United States Marine Corps (Ret.)

Lieutenant General
Frank Libutti
Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific/Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific/Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Bases, Pacific

At the time of his retirement, Lieutenant General Frank Libutti was the Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific/Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific/Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Bases, Pacific headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. He assumed command on June 22, 1999.

General Libutti is a native of Huntington, Long Island, New York. Following graduation from The Citadel, he entered the Marine Corps Officer Candidate Program in August 1966 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in October of that year. In March 1967, he was assigned to duty with the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines in Vietnam, where he served as an Infantry Platoon Commander.

In 1968, he returned to Quantico for duty at the Officer Candidates School. During this tour, he served consecutively as Chief Instructor, Tactics Section; Commanding Officer, and Branch Head, Academic Section. He was promoted to captain in November 1969. Upon completion of his duties at Quantico, he remained there to attend the Amphibious Warfare School.

General Libutti transferred to Amphibious Squadron THREE, San Diego, California, in 1972, for duty as Squadron Combat Cargo Officer. Upon completion of a two-year tour there, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2d Marines, 2d Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as an Infantry Company Commander for 14 months, followed by staff positions at the Battalion Headquarters. There, he served as the Logistics Officer and later as the Operations Officer.

Promoted to major in May 1977, General Libutti was reassigned as the Executive Officer, Marine Barracks, Naples, Italy. He returned from overseas in August 1980 to attend the Command and Staff College at Quantico. Following graduation, he was transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., for duty as the Head of the Career Management Section, Manpower Department. In May 1982, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and reassigned as the Assistant Secretary of the General Staff for the Office of the Assistant Commandant and Chief of Staff, where he served through May 1983. He was reassigned in June 1983 as the Senior Marine Aide to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

From August 1985 until June 1986, General Libutti attended the National War College, Washington, D.C. Following graduation, he was assigned as the Executive Officer, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California. General Libutti was reassigned as the Commanding Officer of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, where he remained in command until October 1987, when he was designated as the Commanding Officer, Contingency MAGTF 1-88 and promoted to colonel.

Returning to Camp Pendleton in May 1988, General Libutti served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, 1st Marine Division. He assumed command of the 11th MEU in August 1988 and remained in command until July 1990. The following month, General Libutti was reassigned to the Office of the Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff, for duty as the Marine Corps Member of the Chairman's Staff Group. While serving in this capacity, he was selected in December for promotion to brigadier general and was promoted to that grade on March 23, 1992. General Libutti was then assigned as the Commander, Forward Headquarters Element/Inspector General of the United States Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., on July 10, 1992. On August 18, 1992, he was designated Commanding General, Joint Task Force Provide Relief (emergency airlift of food to Somalia and Kenya), a position he held until November 1992, at which time he resumed his duties in Tampa.

He was promoted to major general and assumed duties as Commanding General, 1st Marine Division on July 22, 1994. He served as the Division Commander until June 7, 1996. During his last assignment, he served as the Commanding General, III Marine Expeditionary Force/Commander, Marine Corps Bases Japan until June 8, 1999.

General Libutti received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal while serving as the Assistant Chief of Staff C/J-5, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, United States Forces Korea and as Commander, Marine Forces Korea. He held this position from June 20, 1996 until July 20, 1997. He was promoted to his current rank of Lieutenant General on July 10, 1997.

General Libutti's personal decorations include: Defense Distinguished Service Medal (first award), the Silver Star Medal; Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters; Legion of Merit with gold star; Purple Heart with two gold stars; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal; Republic of Korea Chonsu Medal: and the Combat Action Ribbon. General Libutti was also presented with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, by the Emperor of Japan for service dedicated to the security of Japan and the mutual cooperation between Japan and the United States.

(Updated 4 March 2004, HQMC)