John "Jack" Joseph Carroll. Sr.

Colonel John “Jack” Joseph Carroll, Sr. of Mount Gilead, NC, passed away peacefully with family by his side on April 18, 2022, at FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care in West End, NC. He was 81.

Born June 21, 1940, in the Bronx, NY, to James T. Carroll, Sr. and Winifred Carroll, Jack received his primary and secondary education at St. Catherine’s Grammar School and Blessed Sacrament High School, before earning a bachelor’s degree in history from Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. As both a high school and college student, Jack was a member of the famed New York Athletic Club, winning National Amateur Rowing titles in 1957 and 1958 as a coxswain.

A 29-year Marine Corps Officer, Jack received a commission as a Second Lieutenant into the US Marine Corps Reserve upon graduation from Iona, before completing Marine Officer Basic School and earning a commission into the US Marine Corps in January 1963. After serving as Platoon Commander, Unit Officer, Company Executive Officer, and Company Commander in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton, CA, Jack was deployed to the 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa, and later to the Republic of Vietnam.

Between 1965 and 1969, Jack served three deployments in Vietnam, including posts as Platoon Commander, Company Executive Officer, and Company Commander in the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, and as Senior Battalion Advisor of the 6th Battalion, Vietnamese Marine Corps, where he served on combat operations with the Vietnamese Marines in III Corps and IV Corps.

In between his Vietnam tours, Jack served as an instructor at the Marine Corps Basic School in Quantico, VA for nearly two years before attending Amphibious Warfare School, graduating in the top 20 of his class. He then completed the U.S. Army Airborne Course in Fort Benning, GA, where he was named an honor graduate and received the “Iron Mike” Award. It was during this time that he also met and married the love of his life, the former Sara Louise Boney of Hamlet, NC. Jack and Sara were married for 53 years before her passing in January 2021, covering six states during their time as a Marine Corps family while raising two sons who later became Marine Corps Officers themselves.

Over the next 20 years, Jack served in a number of leadership positions within the Marine Corps, including Assistant Head of the Enlisted Assignment Section of the Personnel Department at Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, DC; Marine Officer Instructor of the NROTC Program at The Ohio State University; Commanding Officer of the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion in Parris Island, SC; Director of the Amphibious Warfare School; Commanding Officer of the 6th Marines; and Chief of Staff of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. During this time, he earned a master’s degree in military arts and sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, KS, and completed studies at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI. Retiring in 1990, Jack moved to Mount Gilead, NC, where he taught Social Studies and coached basketball at West Montgomery High School for eight years.

Over his years of service, Jack was awarded the following personal decorations: Legion of Merit and gold star; Bronze Star with Combat “V” and gold star; Meritorious Service Medal; Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V;” Navy Achievement Medal; Combat Action Ribbon with gold star, Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with silver star; Vietnam Service Medal with six stars; Republic of Vietnam Civil Action with palm and frame; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Basic Parachutist Insignia.

Jack was predeceased by his wife, Sara, and his parents and brother, Major James T. Carroll, Jr., USMC (Ret). He is survived by his son Col John “JJ” Joseph Carroll, Jr., USMC (Ret), his wife, Brande, and grandsons Trip, Paddy, and Collin of Stafford, VA; son LtCol William Patrick Carroll, USMC (Ret), his wife Cathy, and granddaughters Maura, Casey and fiancée, Brent Schlesman, of Swansboro, NC; sister, Mary Messina, of Durham, NC; brother, Denis Carroll, and his wife, Jeanie, of Highland Falls, NY; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, family members, and dear friends.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 30 at 10:00 am at Our Lady of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Albemarle, NC. A graveside burial will take place at Quantico National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:  FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care, 251 Campground Road, West End, NC 27376.

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