OBITUARY – JOHN J. GUENTHER, LtCol, USMC, (Retired)

LtCol John J. Guenther, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret), former intelligence officer and senior government official, passed away peacefully on October 29, 2009 after a prolonged illness. He is survived by Gerrie, his beloved wife of 57 years, of Arlington, VA; son John of Jacksonville, Florida; daughters Lynn Richardson of Arlington, VA; Kathy Richardson of Charlottesville, VA; Lisa Teifke of Heber City, UT; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Richard Guenther. He is also survived by brothers Donald Guenther of Bensalem, PA; James Guenther of Fort Washington, PA; and Wayne Guenther of Long Beach, CA. He was preceded in death by brother Robert Guenther of Sanford, NC.

John Guenther enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 1948 and retired in February 1994 having served in Marine Corps intelligence for over 45 years in 19 different enlisted, commissioned, and senior civilian grades. Highlights of his military career included his service with the 1st Marine Division in Korea (1950-1951) as a participant in the Inchon Landing at Chosin Reservoir, service as the Asst. G-2 Ground Defense Forces, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, two tours in Vietnam providing counterintelligence support to naval special operations and to Marine Corps commands in South Vietnam, and serving as Joint Operations Officer/Naval Representative with the U.S. Military Liaison Mission to the Group of Soviet Forces Germany in East Germany from 1974-1977. His military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with Combat V, the South Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, Navy Presidential Unit Citation and the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation, and numerous other service and campaign awards.

After retiring from military service in 1979, Mr. Guenther was employed by the Marine Corps as a senior intelligence official for over 14 years. He retired in February 1994 after serving as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. His civilian awards include the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Senior Executive, the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal issued by the Director of Central Intelligence, and the Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service award.

After retiring from Federal service, Mr. Guenther was actively involved with the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (editor of their official publication for several years), the National Military Intelligence Association, the Naval Intelligence Professionals, the Marine Corps Cryptologic Association, the Marine Corps Counterintelligence Association, and the Marine Corps Intelligence Association.

On July 19, 1996 at the 10th Anniversary of the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Center at Dam Neck, VA, the Marine Corps wing of the new training building was dedicated as “Guenther Hall” in recognition of Mr. Guenther’s life-long contributions to Marine Corps intelligence. Mr. Guenther recently completed a history of Marine Corps intelligence. Based on his six decades of Marine Corps service, he is credited widely as the Father of modern Marine intelligence.

Mr. Guenther was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church in Arlington, VA.