Baldwin retired from USMC
- Lieutenant Colonel Claude Baldwin retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1987. CONTRIBUTED
MADISON – Lieutenant Colonel Claude Baldwin enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1959 with basic training at Paris Island, S.C. and officer training at Quantico, Va.
“My enlisted service included E1-E6. I was selected for E-7 and Warrant Officer. In 1969, I chose to go to Warrant Officer Basic,” he said.
“I was promoted W-1 to W-4. I was selected as a First Lieutenant, Limited Duty Officer (LDO) in 1972 and retired in 1987 as a Lieutenant Colonel,” Baldwin said.
Inside the United States, Baldwin was stationed at Naval Base, Jacksonville, Fla.; Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), Cherry Point, N.C.; MCAS, Beaufort, S.C.; Marine Corps Recruiter, Madison, Wis.; Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Va.; MCAS Kaneohe, Hawaii; Naval Weapons Station, Charleston, S.C.; Camp Lejune, N.C.; Redstone Arsenal; Pentagon and HQ Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
In overseas deployments, Baldwin was stationed at MCAS, Iwakuni, Japan; in Viet Nam; and two tours with 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa. He also served as Commander-In-Chief, Naval Forces, Pacific Fleet HQ, London, England and on the USS Independence Aircraft Carrier.
Baldwin has studied at seven universities. “I served 28 years in USMC and 23 years in defense industry for McDonnell Douglas, General Dynamics and retired from Aerojet in 2012,” he said.
He and Marilyn King Baldwin have been married 56 years. “In November 2001, we moved to Madison for me to serve as Director of Aerojet. We are in our 26th home. As the wife puts it, ‘the furniture is now nailed to floor,'” he said.
“We chose to live in Madison because we saw it as a growing and forward-thinking city. Citizens demand its leadership to insure good schools, safe environment and ability to grow,” Claude Baldwin said. “Accomplishing these things are why we now call it home.”
Until retirement, Baldwin served on boards of AUSA, MOAA, NDIA and Wounded Warriors; Huntsville Leadership; and as escort to World War II Honor Flight.
His hobby is golf … “and whatever the wife tells me … the secret to staying married for 56 years.”
The Baldwins have a son, Claude Baldwin III; a daughter, Kimberly Miller; four grandchildren and three great-granddaughters.
