General Al Gray, Jr. in Colonel Willis’ office at MTU WTBn Quantico
A Moment with “The Man”
(Reflections from Colonel D.J. Willis)
The word comes down, “CMC will visit WTBN on Friday.”
Everything is put into high gear! Nothing is overlooked. Our Leader lands and proceeds to the Col’s office for a sit-down rest and a cup of coffee. His first question…”Are you getting everything you need to place winning teams on the firing lines?” His second question…”Is Marine Marksmanship on the right track?” Within minutes, he has nailed the critical points for all concerned. Once again, he has demonstrated he is our Leader, and he stands ready to guide and support us.
Feeling comfortable with the meeting, Col Willis asked the General a question: “Sir, now that you are nearing the end of your tour as the 29th CMC, is there any one thing that stands out in your memory while serving as the CMC?” The General never hesitated…he said, “Yes there is. I will always remember the smell of fresh paint. Where ever I went, everything had just been painted.” Col Willis assured the General that every drop of paint applied was done with the utmost respect and admiration.
The General just smiled…the meeting was over.
General A.M. Gray, Jr.
Born: 22 June 1928 – Rahway, New Jersey
Died: 20 March 2024 – Alexandria, Virginia
29th CMC: 1 July 1987 – 30 June 1991
41 years in the USMC
95 years old upon his death