Russell E McCreery

Lieutenant Colonel Russell E. McCreery, United States Marine Corps, Retired, died at the age of 94 on January 24, 2013. He was born on December 2, 1918 in Los Angeles, CA. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on July 13, 1938 and received recruit training at MCRD, San Diego. His first assignment was on the heavy cruiser USS New Orleans. In March 1941, he embarked at San Diego for duty in Iceland, returning in 1942 to Camp Elliot in San Diego. He was selected for Officer Candidate School ad later embarked with the 2nd Marine Division for New Zealand to train for combat. He received a field commission in November 1942 and landed on Guadalcanal for combat operations in December 1942. Returning to the U.S. in 1943, his next permanent duty station was Base Depot, Camp Elliott in 1944. While on duty there he and Miss Genevieve Dassing were married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on September 30, 1944. Late 1944 saw him joining the 4th Marine Division in Maui, Hawaii, returning to the U.S. in late 1945 at the end of WWII. His duty stations then were at Camp Pendleton, CA, Quantico, VA, Camp Le Jeune, NC, Washington, DC, Okinawa, Japan, and Philadelphia, PA. His last assignment prior to retirement there on March 31, 1967, was Depot Supply Officer, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA. His civilian life pursuits consisted mainly of 3 years in the banking business and 8 years in automobile and truck leasing and rental, retiring from the latter in 1980. He was involved in many civic organizations, including the San Diego Council of the Navy League, San Diego Armed Services YMCA, and the Exchange Club of Mission Valley-Clairemont. He was a long time member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. He was preceded in death by his wife Genevieve of 66 years. Lt. Col McCreery is survived by his daughter Catherine and husband, Stephen Green of Lake Forest, CA, son Thomas of Murrieta, CA, and son Robert and wife Jeanie of Oceanside, CA. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren: Aimee, Alison, Amanda, Melanie, Jennifer, Christopher, Jonathan and 14 great grandchildren. Services with military honors will be held on March 15th at 10:00 A.M. at All Saints Episcopal Church in Vista, CA. Inurnment will be at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the San Diego Armed Services YMCA, 500 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101, or the National Exchange Club Foundation, 3050 Central Ave, Toledo, OH 43606-1700.