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537:, and he received his third star upon assignment as commanding general, Marine Corps Development and Education Command at Quantico. He served in this capacity until he retired from active duty on June 30, 1972. For exceptionally meritorious service during his last tour of duty while stationed at Quantico, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal.
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429:. From May 1955 to July 1958, he was attached to the Division of Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps, serving consecutively as assistant head, and head, Plans and Readiness Branch, and deputy assistant director of aviation. While there, he was promoted to colonel in November 1955. In June 1959, he completed the
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LtGen Thrash and his wife, the former
Virginia Merryman of Atlanta, Georgia, had two sons, William Gay Jr., and Ralph Merryman Thrash, both Marine Corps officers. LtGen and Mrs. Thrash resided in Newport Beach, California, then later in Hilton Head, South Carolina. He was also active in the Marine
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Upon his return to the United States in July 1970, he reported to the Marine Corps Base, Quantico, for duty as deputy for education/director, Education Center, Marine Corps
Development and Education Command. MajGen Thrash was nominated for promotion to three-star rank, and his nomination was
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on a strike against a strategic enemy supply point, he led his flight in an aggressive attack, forcing the enemy planes to break off the engagement and retire. On reaching the target area, he succeeded in scoring direct hits, inflicting serious damage on the enemy.
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Promoted to first lieutenant in
January 1942, Thrash received his wings as a Naval Aviator on March 18 of the same year. He was promoted to captain that May, then remained at Pensacola until September 1942 as an instructor. Thrash joined the
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in
October and was deployed overseas with the wing in November. While overseas, he was promoted to major in April 1943. Between June and September 1943, he flew more than 100 combat reconnaissance missions over enemy territory in the
324:. Returning to the United States in January 1944, he was assigned to Marine Fleet Air, West Coast, until June 1945 when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Following another tour of overseas duty, where he saw service at
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for service during this assignment. Following his promotion to major general on
January 19, 1967, he assumed duties the following month as commander, Marine Corps Air Bases, Western Area/Commanding General,
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448:. During this assignment, he led a trans-Pacific flight of Marine light attack jet aircraft in a record-making first flight from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, to
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In August 1960, he was named chief of staff of the 1st Marine
Brigade at Kaneohe. He served in this capacity until May 1962, when he was deployed to
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in July 1969, for a one-year tour of duty as commanding general, 1st Marine
Aircraft Wing in the I Corps Tactical Zone, and earned the
480:. He returned from Thailand in August 1962 and assumed duty as chief of staff of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Aircraft, FMF, Pacific,
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on
December 21, 1951. When his plane was struck by enemy fire, he parachuted after radioing his base that he was bailing out. Taken
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in
December 1951. Following his repatriation in September 1953, he returned to the United States and was subsequently assigned as
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While serving as tactical officer of Marine
Aircraft Group 12, Thrash was engaged in a reconnaissance flight over enemy
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Corps Oral History Program and received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Commandant of the Marine Corps,
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Thrash was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on July 14, 1939. He was assigned to
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course in May 1949, he was assigned as an instructor in the Aviation Section, Marine Corps Schools,
211:. He retired from active duty on June 30, 1972, after more than 30 years of distinguished service.
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In March 1964, he was promoted to brigadier general and assigned as legislative assistant to the
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after landing in the heavily fortified enemy area, he remained a prisoner for almost two years.
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1031:"Fortitudine 16, Part 1 - Eleven Distinguished Marines Speak for the Record, pages 27-28"
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for gallantry in action, October 25, 1951, as Tactical Officer and pilot of a plane in
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in California. He remained at Camp Elliott serving in various assignments as an
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in February 1971. On March 12, 1971, his promotion was confirmed by the
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Thrash (4th from left, middle row) at the 1967 General Officers Symposium
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in 1939. During his senior year, he was a member of Georgia Tech's famed
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in January 1946. That October, he began a two-year assignment in the
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1060:"William Thrash Obituary (2011) - Bluffton, SC - the Island Packet"
488:, as assistant chief of staff, G-3, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.
463:
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386:. Encountering 24 hostile jets while leading his flight of 11
1231:
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
553:
Thrash died on July 4, 2011, at the Hilton Head Hospital in
520:
for his outstanding performance of duty during this tour.
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United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War
1108:, United States Marine Corps. July 2002. Archived from
1191:
United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War
247:
and Leila Gay. He graduated from Boys' High School in
504:, California and earned his third Legion of Merit.
378:in June 1951, Lieutenant Colonel Thrash earned the
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100:
90:
78:
62:
39:
23:
1216:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
1201:United States Marine Corps pilots of World War II
336:, he was assigned to the Division of Aviation at
294:, Florida in September 1941 for flight training.
417:prior to being captured and imprisoned by the
436:In July 1959, Colonel Thrash reported to the
8:
1246:Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football players
1166:Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)
282:until June 1940, when he was transferred to
1186:American prisoners of war in the Korean War
1102:"Official Biography for William G. Thrash"
413:with Combat "V" and his sixth and seventh
200:(September 17, 1916 – July 4, 2011) was a
31:
20:
1005:"A Senator and Medal-Winning Servicemen"
891:Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
832:
512:Major General Thrash was ordered to the
1256:Korean War prisoners of war held by PRC
995:
342:Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
1251:Burials at Beaufort National Cemetery
7:
438:Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay
1176:United States Marine Corps generals
1171:Aviators from Georgia (U.S. state)
1091:from websites or documents of the
555:Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
73:Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
16:United States Marine Corps general
14:
1226:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
1011:. Georgia Tech Alumni Association
972:Korean Presidential Unit Citation
1087: This article incorporates
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906:Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
847:Navy Distinguished Service Medal
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502:Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
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896:Navy Presidential Unit Citation
350:In August 1948, he entered the
239:William Gay Thrash was born in
949:National Defense Service Medal
921:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
911:American Defense Service Medal
493:Commandant of the Marine Corps
1:
1221:Recipients of the Silver Star
940:Navy Occupation Service Medal
478:3rd Marine Expeditionary Unit
409:Thrash was awarded his first
290:officer until transferred to
122:July 14, 1939 – June 30, 1972
1181:United States Naval Aviators
427:Marine Wing Service Group 37
261:Georgia School of Technology
243:, on September 17, 1916, to
1236:Recipients of the Air Medal
1161:People from Tifton, Georgia
518:Distinguished Service Medal
444:, as commanding officer of
358:. Upon graduation from its
292:Naval Air Station Pensacola
164:Distinguished Service Medal
1272:
1206:American Korean War pilots
1093:United States Marine Corps
977:United Nations Korea Medal
935:World War II Victory Medal
861:Distinguished Flying Cross
425:, and later, commander of
318:Distinguished Flying Cross
202:United States Marine Corps
191:GT Construction, President
178:Distinguished Flying Cross
113:United States Marine Corps
84:Beaufort National Cemetery
835:
567:
476:as chief of staff of the
450:Naval Air Station Alameda
338:Headquarters Marine Corps
30:
446:Marine Aircraft Group 13
384:Marine Aircraft Group 12
376:1st Marine Aircraft Wing
305:1st Marine Aircraft Wing
255:, in 1934. He earned a
95:United States of America
916:American Campaign Medal
868:w/ 2 award stars &
497:Navy Commendation Medal
1089:public domain material
982:Vietnam Campaign Medal
529:approved by President
495:, and was awarded the
469:
280:Philadelphia Navy Yard
1132:Gen William G. Thrash
966:Vietnam Service Medal
541:Later years and death
467:
433:in Washington, D.C.
356:Newport, Rhode Island
207:and highly decorated
119:Years of service
1112:on February 20, 2012
1003:Joseph P. Byrd III.
955:Korean Service Medal
431:National War College
1241:Georgia Tech alumni
957:w/ 2 service stars
837:Naval Aviator Badge
514:Republic of Vietnam
374:Transferred to the
257:Bachelor of Science
1211:Shot-down aviators
1040:. Marines Websites
968:w/ 1 service star
951:w/ 1 service star
470:
419:Chinese Communists
316:area, earning the
269:the Yellow Jackets
214:Thrash earned the
205:three-star general
198:William Gay Thrash
136:Lieutenant general
50:September 17, 1916
987:
986:
887:w/ 6 award stars
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561:Awards and medals
486:Norfolk, Virginia
423:executive officer
352:Naval War College
195:
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25:William G. Thrash
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346:Washington, D.C.
276:the Basic School
259:degree from the
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866:Legion of Merit
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411:Legion of Merit
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314:Solomon Islands
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241:Tifton, Georgia
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220:Legion of Merit
188:Other work
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173:Legion of Merit
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79:Place of burial
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1126:External links
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548:Paul X. Kelley
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531:Richard Nixon
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1136:Find a Grave
1116:February 18,
1114:. Retrieved
1110:the original
1063:
1054:
1042:. Retrieved
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1025:
1015:February 15,
1013:. Retrieved
1008:
998:
925:service star
880:Purple Heart
870:valor device
552:
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527:
511:
490:
471:
435:
408:
393:
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366:, Virginia.
349:
326:Pearl Harbor
301:
298:World War II
284:Camp Elliott
273:
245:Jesse Thrash
238:
213:
197:
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182:Purple Heart
146:World War II
142:Battles/wars
68:(2011-07-04)
66:July 4, 2011
18:
1156:2011 deaths
1151:1916 births
1038:marines.mil
856:Silver Star
535:U.S. Senate
508:Vietnam War
380:Silver Star
288:engineering
235:Early years
222:during the
216:Silver Star
169:Silver Star
154:Vietnam War
1145:Categories
1077:References
1065:Legacy.com
851:award star
454:California
415:Air Medals
322:Air Medals
224:Korean War
150:Korean War
91:Allegiance
46:1916-09-17
885:Air Medal
360:logistics
320:and five
230:Biography
962:5th Row
942:w/ Asia
931:4th Row
902:3rd Row
876:2nd Row
843:1st Row
474:Thailand
404:prisoner
388:Corsairs
364:Quantico
265:football
218:and the
101:Service/
482:Iwakuni
334:Okinawa
310:Gilbert
278:at the
267:squad,
253:Georgia
249:Atlanta
57:Georgia
442:Hawaii
332:, and
330:Saipan
160:Awards
111:
103:branch
53:Tifton
1034:(PDF)
990:Notes
944:clasp
923:w/ 1
849:w/ 1
524:1970s
460:1960s
400:Korea
370:1950s
1118:2009
1106:HQMC
1046:2017
1017:2007
127:Rank
63:Died
40:Born
1134:at
354:at
344:in
175:(3)
166:(2)
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1019:.
312:-
48:)
44:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
