wishes to honor?”  And Haman offers suggestions that involve horses, raiment, and a parade….

Well, I’ve marched in the funerals of two US presidents—but truthfully, my most vivid recollections are (1) that it is difficult to march at a dirge pace; and, (2) it was bitterly cold on one at least one of those events.  So I wasn’t sure what to expect on the lawn in front of the War Memorial for the funeral of General Carl E. Mundy, the 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps.  At least this was a clear, crisp Spring day; and it was just beginning to get warm as the crowd grew in the mid-morning sun.

To deal with the vagaries of Washington traffic and parking at the peak of cherry blossom time, LtCol Don Thieme and I got there early, which provided a chance to see many old friends and not a few giants of the Corps.

The sound of drums and marching feet preceded the arrival of a ceremonial battalion. As they came into view, the band obliterated any concerns about a dirge: they struck up “Onward Christian Soldiers.”  (A smile crossed my mind and I wondered if the General or his family had a hand in the music selection…but I wondered how much longer we will be able to play that song before some victim group will claim to be offended and we will retreat yet further from our heritage.)

In listening to the Marine Band as the battalion took the field, I wondered if the Mundy family had memories of dozens of parades and being serenaded in happier days at the Commandant’s House…but I had no way of knowing what they were thinking or how they are dealing with this loss, following so closely after their mother’s death only a few years ago. Once the troops were in place, the six Marine pallbearers removed the flag-draped casket from the horse-drawn caisson and, led by the Chaplain of the Marine Corps, carried it to the center front of the field.  The coffin was followed by family members (led by BGen “Sam” Mundy, Col Tim Mundy, and their sister Elizabeth), and a solitary Marine carrying Gen Mundy’s personal flag.

Generals Gray, Jones, and Conway took their seats; General Amos stood with the two Mundy sons at the head of their father’s coffin, as LtGen Greg Newbold offered a eulogy that was intensely personal and yet focused on the legacy and example of genuinely caring about Marines entrusted to you.  It was an emotional message—but interspersed with humorous stories and messages provided by the Mundy family (to include some from the grandchildren, who were in attendance).

Rear Admiral Margaret Grun Kibben, the Chaplain of the Marine Corps, delivered a superb homily, weaving Scripture and stories around the theme of living your life so as to be ready in season and out. (II Tim 4:2)

This was followed by the gun salute, which echoed off nearby buildings—reminiscent of echoes of gunfire, in far-off places…in years long gone by….

General Mundy’s sons then cased his personal flag and the bugler sounded the Last Post.  After the chaplain pronounced a benediction, General Amos presented General Mundy’s folded flag and sword to his sons—an especially emotional moment for many in attendance.

To the strains of the “Marine Hymn,” the coffin was again hoisted by the pallbearers from the Barracks and carried through the center of the troops and to a waiting hearse. In summary, the event was executed with military precision and yet infused throughout with a gracious, personal touch.  General Mundy would be pleased.

And I’m confident that–no matter how many Presidential funerals in which those Marines on the field take part in years to come—decades from now they will still vividly remember their part in honoring the 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps.

His legacy is secure and we can bestow no higher honor this side of Heaven.  Perhaps that is why his Creator has issued him his final PCS orders….   He is gone, but our prayers and condolences remain with the family.

Family has asked in lieu of flowers a donation be made to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation in remembrance of Gen. Mundy. Condolence letters may be mailed to the Mundy family at:  General Carl E. Mundy, Jr., (C/O The Mundy Family), P.O. Box 219, Sealston, Va, 22547.