The following is a list of the essential names in U. S. Marine Corps lore; the people who make up what the Marines call "Knowledge". Names in this list are notable for actions made as a Marine; individuals whose notability are unrelated to service in uniform can be found at List of U.S. Marines.

• John Ripley — highly decorated marine, only living person (at the time) to be memorialized in the Naval Academy's museum, first "all-marine" inducted into the Ranger hall of fame.

• Vernice Armour — first female African-American combat pilot in United States military

• John Basilone — only enlisted Marine Medal of Honor recipient to return to combat and be killed^[1]

• John Bolt — only Marine aviator to achieve the title of ace in both WWII and the Korean War; remains to this day the only Marine jet aircraft ace^[2]

• "Pappy" Boyington— Medal of Honor recipient who commanded the famous "Black Sheep Squadron" (VMA-214) during WWII^[3]

• Frederick C. Branch — first African American Marine officer

• Smedley Butler — awarded two Medals of Honor for two different acts of heroism;^[4] outspoken critic of war profiteers, testified in Congress regarding a plot to overthrow the government

• Evans Carlson — commanded the WWII Marine Raiders

• Alfred Cunningham — patron of Marine Corps aviation;^[5] innovative thinker in introducing air support; helped create the Advanced Base Force^[6]

• Louis Cukela — awarded both Navy and Army Medals of Honor^[4]

• Dan Daly — awarded two Medals of Honor for two different acts of heroism^[4]

• Pedro del Valle — played an instrumental role in defeating Japanese forces during the Battle of Okinawa (1945)

• Lou Diamond — "Mr. Leatherneck," namesake of the actor Lou Diamond Phillips

• Earl H. Ellis — prominent Marine intelligence officer for Office of Naval Intelligence whose espionage mission in Micronesia became the most important study for the pre-planning of War Plan ORANGE, the island-hopping campaigns against Japanese forces in the Pacific.

• Guy Gabaldon — captured (or persuaded to surrender) about 1,000 Japanese soldiers and numerous civilians during the Battle of Saipan (1944)

• Carlos Hathcock — renowned Marine sniper with 93 confirmed kills during the Vietnam War

• Ira Hayes — Iwo Jima flag raiser

• Archibald Henderson — "Grand old man of the Marine Corps," longest-serving Commandant of the Marine Corps (1820-1859)^[7][8]

• Opha Mae Johnson — recognized officially as the first female Marine^[8]

• James L. Jones, Sr. — commanded the Observer Group, the first amphibious reconnaissance unit in the United States; and commanded the Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion of V Amphibious Corps during World War II. The father of James L. Jones, Jr., the 32nd Commandant of the Marine Corps.

• Victor H. Krulak — was an unconventional thinker in the ultimate hierarchy who dreamed up new ways (especially the use of helicopters in combat) to bring force to bear on U.S. military opponents; force behind bringing Higgins boats to the USN^[9]

• John A. Lejeune — 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps

• John F. Mackie — first Marine awarded the Medal of Honor^[8]

• Bruce F. Meyers — the first commanding officer of 1st Force Reconnaissance Company; developed the parachute and combatant diving insertion methods, hallmarking deep reconnaissance operations for the Marine Corps.

• Samuel Nicholas — first Commandant of the Marine Corps^[8]

• Herman Nickerson — commanded III Marine Amphibious Force during the Vietnam War; godfather of long-range patrols and reconnaissance in the Marine Corps

• Presley O'Bannon — famous for his exploits in the First Barbary War

• Peter J. Ortiz^[10] — one of the most decorated Marine officers of World War II. As a member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) he was dropped by parachute into France to aid the Resistance, and assisted in the rescue of four downed RAF pilots. .

• Peter Pace — first Marine to become the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (2005-2007), previously the Vice Chairman (2001-2005)

• Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller — most-decorated Marine in history including five Navy Crosses^[11] and the Army Distinguished Service Cross

• Dion Williams — patron of naval and amphibious reconnaissance in the United States armed forces; hoisted the first American flag raised over Spanish soil in the Spanish-American War

See also

Template:Commonscat

• List of notable United States Marines - Marines whose fame is not related to service
• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of United States Marine Corps astronauts
• List of United States Marine Corps four-star generals

Notes

References

Bibliography