Remarks Upon Presenting the Distinguished Service Medal to Gen. Wallace M. Greene, Jr., USMC

General and Mrs. Greene, Members of Congress, Members of the Cabinet, Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and distinguished guests:

I know you will understand that on occasions Presidents are necessarily late, particularly when General Greene has you doing other things. He has brought some other matters to my attention the last few days.

Six weeks ago, I believe, the Marines established a beachhead here in the East Room.

Standing here on December 9, I gave a daughter in marriage to one Marine officer.

Today I extend the Nation's gratitude to another Marine officer.

A leader makes a mark on his time. General Wallace Greene has left his mark in a towering record of achievement. Over at Marine Corps Headquarters, they speak of a "management revolution"--of new techniques and innovations that have strengthened and have expanded the Corps in a time of great national trial and testing. And that has come about through the work of General Wallace Greene as Commandant.

But his mark is bigger and bolder than that.

The heroic performance of the Marines who fight to protect each of us in Vietnam--who are now resisting a massive attack from the North at this very hour--speaks more than I can ever say for the spirit and the courage of 76,000 separate men. But it also says something about the man who leads those men and the man who prepares those men for the call they must answer. His mark is on each one of them. His brand is there.

Those Marines in I Corps--which means Marine country in Vietnam--are also testing something that is new in warfare. Combined Action Platoons protect the population of about 80 villages. The Marine squads in those platoons train the villages' own Popular Forces--and then fight beside them when it's necessary.

But the Marines are not just stationed in those villages. They are not just stationed there. They live there as friends and neighbors:

--compassionate, understanding, helpful;

--working with the people;

--trying to assist them build schools, drill wells, and construct houses;

--showing them how to get more from their land;

--giving them medical treatment; looking after the lame and the sick and the halt and the young.

It is going to be a long time before the final results of their work can be assessed. But the enemy has already made his judgment. Recently, the enemy, the Vietcong offered $1,750--dead or alive--for the Marine sergeant of one of those platoons.

That was more money than many of the villagers would ever see in an entire lifetime. But no one earned it--and no one really tried to earn it. When the sergeant's tour was up and he had to leave the village, all turned out for a farewell party for the man who had been a friend of each one of them.

That came about because of men like General Walt, General Cushman, and others who are leading them out there. But it also came about because of this tradition, this organization, this esprit de corps, this excellence, and this elite. It also came about because of this man who put his mark on each one of them in the organization he headed.

As a result, that village and other villages bear the mark of the Marines who have been there. They bear the mark of their Commandant's belief, that real victory is going to be won in the hearts of the people.

On General Greene's last visit to Vietnam--and he has made six in less than 4 years as Commandant--the men of one of his units presented him with a bullet. His name was engraved on it, along with this message: "Everything is gonna be alright." Now, if the President said it that way they would talk about his accent or his English.

I am sure that General Greene will keep that bullet among his proudest souvenirs. But that message in those words, with that accent, is a message for each one of us because this Nation has been blessed with great leaders--with leaders who have not always been recognized while they were here--sometimes have been abused--but men like Wallace Greene, who are brave men, who are good men, just like the Marines he leads and the Marines he commands.

We are fortunate that his command has now passed to a fine officer on his team-General Chapman.

I am especially proud of the other men in top positions in the Marine Corps whom General Greene has brought to the top and has surrounded himself with and whom he leaves with us to carry on.

General Greene, we asked you to come here today with your wife--although I am not intimately acquainted with her contributions through the years, I am sure that she has had more to do with what you are today than you have had, because that is true of most of us.

My grandfather told me it always took two good women to make one good man-a good mother and a good wife.

So, I want to salute you, General Greene, in the Nation's name, for a job that has been honorably done, favorably done, and faithfully done--and I guess in your language "well done."

There are always pluses and minuses. And we've been talking about all the good things. Now I guess we ought to mention one bad thing. They tell me that the one thing that the Marines need and do not have is a belief in themselves as an organization.

I heard a story the other day that I think is apropos.

It said that the Redskins were interviewing a Texas boy for a place on the squad. He had just finished SMU. The coach said, "Tell us what you can do."

The boy said, "Well, I can do 100 yards in less than 10 seconds on a muddy field. My passing record last year was 64 yards average against the wind. I punt 71 yards on a fall day. I think that is about it."

"Well," the coach said, "those are the good things. What are some of the minuses?"

He said, "Coach, I have been known to exaggerate."

Now, really, what makes it apropos, all these things the Marines claim they do and claim they stand for--even when they make all the claims--the good thing about it is they don't exaggerate.

[Secretary of the Navy Paul R. Ignatius read the citation, the text of which follows.]

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of the second Distinguished Service Medal to

GENERAL WALLACE M. GREENE, JR.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

For exceptionally meritorious service to the Government of the United States in a position of great responsibility while serving as Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1 January 1964 to 31 December 1967. Tireless, imaginative, far seeing, and fiercely dedicated to the enduring purposes of the Nation, General Greene consistently demonstrated preeminent leadership qualities as the Marine Corps met successfully its worldwide military commitments while concurrently implementing new and progressive management programs and techniques that have made it a model of military efficiency and economy. Under General Greene's inspiring guidance and dynamic leadership, the Marine Corps reached a level of unsurpassed combat readiness and managerial efficiency during a period of worldwide tensions, conflicts and challenges to the national security of the United States. Under his supervision, the Marine Corps was substantially increased in size, and committed half of its combat forces to the defense of freedom in the Republic of Vietnam. Believing in the supreme worth of the individual, he consistently concerned himself with the individual well-being of not only the men and women for whom he was responsible, but also with the welfare and peace of mind of their dependents and parents. His advice on national security matters was invariably wise and respected. A rare mixture of compassion and strong determination, he earned the deep loyalty, profound respect and great admiration of all with whom he served-Marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen, statesmen, governmental leaders and civil servants alike. By his strong character and unimpeachable integrity, he has maintained the high standards of the Marine Corps and added new achievements to its illustrious history. General Greene's distinguished service to the United States during more than forty-one years of devoted duty reflects the highest credit upon himself, the Naval Service and his Country.

LYNDON B. JOHNSON