Francis Frank Walter Tief

Frank W. Tief passed away peacefully two weeks shy of his 88th birthday on June 13, 2016. He was born on June 28, 1928 in Port Chester, NY, the son of John (Jack) Fennimore and Anne Elizabeth Tief. He received his BS in Biology (Pre-Med) from Georgetown University in 1948. He was commissioned a Marine Second Lieutenant on June 4, 1948. He earned his M.S. degree in International Relations from George Washington University in 1972. General Tief attended Basic School at Quantico, VA then was assigned as platoon commander, 4th Battalion, Special Training Regiment. He transferred to Camp Lejeune, NC as a rifle platoon commander with the Second Marines, 2nd Marine Division and later served as Assistant S-3 officer Headquarters Service Company Second Marine. General Tief participated in combat operations in Korea as a tank platoon commander and company commander with the Seventh Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was awarded the Silver Star for action in Uijongbu in 1950. Returning to the States he served as Secretary to the Marine Corps Liaison Officer, Office of Chief Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. It was here he met and married Joan Sullivan in 1954. He transferred to Hartford, CT as inspector-instructor, 70th Special Infantry Company. General Tief reported to the 3rd Marine Division in Japan in 1956 as S-3 Officer, 1st Battalion, Third Marines and later as Executive Officer and S-4 Officer, 3rd Tank Battalion. He studied at the Sanz Language School in Washington D.C. before being transferred to Rome, Italy in 1961 as Assistant Naval Attaché and Naval Attaché for Air. He remained in that billet until Sept. 1964 when he was ordered to Vietnam as Personnel Staff Officer, U.S. Military Assistance Command. He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for his service in Vietnam. He arrived at Camp Lejeune in 1965 and was assigned as Division 6-2, 2nd Marine Division and later served as Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion, Second Marines and as Ground Defense Commander, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba until 1967 when he was transferred to Marine Barracks, Brooklyn, NY as Commanding Officer. General Tief was promoted to Colonel in 1968 and began his second tour in Vietnam in 1970 as Senior Marine Advisor and later as Commander of Task Group 116. He received the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal both with Combat “V”. In 1971 he attended the Naval War College in Newport, RI and was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C. as the Deputy Director of Information before becoming Director of Information in 1974. General Tief was promoted to Brigadier General on March 13, 1975, and in June was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, NC as the Assistant Division Commander and Commanding General of the 12th Marine Amphibious Brigade and NATO Brigade. His final assignment was as Commanding General of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, NC. He retired on July 1, 1978. In addition to the Silver Star Medal, the Legion of Merit with Combat “V”, the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” and the Navy Commendation Medal, General Tief’s decorations include the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation with two bronze stars, the Navy Unit Commendation, the National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star, the Korean Service Medal with six stars, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Service Medal with five stars, the Fifth Class Vietnamese National Order with Gallantry Cross with Palm, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Gallantry Cross with Palm, the United Nations Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Upon retirement General Tief was the Executive Vice President of BOMA in Seattle/King County. In 1980 he was named the Vice President of Securities Financial, Inc. then became a partner in Metropolitan Building Maintenance. He retired again in 1995. He served as a trustee of the Puget Sound Marine Corps Support Group and was on the board of the USO in Seattle. During his second retirement he and his wife, Glenna nee Davenport, enjoyed making extensive renovations to their properties in Wallace and Kellogg, ID and in Westport and La Conner, WA. He and Glenna also enjoyed travels to Italy along with most of his children. General Tief is survived by his six children with his first wife, Joan: Sean (Deborah), Catherine, James (Jody), Elizabeth, Marisa Cook (William) and Cristoforo (Karen); his stepdaughters with his wife, Glenna: Lisa (Craig Foster) and Suzanne (Ismael Marrero); his honorary grandson Jeff Leonard, nine grandchildren, three honorary great-granddaughters and his beloved extended family in Port Chester, NY. He was a great dancer and renowned storyteller. We will all miss our dear husband/dad/grandpa, his quiet generosity, his off-color jokes, his signature eyeglass whip and his commanding spirit. Remembrances can be made to the USO Northwest 17801 International Blvd., PMB #313 Seattle, WA 98158. Burial will be at Tahoma National Cemetery (18600 SE 240th St, Kent, WA 98042) at 2:30 p.m. on June 27th with reception following at Lake Wilderness Golf Center (25400 Witte Rd SE Maple Valley, WA 98038). SEMPER FI