Toy soldiers are made from all types of material, but the most common mass-produced varieties are metal and plastic. There are many different kinds of toy soldiers, including tin soldiers or flats, hollow cast metal figures, composition figures, and plastic army men. Metal toy soldiers were traditionally sold in sets; plastic figures were sold in toy shops individually in Britain and Europe and in large boxed sets in the U.S. Modern, collectable figures are often sold individually.

Scale[edit]

Further information: Miniature_figure_(gaming) § Scales, and List of scale model sizes

Ratio Inches per foot Size Examples

1:35 0.342" [8.68 mm] 1.811" [46 mm] Popular military modelling scale for vehicles and light aircraft (Tamiya). Also used for the accompanying human display models like crew and passengers.

1:32 0.375" [9.525 mm] 1.98" [50.3 mm] Model railroad "I scale". Also used for display models. Britain's LTD toy farm sets (animals, structures, and most vehicles) and "Stablemate size" model horses were in this scale.

1:30 0.4" [10.16 mm] 2.125" [54 mm]

2.165" [55 mm] Traditional "Normal scale" lead or die-cast metal toy soldiers (Britain's LTD).

1:28 0.423" [10.87 mm] 2.36" [60mm] Spanish 60mm size (actually closer to 1/26 or 1/27 scale) (Alymer Toy Soldiers).

1:24 0.50" [12.7 mm] 3" [76.2mm] American "Dimestore" 3-inch size (Barclay or Manoil) or German 75mm size (actually closer to 1/21 scale). 1/2-scale dollhouses are built in this scale.

1:16 0.75" [19.05 mm] 4" [101.6 mm] Used for Ertl's toy farm sets (animals, structures, and most vehicles) and most plastic toy animal figures.

Scale for toy soldiers is expressed as the soldier's approximate height from head to foot in millimeters. Because many figures do not stand up straight, height is usually an approximation. Standard toy soldier scale, originally adopted by W. Britain, is 54 mm (2.25 inches) or 1:32 scale. Among different manufacturers, standard scale may range from 50 mm or 1:35 scale, to 60 mm or 1:28 scale. For gamers and miniatures enthusiasts, 25 mm and even smaller scales are available. On the larger end of the scale are American Dimestore figures, and many of the toy soldiers produced in Germany, which are approximately 75 mm (3 inches) or 1:24 scale.

History[edit]

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Military figures have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and have appeared in many cultures and eras. Tin soldiers were produced in Germany as early as the 1730s, by molding the metal between two pieces of slate. Toy soldiers became widespread during the 18th century, inspired by the military exploits of Frederick the Great. Miniature soldiers were also used in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries by military strategists to plan battle tactics by using the figures to show the locations of real soldiers. In 1893, the British toy company William Britain revolutionized the production of toy soldiers by devising the method of hollow casting, making soldiers that were cheaper and lighter than their German counterparts.[1]

Vintage plastic Trojan War figure by Herald.

In addition to Britains, there have been many other manufacturers of toy soldiers over the years. For example, John Hill & Company produced hollow cast lead figures in the same style and scale. Companies such as Elastolin and Lineol were well known for their composite figures made of glue and sawdust that included both military and civilian subjects. After 1950, rising production costs and the development of plastic meant that many shop keepers liked the lighter, cheaper, and far less prone to break in transit polythene figure. This led to greater numbers of plastic toy soldiers.[2] The first American plastic soldiers were made by Beton as early as 1937. The first plastic toy soldiers produced in Great Britain were made in 1946 by Airfix before they became known for their famous model kits range.

World War I-era toy soldiers.

One large historical producer in plastic was Louis Marx and Company, which produced both realistic soldiers of great detail and also historical collections of plastic men and women, including the "Presidents of the United States" collection, "Warriors of the World", "Generals of World War II", "Jesus and the Apostles", and figures from the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Marx also produced boxed playsets that featured many famous battles with armies of two sides, character figures, and terrain features. Britains produced plastic figures under the brand names of Herald and Deetail. Also in England, the scale model company, Airfix produced a variety of high quality plastic sets, which were frequently painted by hobbyists. Many Airfix figures were imitated by other companies and reproduced as inexpensive, bagged plastic army men. Timpo Toys, Britains main competitor in terms of sales and quality in the 1960s and 70s developed the 'Over - Moulding' system. Different coloured plastics were injected into the mould at various stages, creating a fully coloured figure without the need of paint.

During the 1990s, the production of metal toy-grade painted figures and connoisseur-grade painted toy soldiers increased to serve the demands of the collectors' market. The style of many of these figures shifted from the traditional gloss-coat enamel paint to the matte-finished acrylic paint, which allows for greater detail and historical accuracy. The change was largely inspired by the introduction of very high quality painted figures from St. Petersburg, Russia.[citation needed]

Collecting[edit]

There is a substantial hobby devoted to collecting both old and new toy soldiers, with an abundance of small manufacturers, dealers, and toy soldier shows. There are even specialty magazines devoted to the hobby, such as "Toy Soldier Collector", "Plastic Warrior" and "Toy Soldier and Model Figure". Collectors often specialize in a particular type of soldier or historical period, though some people enjoy collecting many different kinds of figures. The most popular historical periods for collecting are Napoleonic, Victorian, American Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Many collectors modify and paint plastic figures, and some even cast and paint their own metal figures.

Actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr had a collection of 3000 toy soldiers when he sold it in 1977. Fantasy novelist George R. R. Martin has a substantial collection of toy knights and castles.[3] The most extensive collection of toy soldiers was probably that of Malcolm Forbes, who began collecting toy soldiers in the late 1960s and amassed a collection of over 90,000 figures by the time of his death in 1990. Anne Seddon Kinsolving Brown of Providence, Rhode Island, USA, began collecting miniature toy soldiers on her honeymoon to Europe in 1930, eventually amassing a collection of over 6,000 figures; these are on display at the Anne S. K. Brown Military Collection at Brown University Library in Providence.

Painted and unpainted Civil War-era plastic figures by Accurate.

Some of the more noteworthy, annual toy soldier and historical figure shows include the Plastic Warrior Show, which is the oldest established show in the U.K. Beginning in 1985 and still being held annually in Richmond, South London. Another well known show is the London Toy Soldier Show held in central London (now owned and operated by the magazine Toy Soldier Collector), the Miniature Figure Collectors of America (MFCA) show in Valley Forge, the Chicago Toy Soldier Show (OTSN) in Illinois, the East Coast Toy Soldier Show in New Jersey, the West Coaster Toy Soldier Show in California, the Sammlerbörse (Collector's Market) in Friedberg, Germany and the biennial Zinnfigurenbörse (Tin Figure Market) in Kulmbach, Germany.

In recent years, collectors of vintage toy soldiers made of polythene PE and polypropylene PP thermoplastics as well as PC/ABS plastic blends have reported brittling and disintegration of collectible miniatures or components thereof.[4]

Varieties[edit]

Different types and styles of toy soldiers have been produced over the years, depending on the cost and availability of materials, as well as manufacturing technologies. Here is a list of some of the most commonly collected varieties of toy soldiers.[5]

Aluminum – slush cast aluminium, made chiefly in France during the early and middle 20th Century

Army men – unpainted, soft plastic toy soldiers sold inexpensively in bags or with terrain pieces and vehicles in boxed playsets

Composition – made from a mixture of sawdust and glue, manufactured in Austria and Germany

Connoisseur – high quality, collectible figures featuring highly detailed paint jobs

Dimestore – hollow or slush cast iron, sold through five and dime stores from the 1920s to 1960 in the United States

Flat – thin, two dimensional tin soldiers cast in slate molds

Hollow cast – cast in metal, usually a lead alloy, which cools and sets as it touches the mold; the excess molten metal is poured out leaving a hollow figure

Paper – printed on sheets of paper or cardboard, frequently mounted on blocks of wood

Plastic – hard and soft plastic, generally painted figures

Solid – cast in solid metal, usually lead, common in Germany during the 19th and early 20th Century

Wood - From the 19th century Germany produced large amounts of wooden fortresses and toy soldiers[6]sometimes working on a scissors mechanism .

Prominent vintage toy soldier makers include Airfix, Barclay, Britains, Herald, Elastolin, Johillco, Lineol, Marx, Manoil, Reamsa and Timpo.

Gaming[edit]

H. G. Wells playing a wargame with toy soldiers, 1913

The playing of wargames with toy figures was pioneered by H. G. Wells in his 1913 book, Little Wars.[7] Wells, a pacifist, was the first to publish detailed rules for playing war games with toy soldiers. He suggested that this could provide a cathartic experience, possibly preventing future real wars. Although this was not to be, Little Wars was a predecessor to the modern hobby of miniatures wargaming. According to Wells, the idea of the game developed from a visit by his friend Jerome K. Jerome. After dinner, Jerome began shooting down toy soldiers with a toy cannon and Wells joined in to compete.[7]

A similar book titled Shambattle: How to Play with Toy Soldiers was published by Harry Dowdall and Joseph Gleason in 1929.

Although people continue to play wargames with miniature figures, most contemporary wargamers use a smaller scale than that favored by collectors, typically under 25 mm.

BLADENSBURG, Maryland --

The National Capitol Region, the area encompassing the limestone monuments and structures of the central hub of democratic leadership known as Washington.

Only two centuries ago, the small, Southern Maryland town of Bladensburg was in the War of 1812. Marines, soldiers, sailors and militiamen tried to hold off more than 4,000 hardened British troops.

“Only 500 hundred men served in the [Marine] Corps,” said Gunnery Sgt. Thomas E. Williams, a retired Marine and the Director of the United States Marine Corps Historical Company. “The commandant was a lieutenant colonel, and the Marines who fought there were one quarter of the entire fighting force.”

 They fought off the British for two hours giving the citizens and political leaders in Washington the opportunity to flee and save official documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. After the American forces at Bladensburg were defeated, the capital burned as British forces tried to destroy a young United States.

It is commonly accepted by history that the actions of the Marines led to the British forces sparing the Marine Corps Commandants’ Home and Marine Barracks Washington at 8th & I from the fires, which engulfed other federal building.

“Although the Battle of Bladensburg ended in defeat, the accomplishments of the United States Marines, along with the naval battalion, was iconic,” Williams said. “The standing courage and esprit de corps of the Marines, who were involved here, was one of those deciding moments in Marine Corps history.”

Esprit de corps is defined as a feeling of pride, fellowship, and common loyalty shared by the members of a particular group. This concept to Marines is what holds many a battle-hardened unit together.

“Part of what I think is important to being a Marine is esprit de corps, and part of that piece is knowing our history,” said Brig. Gen. William F. Mullen, Jr., the Director of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command’s Development Directorate.

A memorial titled, “Undaunted in Battle” was dedicated to these brave Americans for their actions during the Battle of Bladensburg outside of the Bladensburg Waterfront Park, Maryland August 23, 2014.

 The monument, designed and sculpted by Joanna Blake, features a bronze sculpture of the end of the battle.  It depicts a wounded Commodore Joshua Barney, commander of the Chesapeake Flotilla, Charles Ball, a freed slave and flotilla man, and an unnamed Marine, in honor of the Marines who fought to the bitter end trying to repel British forces.

“I was the Marine they actually chose to be the model for the Marine depicted on the statue,” Thomas said. “She made me quite a bit prettier than I actually am.”

The rainy Saturday morning of the monument dedication was vastly different from the 100-degree temperature when American forces fought in wool uniforms to try to hold back the British.

“This is one place where we were Semper Fidelis—We were always faithful,” Mullen said. “We could have taken off, but we didn’t.”

“We stood there and held our ground for a little while and gave people down in Washington time to do what they needed to do.”

The President’s Own, United States Marine Corps Band provided the music for the event, honoring those who played before them during the War of 1812.

“Everyone had to fight during this war,” Thomas said. “History shows that even the band had to drop their instruments and pick up their rifles.”

The ceremony attracted a crowd from all countries involved in the War of 1812. British, Canadian and United States Armed Services representatives participated in a wreathe laying ceremony at the monument. 

“I was invited to come up on behalf of the Marine Corps and participate in the wreathe laying,” Mullen said. “I am a big history buff and have read quite a bit about the War of 1812.

“I have driven past a few times and have always thought I should stop. The opportunity came up and I said, ‘Absolutely.’”

The actions of the Corps during the war of 1812 played a large part in the drafting of the Marine Act of 1834. Congress resolved confusion surrounding the 1798 act, which although creating a post Revolutionary War Marine Corps left the Marines small and with an unclear chain of higher command. The act of 1834 established the Marine Corps as a service answering to naval regulations on land and at sea.

“The War of 1812 set the standard for who we are today,” Thomas said. “This War started the concept of us by land and by sea.”

“The company out of Marine Barracks Washington, during this war, became the first true force in readiness for rapid deployment on land as well as for sea going operations.

Marines and other service members stationed in the National Capital Region have many opportunities to visit many battlefields on United States soil where their predecessors served and many sacrificed everything for America.

“For all Marines, history is important,” Thomas said. “Understanding where we came from and the Marines, who wore that uniform for the last 238 years.

“We are who we are today because of what they have done. We build off that and every generation since has stood on the shoulders of these Marines.”

Lore of the Corps

Starting in boot camp, all Marines study the actions of those who have served before them. The history of the Marine Corps is a rich tapestry weaving together the contributions of all Marines. Over the past two centuries, certain aspects of the Corps’ history have taken on an almost legendary status. Below are examples of some of the stories, terms, and traditions that have come to be known as the “Lore of the Corps.”

The 

The Blood Stripe

Marine Corps tradition maintains that the red stripe worn on the trousers of officers and noncommissioned officers, and commonly known as the “blood stripe,” commemorates those Marines killed storming the castle of Chapultepec in 1847. Although this belief is firmly embedded in the traditions of the Corps, it has no basis in fact. The use of stripes clearly predates the Mexican War.

In 1834, uniform regulations were changed to comply with President Andrew Jackson’s wishes that Marine uniforms return to the green and white worn during the Revolutionary War. The wearing of stripes on the trousers began in 1837, following the Army practice of wearing stripes the same color as uniform jacket facings. Colonel Commandant Archibald Henderson ordered those stripes to be buff white. Two years later, when President Jackson left office, Colonel Henderson returned the uniform to dark blue coats faced red. In keeping with earlier regulations, stripes became dark blue edged in red. In 1849, the stripes were changed to a solid red. Ten years later uniform regulations prescribed a scarlet cord inserted into the outer seams for noncommissioned officers and musicians and a scarlet welt for officers. Finally, in 1904, the simple scarlet stripe seen today was adopted.

"Leatherneck"

In 1776, the Naval Committee of the Second Continental Congress prescribed new uniform regulations. Marine uniforms were to consist of green coats with buff white facings, buff breeches and black gaiters. Also mandated was a leather stock to be worn by officers and enlisted men alike. This leather collar served to protect the neck against cutlass slashes and to hold the head erect in proper military bearing. Sailors serving aboard ship with Marines came to call them “leathernecks.”

Use of the leather stock was retained until after the Civil War when it was replaced by a strip of black glazed leather attached to the inside front of the dress uniform collar. The last vestiges of the leather stock can be seen in today’s modern dress uniform, which features a stiff cloth tab behind the front of the collar.

The term “leatherneck” transcended the actual use of the leather stock and became a common nickname for United States Marines. Other nicknames include “soldiers of the sea,” “devil dogs,” and the slightly pejorative “gyrene,” (a term which was applied to the British Royal Marines in 1894 and to the U.S. Marines by 1911), and “jarhead.”

Semper Fidelis

"Semper Fidelis"

The Marine Corps adopted the motto “Semper Fidelis” in 1883. Prior to that date three mottoes, all traditional rather than official, were used. The first of these, antedating the War of 1812, was “Fortitudine.” The Latin phrase for “with courage,” it was emblazoned on the brass shako plates worn by Marines during the Federal period. The second motto was “By Sea and by Land,” taken from the British Royal Marines “Per Mare, Per Terram.” Until 1848, the third motto was “To the shores of Tripoli.” Inscribed on the Marine Corps colors, this commemorated Presley O’Bannon’s capture of the city of Derna in 1805. In 1848, this was revised to “From the halls of the Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.”

“Semper Fidelis” signifies the dedication that individual Marines have to “Corps and country,” and to their fellow Marines. It is a way of life. Said one former Marine, “It is not negotiable. It is not relative, but absolute…Marines pride themselves on their mission and steadfast dedication to accomplish it.”

"Devil Dogs"

Picture

According to Marine Corps tradition, German soldiers facing the Marines at Belleau Wood called them teufelhunden. These were the devil dogs of Bavarian folklore - vicious, ferocious, and tenacious. Shortly thereafter, a Marine recruiting poster depicted a dachshund, wearing an Iron Cross and a spiked helmet, fleeing an English bulldog wearing the eagle, globe and anchor.

A tradition was born. Although an “unofficial mascot,” the first bulldog to “serve” in the United States Marine Corps was King Bulwark. Renamed Jiggs, he was enlisted on 14 October 1922 for the “term of life.” Enlistment papers were signed by Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler. Although he began his career as a private, Jiggs was quickly promoted to the rank of sergeant major. His death at the age of four was mourned throughout the Corps. His body lay in a satin-lined casket in a hangar on Marine Corps Base Quantico until he was buried with military honors.

Other bulldogs followed in the tradition of Jiggs. From the 1930s through the early 1950s, the name of the bulldogs was changed to Smedley as a tribute to Major General Butler. In the late 1950s, the Marine Barracks in Washington became the new home for the Marine Corps’ bulldog. Chesty, named in honor of the legendary Lieutenant General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, Jr, made his first public appearance on 5 July 1957.

Today the tradition continues. The bulldog, tough, muscular and fearless, has come to epitomize the fighting spirit of the United States Marine Corps.

8th and I

Picture

A notice posted in the Washington newspaper National Intelligence on 3 April 1801 offered “a premium of 100 dollars” for the “best plan of barracks for the Marines sufficient to hold 500 men, with their officers and a house for the Commandant.” The site for the barracks, near the Washington Navy Yard and within marching distance of the Capitol, was chosen by President Thomas Jefferson, who rode through Washington with Lieutenant Commandant William W. Burrows.

The competition was won by George Hadfield, who laid out the barracks and the house in a quadrangle. The barracks were established in 1801, the house, home of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, was completed in 1806. It is the oldest public building in continuous use in the nation’s capital.

Marine Corps traditions holds that when Washington was burned by the British during the War of 1812, both the Commandant’s House and the barracks were spared out of respect for the bravery shown by Marines during the Battle for Bladensburg.

Today, 8th and I is home to one of the most dramatic military celebrations in the world -- The Evening Parade. Held every Friday evening from May through August, the Evening Parade features “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, “The Commandant’s Own” The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. It has become a lasting symbol of the professionalism, discipline, and esprit de Corps of the United States Marines, a celebration of the pride taken in a history that spans more than 230 years.

The Eagle, Globe and Anchor

Eagle, Globe and Anchoe

The origins of the eagle, globe, and anchor insignia worn by Marines can be traced to those ornaments worn by early Continental Marines as well as to the British Royal Marines.

In 1776, Marines wore a device depicting a fouled anchor. Changes were made to that device in 1798, 1821, and 1824. An eagle was added in 1834. The current insignia dates to 1868 when Brigadier General Commandant Jacob Zeilin convened a board “to decide and report upon the various devices of cap ornaments of the Marine Corps.” A new insignia was recommended and approved by the Commandant. On 19 November 1868, the new insignia was accepted by the Secretary of the Navy.

The new emblem featured a globe showing the western hemisphere intersected by a fouled anchor and surmounted by an eagle. Atop the device, a ribbon was inscribed with the Latin motto “Semper Fidelis.” The globe signified the service of the United States Marines throughout the world. The anchor was indicative of the amphibious nature of the Marine Corps. The eagle, symbolizing a proud nation, was not the American bald eagle, but rather a crested eagle, a species found throughout the world.

On 22 June 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an Executive Order which approved the design of an official seal for the United States Marine Corps. Designed at the request of General Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., Commandant of the Marine Corps, the seal replaced the crested eagle with the American bald eagle, its wings proudly displayed. With the approval of this seal by the President of the United States in 1955, the emblem centered on the seal was adopted as the official Marine Corps emblem.

The eagle, globe, and anchor insignia is a testament to the training of the individual Marine, to the history and traditions of the Marine Corps, and to the values upheld by the Corps. It represents “those intangible possessions that cannot be issued: pride, honor, integrity, and being able to carry on the traditions for generations of warriors past.” Said retired Sergeant Major David W. Sommers, “the emblem of the Corps is the common thread that binds all Marines together, officer and enlisted, past and present…The eagle, globe and anchor tells the world who we are, what we stand for, and what we are capable of, in a single glance.”

The Marine Hymn

Following the Barbary Wars of 1805, the Colors of the Corps were inscribed with the words “to the shores of Tripoli.” After the capture and occupation of Mexico City in 1847, the Colors were changed to read “from the shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma.” These events in Marine Corps history are the origin of the opening words of the Marines’ Hymn.

 Tradition holds that the words to the Marines’ Hymn were written by a Marine serving in Mexico. In truth, the author of the words remains unknown. Colonel Albert S. McLemore and Walter F. Smith, Assistant Band Director during the John Philip Sousa era, sought to trace the melody to its origins. It was reported to Colonel McLemore that by 1878 the tune was very popular in Paris, originally appearing as an aria in the Jacques Offenbach opera Genevieve de Brabant. John Philips Sousa later confirmed this belief in a letter to Major Harold Wirgman, USMC, stating “The melody of the ‘Halls of Montezuma’ is taken from Offenbach’s comic opera...”

Its origins notwithstanding, the hymn saw widespread use by the mid-1800s. Copyright ownership of the hymn was given to the Marine Corps per certificate of registration dated 19 August 1891. In 1929, it became the official hymn of the United States Marine Corps with the verses shown on the right.

On 21 November 1942, the Commandant of the Marine Corps authorized an official change in the first verse, fourth line, to reflect the changing mission of the Marine Corps. The new line read "in the air, on land and sea." That change was originally proposed by Gunnery Sergeant H.L. Tallman, an aviator and veteran of World War I.

 Shortly after World War II, Marines began to stand at attention during the playing of The Marines’ Hymn, Today that tradition continues today to honor all those who have earned the title "United States Marine."

00:0000:00

The Marines' Hymn

From the Halls of Montezuma

 to the Shores of Tripoli,

 We fight our country’s battles

 On the land as on the sea.

 First to fight for right and freedom,

 And to keep our honor clean,

 We are proud to claim the title

 of United States Marine.

 "Our flag’s unfurl’d to every breeze

 From dawn to setting sun;

 We have fought in every clime and place

 Where we could take a gun.

 In the snow of far-off northern lands

 And in sunny tropic scenes,

 You will find us always on the job

 The United States Marines.

 "Here’s health to you and to our Corps

 Which we are proud to serve;

 In many a strife we’ve fought for life

 And never lost our nerve.

 If the Army and the Navy

 Ever look on Heaven’s scenes,

 They will find the streets are guarded

 By United States Marines."

General Walter E. Boomer, USMC

Born September 22, 1938 (age 85)

Rich Square, North Carolina, U.S.

Allegiance United States of America

Service/branch United States Marine Corps

Years of service 1960–1994

Rank General

Unit 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division (1967 Vietnam)

Commands held 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines

Marine Security Guard Battalion

4th Marine Division

U.S. Marine Forces Central Command

Director 4th Marine Corps Recruiting District I Marine Expeditionary Force

Camp Pendleton

Marine Corps Combat Development Command

Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps

Battles/wars Vietnam War

Operation Desert Storm

Operation Desert Shield

Awards Distinguished Service Medal

Silver Star (2)

Legion of Merit

Bronze Star (2)

Other work Rogers Corporation, CEO

McDermott International Inc, Exec. VP

Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, President[1]

General Walter Eugene Boomer (born September 22, 1938) is a retired four-star general and assistant commandant of the United States Marine Corps and business executive. Boomer led all Marines in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the Gulf War.[2] He was later the chairman and CEO of Rogers Corporation and retired in 2004. He is the current[when?] lead director of Baxter International.[1] Boomer is a 1960 graduate of Duke University and later earned a master's degree from American University.

Biography

Boomer was born on 22 September 1938 in Rich Square, North Carolina. In 1956, he graduated from Randolph-Macon Academy in Front Royal, Virginia. He earned a B.A. degree from Duke University in 1960, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned a Master of Science degree in technology of management from American University, Washington, D.C. in 1973.

Marine Corps service

After completing The Basic School, Quantico, Virginia, in January 1961, his first assignments were with the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines and the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, where he was platoon commander, weapons platoon commander and battalion training officer, respectively, from 1961 to 1964. He was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1961 and to captain in April 1965.

Boomer saw combat action from 1966 to 1967 in the Republic of Vietnam as the commanding officer, Company H, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. During this combat tour, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal for valor. Returning to the US, he attended the Amphibious Warfare School at Quantico. On completion, he was promoted to major in May 1968, and was transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., for duty as the administrative assistant and aide-de-camp to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs. Following this assignment, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia.

In 1971, Boomer attended the Short Advisors Course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in preparation for advisor duty with the South Vietnamese Marines. In August that year, he returned to Vietnam as an advisor to the 4th Vietnamese Marine Corps Battalion. While serving this tour of duty, he was involved in the defense of Firebase Sarge during the Easter Offensive, North Vietnam's largest assault on the South.

Transferred back to the US in September 1972, he attended American University, receiving his M.S. degree in December 1973. The following month, he began a three-year tour as a management instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland. During the last year of his tour, he was the chairman of the Department of Management. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 1976.

From July 1977 to June 1980, Boomer was stationed in Hawaii, where he was executive officer, 3rd Marines, 1st Marine Brigade, and then commanding officer, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines. Returning to the mainland US in July 1980, he attended the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, graduating with distinction in June 1981.

He then assumed the duties as the deputy director of the Fourth Marine Corps District, Philadelphia. He was promoted to colonel on 1 November 1981 and became the director of the Fourth Marine Corps District on 17 June 1983.

During February 1985, Boomer returned to Quantico to assume command of the Marine Security Guard Battalion. While serving in this capacity, he was selected in April 1986 for promotion to brigadier general. He was advanced to that grade on 2 June 1986 and assigned duty as the director of public affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps, on 7 June 1986. He held this post until 27 May 1988, when he was assigned duty as the commanding general, 4th Marine Division (Reinforced), FMF, New Orleans. On 14 March 1989, he was advanced to major general and promoted to lieutenant general on 8 August 1990.

On 15 August 1990, Boomer was deployed to Saudi Arabia, where he was the commanding general, U.S. Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT) and I Marine Expeditionary Force during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

On 22 April 1991, he returned to Camp Pendleton and assumed the duties of commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force/commanding general, Marine Corps Base. He served in this capacity until 6 September 1991. Boomer reported to Quantico, Virginia, on 27 September 1991, where he assumed duty as the commanding general, Marine Corps Combat Development Command. He was promoted to general on 1 September 1992 and assumed his last duty assignment as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps.

Boomer retired from the Marine Corps 1 September 1994.