United States Marine Corps (Ret.)
General Gustafson was born on February 1, 1935 in Joliet, Illinois. He graduated from Joliet High School in 1953 and entered Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Graduating in 1957 with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering, he was commissioned a Marine Second Lieutenant in June 1957.
Upon completing The Basic School, Quantico, VA, in March 1958, General Gustafson entered Naval Aviation Flight Training at NAS, Kingsville, Texas, and was designated a Naval Aviator on January 15, 1960. He then served with Marine Attack Squadron 311 at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, CA, aboard the USS MIDWAY at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan until March 1962
After serving as the Operations Officer for the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment, Naval Air Station, Norfolk, VA, from April 1962 until January 1964, he attended the Naval Test Pilot School, NAS Patuxent, MD, graduating in October 1967.
From October 1967 to October 1968, General Gustafson participated in 427 combat missions in the Republic of Vietnam, flying the A-4 with Marine Attack Squadron 211, Marine Aircraft group 12. Returning to Marine Air Station Beautfort, SC, he reported for the duty with operations section of Marine Aircraft Group 32.
In August 1969, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School under the Special Education Program and subsequently earned a master’s degree in Aerodynamics from the Canfield Institute of Technology in England. He was then assigned as a Naval Air Systems Command Deputy Project Manager for the “Harrier” in London, form 1972 to 1975. Transferred to Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan in September 1975 he took command of Marine Attack Squadron 51, flying the AV-8A until July 1976.
His subsequent tours include the US Army War College, Carlisle PA and head of the Aviation Weapons Systems Requirements Branch at Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, DC, here he was promoted to colonel on March 1979.
General Gustafson took command of the Marine Aircraft Group 3, MCAS, Cherry Point on May 22, 1981. While serving in this capacity, he was selected in February 1983 for promotion to Brigadier General. He was advanced to that rank on April 20, 1983 and assigned duty as the Assistant Wing Commander, 2D Marine Aircraft Wing, MCAS, Cherry Point. He served in this capacity until August 1983. General Gustafson was assigned duty as the Assistant Wing Commander, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, FMF, Pacific, Okinawa, Japan on September 2, 1983. On June 14, 1984. General Gustafson was assigned duty as the Commanding General, 2D Marine Aircraft Wing, FMF, Atlantic, MCAS, Cherry Point, NC on April 29, 1988. He served in this capacity until his retirement from the Marine Corps on Sept. 1, 1990.
His decorations include: the Defense Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit with gold star in lieu of a second award, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 29 Strike/Flight awards, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat Unit Citation; Navy Unit Commendation with bronze star; National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four awards, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Action Colors, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.