Colonel Richard H. Esau, Jr.
Executive Director - Marine Corps Reserve Association

Colonel Richard H. Esau, Jr. was born in New York City on 24 July 1934. A member of the PLC Program, he was commissioned upon graduation from Manhattan College in June 1957 and following The Basic School was assigned to the 2d Marine Division where he served as a Platoon Commander, S-3 Liaison Officer, and Motor Transport Officer with the 2d Marines, then as the Executive Officer of Company L, 3d Battalion, 6th Marines. In 1959, he earned a position on the All Marine Baseball Team as a right fielder.

Completing Aerial Observer School, MCAS New River, in 1960, then First Lieutenant Esau was ordered to the USS Shangri-La (CVA-38) as Executive Officer of the Marine Detachment. Two years later, he was assigned to The Basic School where he served as a tactics instructor and staff platoon commander.

Reassigned to the 2d Marine Division during April 1965, then Captain Esau served as a Company Commander with 3d Battalion, 2d Marines and Operations Officer of BLT 3/2 during an extended Mediterranean deployment. He was then ordered to Vietnam where he served in the G-3 section, III MAF. Following promotion to Major in December 1966, he served as Operations Officer, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines at An Hoa, RVN, taking part in eight major combat operations.

From August 1967 to June 1968, then Major Esau was a student at the Command and Staff College, Quantico VA, and was subsequently assigned as Officer in Charge, Marine Corps Officer Selection Office, New York City until November 1970. Reassigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, he was posted to the Deputy Chief of Staff Plans, Programs and Operations as a Marine Corps Action Officer. In 1970, then Major Esau was distinguished as an Outstanding Young Man of America.

In July 1973, he was assigned as the J-3 for the Joint Casualty Resolution Center and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel the next month. During this assignment, he participated in searches for US Servicemen missing in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

Returning to the United States in August 1974, then Lieutenant Colonel Esau took command of H&S Battalion, The Basic School where he remained for 18 months. Assigned to be the Assistant Naval Attaché, London, U.K., he remained in that billet for the next three years.

Returning to the United States in June 1979, and promoted to Colonel on 1 July, Colonel Esau attended the Army War College, Class of 1980, and received a Masters Degree in Communications from Shippensburg State College. On completion of his studies, he was reassigned once again to Headquarters Marine Corps where he served as counsel to the Commandant's Legislative Assistant until joining the First Marine Brigade as Chief of Staff in 1982. Colonel Esau assumed command of the Third Marine Regiment in October 1983. As Commanding Officer, Third Marines, and Commanding Officer, Regimental Landing Team 3 (RLT3), he deployed four combat ready battalion landing teams to the Western Pacific. Returning to the Mainland in October 1984, Colonel Esau assumed duties as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Training at Headquarters Marine Corps. He continued in this assignment until September 1985 at which time he retired to the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve.

Colonel Esau's personal decorations and awards include: Two Legion of Merit Medals, three Bronze Star Medals with Combat "V", two Purple Heart Medals, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V", the Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, the Combat Action Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation with one Star, Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (60-), Vietnam Service Medal with three Stars, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star, and the Naval Aviations Observers Insignia.

He has been awarded the Bronze Medallion from the Chapel of the Four Chaplains, the St. Barbara's Medal from 12th Marines, a Leadership Award from the FBI/Marine Corps Association, and the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedom's Foundation. He has been an active member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart since 1981, and from 1999-2000 he was their National Commander.

Colonel Esau currently resides in Virginia Beach, VA and is married to the former Naomi Bodkin of Point Marion, PA. He is the father of six children: Joni, Frances, Thomas, Toni Ann, James (deceased), and Megan, and has nine grandchildren.