Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Col. Stanley H. Rauh

Col. Stanley H. Rauh enlisted in the Marine Corps in April, 1945, and attended boot camp in San Diego. After completing Sea School, he served briefly aboard the battleships Arkansas and Pennsylvania and several other ships. In 1946, he served on detached duty as bodyguard to Justice of the Supreme Court, Frank Murphy, who was President Truman’s personal representative in returning the remains of President Quezon to the Philippines. Corporal Rauh later served as brig warden at Marine Barracks Bremerton.

Commissioned in 1951 under the Meritorious Non-Commissioned Officer Program, Lt. Rauh soon found himself in combat as a rifle platoon leader with the 1st Bt., 7th Marines in Korea. Lt. Rauh was wounded four times in the actions which followed and was awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action against enemy forces on the “Hook.”

Col. Rauh later served as a tactics instructor, inspector instructor, and in various other command and staff positions with the 1st and 3rd divisions, at Quantico and at HQMC. While serving as executive officer of the Embassy Guard Program, he was detailed as an aide during the inauguration of President J. F. Kennedy.

Col. Rauh was one of several officers who graduated early from Command and Staff College in 1966, and was dispatched immediately to Vietnam where he served as the logistics officer of Force Logistics Support Group Alpha, and later assistant chief of staff, G-1 of the Force Logistics Command. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for that service. Col. Rauh was then transferred from Vietnam directly to Thailand where he was joined by his family for duty with the U.S. Military Assistance Command in Bangkok. He served as a contingency planner on that staff.

Following a tour with the Landing Force Training Command, Pacific, Col. Rauh again served with the 3rd Marine Division as assistant chief of staff, G-4 and as chief of staff of the 4th Marine Division. When the headquarters (4th Marine Div.) was displaced to New Orleans in 1977, Col. Rauh assumed duties as chief of staff of the Landing Force Training Command, Pacific.

In addition to the Silver Star and the Bronze Star medals, Col. Rauh was awarded the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Purple Heart Medal with three stars, the Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Combat Action ribbon, Good Conduct medal, World War II Victory Medal, American Defense Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Navy Occupational Service Medal, China Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnamese Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Commendation Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and Republic of Vietnam Civic Action Ribbon.

Longtime Fallbrook resident Col. Stan Rauh died Oct. 1, 2012 after an extended illness. Colonel Rauh was preceded in death by his loving wife Joan Rauh. Colonel Rauh is survived by his son Stanley Jr. who resides in Bellevue Wash., his daughter Sue Switzer who resides in Fallbrook; his four grandchildren Stacy, Stanley III, Wesley, and Christina; and his great-grandchild Severine, who will all miss their loving “Poppo.”

Services will be held graveside on Oct. 9, 2012 at 9 a.m. at Fallbrook Masonic Cemetery located at 1177 Santa Margarita Dr., Fallbrook.

 

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