MajGen Michael P. SULLIVAN, USMC (Ret)
Golden Eagle Emeritus
 

Gentlemen,
 
It is my sad duty to inform you that in the early morning of Tuesday, 21 October 2025, Golden Eagle Emeritus MajGen Michael P. “Lancer” SULLIVAN, USMC (Ret), made his Last Take Off in Havelock, NC, with his son Byron by his side. Lancer was 92 years of age.
 
Lancer was born in August 1933 in Los Angeles, CA. His father was a motion picture writer and producer, best known as the senior writer/screen adapter for the film “All Quiet on the Western Front”. His mother was an actress who had some bit parts in several movies. After viewing the movie “Wake Island” as a young boy, he knew he wanted to be a Marine. Lancer attended Beverly Hills High School, where he was a standout baseball player. After high school graduation, he enrolled in San Diego State University, but left at the end of one year, enlisting in the Marine Corps in June 1953. Assigned to Camp Pendleton, CA, for his first duty station, he applied and was accepted into the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. With his successful completion of that program, earning his Wings of Gold on 9 October 1956, Lancer was commissioned in the Marine Corps as a Second Lieutenant.
 
His first orders had him reporting to the 2D Marine Aircraft Wing in Cherry Point, NC. On arrival, he was given the choice of a squadron transitioning to the FJ-2/3 Fury, but because of that transition, very little flight time existed, especially for junior officers. Lancer chose the alternative, reporting to VMAT-20, an AD-2 Skyraider training squadron, for two months of training in the Skyraider, and then joined VMA-121 in the 1st Marine Air Wing in the Far East. With the squadron scheduled to return stateside halfway through his tour, Lancer requested a transfer to Atsugi, to be closer to his brother who was stationed on a Navy destroyer in Yokosuka. Lancer’s request was granted, and he joined VMF (AW)-513, flying the F3D Skyknight and later the F4D Skyray. On completion of this tour, Lancer reported to VMFT-10, a jet training squadron, at MCAS El Toro, CA, flying the F9F-5 Cougar. Flying as much as he could, Lancer reportedly was logging 85 hours/month for 18 months, with at least 3 months of 100 hours of flight time. His next tour was an exchange tour with the Royal Air Force, with the No. 23 Squadron in the United Kingdom, where he had the opportunity to fly four different types of British fighters — the Gloster Javelin, the Hawker Hunter, the Gloster Meteor and the English Electric Lightning . With the completion of that exchange tour and on return to the States, Lancer reported to the VMFA-531 Grey Ghosts, stationed in MCAS Cherry Point, NC, flying the F-4B Phantom II, beginning a busy and somewhat exciting tour. Many have heard Lancer tell the story of his intercept of two Cuban MiG-17s off the coast of Cuba when the squadron was standing strip alert in Key West shortly after the Cuban Missile crisis. Following that activity, the squadron commenced a unit deployment to NAF Atsugi, Japan, and from there deployed to Da Nang, Vietnam, in April 1965. The Grey Ghosts became the first Marine jet squadron to see combat since the Korean War, the first fixed-wing unit to provide integrated en route escort and landing support for helicopters in tactical combat operations and was the first F-4 Phantom II squadron to base and operate in Vietnam.
 
On completion of his tour with VMFA-531, Lancer reported to Amphibious Warfare School, followed by a seven-month tour with an ANGLICO (Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company) team in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. His next tour put him back in the cockpit, flying F-4s and F-8 Crusaders as a flight test officer. Lancer had two tours doing this, one at MCAS Cherry Point, NC, and the other at NAS North Island, CA. Following this first tour as a flight test officer, Lancer joined the VMFA-314 Black Knights as the maintenance officer, deploying again on his second combat tour to Vietnam, and again flying the F-4B. The squadron operated out of Chu Lai and Da Nang and during his tour was awarded the 1968 CNO Safety award and the 1969 Hanson Trophy as the best fighter attack squadron in the Marine Corps. With completion of that tour, he next reported to NAS North Island as a flight test officer for F-4/F-8 aircraft before reporting to MAWTUPAC (Marine Air Weapons and Tactics Unit Pacific) at MCAS El Toro, CA.
 
On 1 March 1973, Lancer took command of the VMFA-323 Death Rattlers, based at MCAS El Toro, CA. His highly successful command tour finished on 3 July 1974 and as a testament to his aviation skill and leadership, he was selected as the 1974 Alfred A. Cunningham Award winner, as the Marine Aviator of the Year. His next assignment took him back to MAWTUPAC, now as the Commanding Officer, and he followed that assignment with attendance to the Naval War College in Newport, RI. While at war college, Lancer also earned his master’s degree, having completed his bachelor’s degree with San Diego State University in 1971. Following war college, he reported to 3D Marine Aircraft Wing as the Assistant Chief of Staff G-3. From there, he reported to HQMC, Washington, DC, as the Aviation Evaluator for MCCRES (Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation System) from 1977–1980, which meant he spent about 700 of those 1,100 days on the road flying and evaluating — almost a perfect Pentagon tour!
 
Completing his Pentagon tour, Lancer reported back to 3D MAW, this time as the Assistant Chief of Staff G-1. In 1981 he took command of Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 11 based at MCAS El Toro. After a short tour back at 3D MAW, he next took command of MAG-41 in 1983 at NAS Dallas, TX, for a two-year tour. His next assignment in June 1985 took him back to Cherry Point as the Assistant Wing Commander of 2D MAW and then Commanding General of 2D MAW in 1987. Concurrently, he also served as the Commanding General, 10th Marine Amphibious Brigade, Camp Lejeune, through 1987. On completion of his tour as CG 2D MAW in 1988, Lancer reported to Quantico to serve as the Deputy Commander for Warfighting/Director, MAGTF Warfighting Center, Marine Corps Combat Development Command. In 1990 he became the Silver Hawk Award recipient as the longest flying active-duty Marine Aviator. His final tour was as Deputy Commander, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic in Norfolk, VA. He retired from active duty in October 1991.
 
In an over 38-year active-duty career, 35 as a Marine Aviator, Lancer flew an incredible 8,700 flight hours, 8,000 in VF/VA aircraft. He had 700 hours in props, 150 hours in helos, 7,850 hours in jets, and had 150 fixed wing carrier landings and 30 rotary wing ship landings. Of those 7,850 hours in jets, 5,000 plus were in the F-4 Phantom II. Lancer served two combat tours in Vietnam, logging over 400 combat missions, and was awarded combat decorations of the Distinguished Flying Cross, 24 Air Medals, one an individual and 23 Strike/Flight Air Medals, and a Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V.” He flew virtually every type VF/VA aircraft in the Marine Corps during his active duty service from the AD Skyraider to the AV-8B and F/A-18, and also flew every type of Marine helicopter. While many may think they have seen and done it all, Lancer did do it all. He was a legendary Marine Aviator, and rightfully so.
 
Following his active-duty career, in 1993 Lancer became an Assistant Vice President for the First Citizens Bank at Cherry Point, NC. He also did some consulting work, specifically for Joint Strike Fighter development.
 
Lancer was predeceased by his wife of 44 years, Nicole, in 2023. He is survived by his sons Steven (wife Tracey), John (wife Pat) and Byron (Col, USMC (Ret)) and five grandchildren, Michael, Meghan, Connor, Cole and Chloe. Services are pending with interment planned at Arlington National Cemetery. Those details will be provided in a Special Notice when known.
 
He will be missed
 
In sadness,
Marty CHANIK
Pilot