Page 18 - MarinerSummer22_24

MARINE MARQUEE

Gen. Michael Langley Becomes the Marine

Corps' First Black Four-Star General

By Communication Directorate | Headquarters Marine Corps | August 6, 2022

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley stands at attention during his promotion ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., August
6, 2022. Gen. Langley, who began his career in the Marine Corps as an artillery officer in 1985, is the first Black Marine to be promoted to the
rank of four-star General. (District of Columbia, DC, United States 08.06. 2022. Photo by Sgt. Karis Mattingly, Communication Directorate.)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley was joined by friends and family at the ceremony,
E. Langley was promoted to the rank of general on Aug. 6, including his father Willie C. Langley, who is a proud Air
2022, in a ceremony at Marine Corps Barracks Washington. Force veteran. Gen. Langley repeatedly talked about his
father as his greatest mentor.
Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berger
promoted Langley, who became the first Black Marine to "My daddy told me to aim high, so I aimed as high as
be promoted to four-star general. I could and found the few and the proud,” said Gen.
Langley, a comment which was met with laughter amongst
"43 years we go from our first African American general the crowd, most of whom were Marines.
to now our first - I think leading to many more - four-star
African American generals," said Berger, paying homage Langley was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and grew up
to Lt. Gen. Frank E. Peterson. on a variety of military bases as a child before settling

18 The Mariner • 2022 SUMMER Edition • Volume 65 • Issue 2