James T. Conway
A cerebral Marine who commanded the Corps through the grueling years of the Iraq War, reshaping it for an era of persistent conflict.
Born 1947 (age 79)·United States Marine Corps general·Birthday: December 26·Baby Boomers
Biography
General James T. Conway's career traces the arc of modern American military intervention, from the first Gulf War to the long counterinsurgency fights of the 2000s. A distinguished infantry officer, he led the 1st Marine Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a swift campaign that gave way to the protracted and bloody battle for Fallujah. As the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2006 to 2010, he steered the institution through the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, fiercely advocating for the well-being of his Marines while making tough decisions about force structure and equipment. He pushed for the controversial MRAP vehicle to better protect troops from roadside bombs and grappled with the ethical challenges of counterinsurgency, leaving a Corps hardened and experienced by a decade of continuous combat.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
James was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When James Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
James's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 2006 to 2010, leading the service during the Iraq War surge and the escalation in Afghanistan.
- Commanded the 1st Marine Division during the initial 2003 invasion of Iraq, leading the drive to Baghdad.
- Later commanded I Marine Expeditionary Force during the First Battle of Fallujah in 2004.
- Served as Director of Operations (J-3) for the Joint Chiefs of Staff prior to becoming Commandant.
- Was a key advocate for the rapid fielding of MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles to protect troops from IEDs.
Did You Know?
He is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, not a traditional service academy.
As Commandant, he reinstated the tradition of the Friday evening parade at Marine Barracks Washington.
He was the first Marine Corps Commandant to have previously served as the J-3 on the Joint Staff.
After retirement, he served on the board of directors for a major defense contractor.
“The Marine Corps fights; that's what we do, and we're good at it.”
