George B. Crist
George B. Crist | |
|---|---|
 George B. Crist, USMC | |
| Allegiance | USMC |
| Years of service | 1952-1988 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | CENTCOM |
| Battles / wars | Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal |
| Other work | CBS military analyst |
George B. Crist is a retired four-star general in the United States Marine Corps and was the first Marine to be designated as a Unified Commander — Commander in Chief, United States Central Command.
Crist graduated cum laude from Villanova University in 1952, and later earned an M.S. in political science from Auburn University. He also received an honorary doctorate from Villanova.
He served in the Vietnam War and spent much of his Marine career in infantry units, serving in all three active-duty divisions.
In 1985, he took charge of US Central Command, helping to run Operation Earnest Will, the escort of reflagged Kuwaiti tankers; Operation Prime Chance, the secret actions against Iranian naval forces; and Operation Praying Mantis, the 18 April 1988 retaliation for the Iranian mining of the USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58).
His military decorations include two awards of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, two individual awards of the Air Medal, and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. Foreign decorations include the Egyptian Meritorious Badge of Honor of the First Degree, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with silver and bronze stars, and the Vietnamese Honor Medal.
After he retired from the Marine Corps, he became an analyst for the CBS television network.
External links
- General George B. Crist, USMC (retired), Who's Who in Marine Corps History, History Division, United States Marine Corps. (official Marine Corps biography).