George C. Axtell

George Clifton Axtell
Lieutenant General George C. Axtell
Nickname(s)	Big Axe
Born	(1920-11-29)November 29, 1920 Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Died	August 20, 2011(2011-08-20) (aged 90) Landrum, South Carolina
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1940-1974
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	VMF-323 Marine Carrier Air Group 16 VMF-452 VMA-312 Marine Air Control Group 1 MAG-12 Force Logistics Command 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Fleet Marine Force–Atlantic
Battles/wars	World War II *Battle of Okinawa Korean War Vietnam War
Awards	Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (3) with Combat "V" Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Air Medal (7) Combat Action Ribbon (3)

Lieutenant General George C. Axtell (November 29, 1920 – August 20, 2011) was a retired United States Marine Corps general officer and a World War II ace and Navy Cross recipient. During World War II, he was the youngest commanding officer of a Marine Fighter Squadron. He also served in the Korean War and Vietnam War.

Axtell was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Ambridge, Pennsylvania on 29 November 1920 and graduated from high school there in 1938. He attended the University of Alabama before enlisting in the Marine Corps in July 1940 as a Marine Aviation Cadet. He held a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Master of Arts degree (Comptroller) from George Washington University.

Axtell was assigned to flight school and was commissioned as a second lieutenant and designated a Naval Aviator in May 1941. From May until December 1941, he was an instructor at Naval Air Station Pensacola, and then was transferred to the U.S. Naval Academy's Postgraduate School where he studied meteorological engineering, graduating in March 1943. He was promoted to first lieutenant in June 1942, and to captain in August 1942.

Promoted to major in May 1943, Axtell saw duty from that July until June 1945, as Commanding Officer, Marine Fighter Squadron 323 (VMF-323), from the date of its formation at Cherry Point, North Carolina, and then throughout the Okinawa campaign from March to June. During the Okinawa campaign, VMF-323 scored 124 enemy planes led by Axtell who was credited with destroying 6 enemy planes on April 22 with his F4U Corsair and was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. Following the Okinawa campaign, he was assigned as the Commanding Officer, Marine Carrier Air Group-16, operating from the USS Badoeng Strait. Following the deactivation of MCVG-16 in March 1946, he served as Commanding Officer, VMF-452 until the following January.