On 4 November 2007, Major General J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.) was the very first Guest of Honor in the history of the Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball. The following short biography of his distinguished career appeared in the program:
Major General James Michael Myatt, USMC (Retired) was born in San Francisco and is one of the most distinguished and high profile retired Marines living in California today.
After a 32-year career as a U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer, General Myatt retired from active military service at the rank of Major General in August 1995 to work as an executive for Bechtel Corporation.
In September 2001, General Myatt was selected to be president and CEO of the Marines' Memorial Association in San Francisco. He assumed that position on September 10, 2001 - one day before the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. During his Marine Corps career, General Myatt served in command and staff positions in all three active Marine Divisions. On June 27, 1988 (the day he was promoted to Brigadier General), he was only 46 years old - making him the youngest man in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps to be promoted to the rank of General.
On August 8, 1990, General Myatt was assigned as the Commanding General, First Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California. A few days later, in mid-August, and in reaction to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, he deployed his division of 22,000 Marines to Saudi Arabia as part of the First Marine Expeditionary Force for Operation Desert Shield.
During the 4-day ground war of Operation Desert Storm in February 1991, his division defeated seven Iraqi Army divisions, seized Kuwait International Airport and liberated Kuwait City.
Following the First Gulf War, General Myatt served as the C/J-5 (Strategy, Plans and Negotiations) for the Combined Forces Command / U.S. Forces Korea. Prior to his retirement, he also served at the Pentagon as the Director of Expeditionary Warfare.
His medals and decorations include: two Distinguished Service Medals; the Silver Star Medal for gallantry in action; the Defense Superior Service Medal with Gold Star; the Legion of Merit; the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for heroism; the Republic of Korea Distinguished Service Medal and the Vietnamese Honor Medal, First Class.
Since leaving active military service, General Myatt has continued to make a meaningful difference by serving in a variety of public positions. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, a nonprofit charity that provides much needed financial assistance to Marines and other service members attached to Marine units, who are injured or wounded in training and combat.
