General Carl E. Mundy, Jr., 30th Commandant of the Marine Corps, was born in Atlanta, Georgia on 16 July 1935 and enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and enrolled in the Platoon Leaders Class Program in December 1953. He served in the 38th Special Infantry Company, Montgomery, Alabama and rose to the grade of sergeant. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in June 1957 following his graduation from Auburn University.

An infantry officer, his early assignments included duties as a company officer, 2d Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Executive Officer of the Marine Detachments aboard the aircraft carrier USS Tarawa (CVS-40) and the guided missile cruiser USS Little Rock (CLG-4); an instructor at The Basic School, Quantico, Virginia; and duty as an Officer Selection Officer in Raleigh, North Carolina.

During the Vietnam War, General Mundy served first as Operations Officer, and then, Executive Officer of the 3d Battalion, 26th Marines, 3d Marine Division. He later was assigned to the staff of the commanding general of the III MAF, for duty as an intelligence officer. In January 1968, he was assigned as Aide-de-Camp to the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.

He transferred to Quantico in July 1969, and upon completion of the Command and Staff College in June 1970, was assigned as Inspector-Instructor, 4th Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Miami, Florida.

From 1973 until 1974, General Mundy commanded the 2d Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division, on Okinawa, before returning for a brief assignment on the staff of the commanding general at Quantico. Following a year at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, 1976-77, he returned to Headquarters Marine Corps, for duty as Head, Western Region Branch, in the Plans and Policies Department, and subsequently, as Deputy Director, Prepositioning Plans and Programs Group.

He returned to the 2d Marine Division in August 1980, for duty as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, with collateral duties as Chief of Staff of the 6th Marine Amphibious Brigade Headquarters Nucleus. In March 1981, he was reassigned to command the 2d Marine Regiment, with additional operational command duties as Commanding Officer first of the 38th, and subsequently, the 36th Marine Amphibious Units.

While serving as Commanding Officer of the 2d Marine Regiment he was selected for promotion to brigadier general and was advanced to that grade on 30 April 1982, and assigned duty as the Director, Personnel Procurement Division at Headquarters Marine Corps. In June 1984, he was assigned as the Commanding General, Landing Force Training Command, Atlantic/Commanding General, 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Following advancement to major general in April 1986, he served as Director of Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. He was advanced to lieutenant general in March 1988, serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Policies and Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, and Marine Corps Operations Deputy to the Joint Chiefs; Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, II Marine Expeditionary Force, and Fleet Marine Forces Europe.

General Mundy was promoted to general on 1 July 1991, assuming office as the 30th Commandant. He was faced with the requirements of restructuring the Marine Corps to meet post-Cold War force reductions.

General Mundy was noted for his emphasis on "people issues" and core values of honor, courage, and commitment. During his tenure, "From the Sea" became the Navy-Marine Corps joint strategic concept, wherein the Navy and Marine Corps reoriented doctrinal focus toward littoral warfare.

General Mundy retired to Alexandria, Virginia, on 30 June 1995 and passed away on 2 April 2014 from cancer at the age of 78. 

His United States decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Service Medals of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, and two Navy Commendation Medals. His foreign decorations include the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Colombian Distinguished Service Medal, the Spanish Grand Cross of Naval Merit, the French Legion of Honor, Grade of Commander, the Argentinean Grand Cross, the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, Grand Cross, and the Netherlands Medal of Merit.

Commandants of the Marine Corps