99 Notable alumni of Virginia Military Institute
Updated: June 12, 2026 EliteDegrees
Virginia Military Institute is ranked #2,593 in the world and #672 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 99 notable alumni from Virginia Military Institute sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Virginia Military Institute won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Marshall McDonald
1835-1895 (aged 60)
geologist
metallurgist
zoologist
engineer
meteorological observer
Marshall McDonald was an American engineer, geologist, mineralogist, pisciculturist, and fisheries scientist. McDonald served as the commissioner of the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries from 1888 until his death in 1895. He is best known for his inventions of a number of fish hatching apparatuses and a fish ladder that enabled salmon and other migrating fish species to...
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2. Paul W. Brier
1959-. (aged 67)
military personnel
Paul W. Brier is a retired United States Marine Corps major general. A combat veteran of the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars, he retired on 31 December 2016, completing 36 years of military service. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. A...
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3. James McIlvaine Riley
1849-1911 (aged 62)
James McIlvaine "Mac" Riley was an American civil engineer and fraternity founder. He worked for the United States Army Corps of Engineers on the Mississippi River and was a surveyor with the City of St. Louis. While in college at the Virginia Military Institute, he was one of the founders of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
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4. Sumter deLeon Lowry
1893-1985 (aged 92)
military personnel
Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. was an American insurance executive, National Guard officer, and political candidate from Florida. A veteran of the Pancho Villa Expedition, World War I, and World War II, he is best known for his service as commander of several units in the Florida National Guard. Lowry served in the military for 38 years and attained the...
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5. Greenfield Quarles
1847-1921 (aged 74)
Greenfield Quarles was a Confederate States Army and United States Army soldier, judge, and one of the founders of the Sigma Nu fraternity.
6. Harry Johnston
1931-2021 (aged 90)
lawyer
politician
Harry Allison Johnston II was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat from Florida. He was a four-term member of the United States House of Representatives from 1989 to 1997 and was a member of the Democratic Party.
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7. Lee S. Gerow
1891-1982 (aged 91)
military personnel
Lee Saunders Gerow was a decorated brigadier general in the United States Army who served in World War I and World War II. He was the younger brother of Leonard T. Gerow. During World War II, he was the assistant division commander of the 85th Infantry Division from 1943 to 1945, serving with it in the Italian campaign.
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8. Thomas N. Downing
1919-2001 (aged 82)
lawyer
judge
politician
Thomas Nelms Downing was an American lawyer and politician who served nine terms as a Democratic Congressman from Virginia's 1st congressional district from 1959 to 1977.
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9. Shannon Meehan
military personnel
Shannon P. Meehan is a public speaker, author of a critically acclaimed memoir and spokesman for veterans' issues. He is a retired captain in the United States Army. He was a tank platoon leader in the 1st Cavalry Division. He served with the U.S. Army in the Iraq War, where he earned the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and an...
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10. Samuel Garland, Jr
1830-1862 (aged 32)
lawyer
Samuel Garland Jr. was an American attorney from Virginia and Confederate general during the American Civil War. He was killed in action during the Maryland Campaign while defending Fox's Gap at the Battle of South Mountain.
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11. Richard Marshall
1895-1973 (aged 78)
military personnel
Major General Richard Jaquelin Marshall was a senior officer in the United States Army.
12. William H. F. Payne
1830-1904 (aged 74)
lawyer
William Henry Fitzhugh Payne was a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War.
13. James B. Terrill
1838-1864 (aged 26)
military personnel
James B. Terrill, often identified as James Barbour Terrill was a lawyer and an officer in the Confederate States Army.
14. Clark L. Ruffner
1903-1982 (aged 79)
military personnel
General Clark Louis Ruffner was a senior officer in the United States Army who served in World War II and the Korean War.
15. Joseph Edward Willard
1865-1924 (aged 59)
diplomat
lawyer
politician
Joseph Edward Willard was an American politician, philanthropist, and diplomat.
16. Scott Lingamfelter
1951-. (aged 75)
politician
Lee Scott Lingamfelter is an American politician, soldier, and writer who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for the 31st district in Fauquier and Prince William counties from 2002 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party, Lingamfelter ran for re-election in 2017, but lost to Democrat Elizabeth Guzmán. Prior to his election, from 1973 to...
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17. James E. Brown III
1954-. (aged 72)
military officer
James E. Brown III is a former aerospace executive, test pilot instructor, and United States Air Force officer. At the end of 2024, Brown retired from the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California where he served as president since 2022.
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18. William R. Terry
1827-1897 (aged 70)
military officer
William Richard Terry was a merchant, who became brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War and later served part-time in the Virginia Senate representing Bedford County, and still later was successively superintendent of the state penitentiary and of the soldiers' home in Richmond.
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19. Robert Q. Marston
1923-1999 (aged 76)
physician
Robert Quarles Marston was an American physician, research scientist, governmental appointee and university administrator. Marston was a native of Virginia, and, after earning his bachelor's, medical and research degrees, he became a research scientist and medical professor. He served as the dean of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, the director of the National Institutes of Health, and the...
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20. Lewis Franklin Payne, Jr
1945-. (aged 81)
business executive
engineer
businessperson
politician
Lewis Franklin "L. F." Payne Jr. is an American businessman, politician and lobbyist who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1988 to 1997. He served five terms representing the 5th district of the state, covering much of Southside Virginia.
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21. Charles Harvey Denby
1830-1904 (aged 74)
diplomat
writer
Colonel Charles Denby was a U.S. Union officer in the Civil War and diplomat. He was the father of Edwin C. Denby, a U.S. Representative from Michigan, and later Secretary of the Navy, and Charles Denby, Jr., a diplomat.
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22. Stapleton Crutchfield
1835-1865 (aged 30)
military officer
Stapleton Crutchfield was a Confederate officer in the American Civil War closely associated with Stonewall Jackson until Jackson's death. Although Crutchfield lost a leg in the same battle, he returned to field in the last campaign in Virginia, losing his life in the Battle of Sailor's Creek.
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23. David Furness
military officer
David J. Furness is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who last served as the Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations from August 2021 to July 2023. He previously was the Assistant Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations from August 2020 to August 2021.
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24. Carl A. Strock
1948-. (aged 78)
military personnel
Carl Ames Strock is a retired United States Army officer who formerly served as Chief of Engineers and the Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Born in Georgia to an Army family, he enlisted in the Army and received his commission as an infantry second lieutenant following graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1972. After completing...
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25. John Lansdale, Jr
1912-2003 (aged 91)
lawyer
politician
John Lansdale Jr. was a United States Army colonel who was in charge of intelligence and security for the Manhattan Project.
26. George A. Porterfield
1822-1919 (aged 97)
editor
George Alexander Porterfield was a junior officer of United States forces in the Mexican–American War, colonel, in the Confederate States Army during the first year of the American Civil War and longtime banker in Charles Town, West Virginia, after the war. He was in command of Confederate forces at Philippi in northwestern Virginia, later West Virginia, when they were surprised...
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27. Scott Shipp
1839-1917 (aged 78)
military officer
Scott Shipp was an American military figure, Confederate States Army officer, educator and educational administrator born in Warrenton, Virginia. He was the second superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute, briefly the president of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (Virginia Tech) and led the VMI Cadets at the Battle of New Market during the American Civil War.
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28. Gabriel C. Wharton
1824-1906 (aged 82)
politician
Gabriel Colvin Wharton was an American civil engineer and soldier who served as a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. After the war he was a politician and later resumed his engineering work.
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29. James Tillman
1869-1911 (aged 42)
lawyer
politician
James Hammond Tillman was an American lawyer and politician from South Carolina. Born in Edgefield County, he received his education in the Curryton Academy; the Virginia Military Institute; the Emerson Institute of Washington, D.C., and the Georgetown University Law School. Between 1901 and 1903 he was Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina. He was the son of U.S. Representative George D....
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30. Reuben Lindsay Walker
1827-1890 (aged 63)
military personnel
farmer
civil engineer
Reuben Lindsay Walker was a Confederate general who served in the artillery during the American Civil War.
31. Charles E. Kilbourne
1872-1963 (aged 91)
military personnel
Major General Charles Evans Kilbourne Jr. was the first American to earn the United States' three highest military decorations. As an officer in the United States Army he received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Philippine–American War. He served as a general officer during World War I, and received the Distinguished Service Cross and Army Distinguished Service...
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32. C. Bascom Slemp
1870-1943 (aged 73)
lawyer
politician
secretary
Campbell Bascom Slemp was an American Republican politician. He was a six-time United States congressman from Virginia's 9th congressional district from 1907 to 1923 and served as the presidential secretary to President Calvin Coolidge. As a philanthropist, Slemp set up the "Slemp Foundation", which provides gifts and scholarships to schools and colleges in Southwestern Virginia.
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33. Stephen M. Neary
military leader
military personnel
Stephen M. Neary is a retired U.S. Marine major general who previously served as commanding general, United States Marine Forces Europe and Africa.
34. Bobby Thomason
1928-2013 (aged 85)
American football player
Robert Lee Thomason was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) from 1949 to 1957, primarily for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was selected to three Pro Bowls. He played college football for the VMI Keydets
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35. Robert B. Flowers
1947-. (aged 79)
military personnel
Lieutenant General Robert B. Flowers was born in Pennsylvania and resided in several areas of the world as his family moved during his father's military career. Following graduation and commissioning from the Virginia Military Institute in 1969, he completed Airborne and Ranger training and began his career as an Engineer Officer. He holds a master's degree in civil engineering from...
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36. Blackshear M. Bryan
1900-1977 (aged 77)
military personnel
Lieutenant General Blackshear Morrison Bryan was a United States Army general who served during the Second World War and Korean War.
37. James K. Marshall
1839-1863 (aged 24)
military personnel
James Keith Marshall was a Confederate Army officer during the American Civil War. Marshall commanded the wounded J. Johnston Pettigrew's brigade during Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg and died during the assault.
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38. Ron Carter
1937-. (aged 89)
composer
university teacher
cellist
jazz bassist
double-bassist
Ronald Carter Jr. is an American former basketball shooting guard. He played college basketball for the VMI Keydets.
39. John Echols
1823-1896 (aged 73)
lawyer
politician
John Echols was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
40. John Quincy Marr
1825-1861 (aged 36)
military personnel
John Quincy Marr was a Virginia militia company captain and the first Confederate States Army soldier killed by a Union army soldier in combat during the American Civil War. Marr was killed at the Battle of Fairfax Court House in Fairfax, Virginia, on June 1, 1861.
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41. Joseph Short
1904-1952 (aged 48)
journalist
secretary
Joseph Hudson Short Jr. was an American journalist and government official. He was the sixth White House Press Secretary from 1950 to 1952 and served under President Harry S. Truman. Previously, he had worked as Washington correspondent for various media.
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42. Thomas T. Munford
1831-1918 (aged 87)
military officer
Thomas Taylor Munford was an American farmer, iron, steel and mining company executive and Confederate colonel and acting brigadier general during the American Civil War.
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43. Thomas G. Jones
1844-1914 (aged 70)
lawyer
judge
politician
Thomas Goode Jones was an Alabama lawyer, politician, and military officer. He served in the Alabama legislature and as the 28th governor of Alabama. He later became United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
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44. William P. Upshur
1881-1943 (aged 62)
military officer
Major General William Peterkin Upshur was a United States Marine Corps officer and the recipient of the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration, for his actions in 1915 during the Haitian Campaign.
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45. Roland Lazenby
1952-. (aged 74)
writer
sports journalist
journalist
Roland Lazenby is an American sportswriter and educator.
46. Henry K. Burgwyn
1841-1863 (aged 22)
military personnel
Henry King Burgwyn, Jr. was a Confederate colonel in the American Civil War who was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg.
47. George Stallings
1867-1929 (aged 62)
baseball player
George Tweedy Stallings was an American professional baseball catcher and manager. He played in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms and Philadelphia Phillies in 1890 and 1897 to 1898 and managed the Phillies, Detroit Tigers, New York Highlanders, and Boston Braves between 1897 and 1920.
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48. Westmoreland Davis
1859-1942 (aged 83)
farmer
lawyer
politician
Westmoreland "Morley" Davis was an American lawyer, politician, and the 48th Governor of Virginia, serving from February 1, 1918 to February 1, 1922.
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49. Archibald Vincent Arnold
1889-1973 (aged 84)
American football player
military officer
Archibald Vincent Arnold was a major general in the United States Army officer who commanded the 7th Infantry Division during World War II.
50. Samuel L. Howard
1891-1960 (aged 69)
military officer
Samuel Lutz Howard was a United States Marine Corps officer who served with distinction in the Marine Corps for thirty-eight years, attaining the rank of major general while on active duty, and subsequently promoted to Lieutenant General upon retirement.
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51. James Henry Lane
1833-1907 (aged 74)
army officer
military personnel
James Henry Lane was a university professor and Confederate general in the American Civil War.
52. Raleigh E. Colston
1825-1896 (aged 71)
military personnel
cartographer
Raleigh Edward Colston was a French-born American professor, soldier, cartographer, and writer. He was a controversial brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Colston was among a handful of former Confederates who served in Egypt following the war.
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53. David M. Maddox
1938-2026 (aged 88)
military personnel
David M. Maddox was a United States Army four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group from 1992 to 1993 and Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe from 1993 to 1994. He commanded the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment from 1981 to 1983. He is a 1960 graduate of Virginia Military Institute. He...
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54. Randolph McCall Pate
1898-1961 (aged 63)
military officer
Randolph McCall Pate was a United States Marine Corps general who served as the 21st Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1956 to 1959.
55. Maury Maverick
1895-1954 (aged 59)
lawyer
politician
Fontaine Maury Maverick Sr. was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the United States House of Representatives for Texas's 20th congressional district from 1935 to 1939. He is best remembered for his independence from the party and for coining the term "gobbledygook" for obscure and euphemistic bureaucratic language.
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56. Thomas A. Saunders III
1936-2022 (aged 86)
financier
Thomas A. Saunders III was a Wall Street innovator, nationally recognized conservative leader, and philanthropist. He was a longtime Partner and Managing Director of Morgan Stanley and founder of the private equity firm, Saunders, Karp & Megrue. Saunders was also Chairman of The Heritage Foundation and a joint recipient, with his wife Jordan, of the National Humanities Medal for his...
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57. Cedric T. Wins
1963-. (aged 63)
basketball player
military officer
Cedric Terry Wins is a retired United States Army general officer. Wins was the last commander of RDECOM, in the U.S. Army Materiel Command, and the first commanding general of Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), in the combat development element of U.S. Army Futures Command. In all, some 13,000 people work in some Science and Technology (S&T), or (RDT&E— research,...
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58. James A. Walker
1832-1901 (aged 69)
lawyer
politician
James Alexander Walker was an American lawyer, politician, and Confederate general during the American Civil War, later serving as a United States Congressman for two terms. He earned the nickname "Stonewall Jim" for his days as commander of the famed Stonewall Brigade. Walker is the first graduate of the Virginia Military Institute (Class of 1852) to serve as Lieutenant Governor...
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59. George Brett
1886-1963 (aged 77)
military personnel
George Howard Brett was a United States Army Air Forces General during World War II. An Early Bird of Aviation, Brett served as a staff officer in World War I. In 1941, following the outbreak of war with Japan, Brett was appointed Deputy Commander of a short-lived major Allied command, the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM), which oversaw Allied forces in South...
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60. Thomas T. Handy
1892-1982 (aged 90)
military officer
Thomas Troy Handy was a United States Army four-star general who served as Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army from 1944 to 1947; Commanding General, Fourth United States Army from 1947 to 1949; Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 1949 to 1952; Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group in 1952; and Deputy Commander...
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61. John McCausland
1836-1927 (aged 91)
military personnel
John McCausland Jr. was a brigadier general in the Confederate army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania during the American Civil War.
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62. Lapthe Flora
1962-. (aged 64)
military personnel
Lapthe Chau Flora is a retired major general in the United States Army who last served as a special assistant to the director of the Army National Guard. He previously served as commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. Flora is the former commander of the Bowling Green-based 91st Troop Command, Virginia National Guard. He also served...
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63. John Sergeant Wise
1846-1913 (aged 67)
lawyer
politician
John Sergeant Wise was an American author, lawyer, and politician in Virginia. He was the son of Henry A. Wise and Sarah Sergeant.
64. Lemuel Cornick Shepherd, Jr
1896-1990 (aged 94)
military officer
Lemuel Cornick Shepherd Jr. was a General in the United States Marine Corps, 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Navy Cross recipient, veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
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65. Sam S. Walker
1925-2015 (aged 90)
military personnel
Sam Sims Walker was a United States Army general who served as the Commanding General of Allied Land Forces, South East Europe from 1977 to 1978.
66. Tommy Norment
1946-. (aged 80)
lawyer
politician
Thomas Kent Norment Jr. is an American politician who served as the Minority Leader and Majority Leader of the Senate of Virginia. He was elected to the James City County Board of Supervisors where he served as chairman before being elected to the Virginia Senate in 1991. According to the Clerk of the Virginia Senate, Norment was first elected as...
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67. Josiah Bunting III
1939-. (aged 87)
academic administrator
military personnel
Josiah Bunting III is an American educator. He has been a military officer, college president, and an author and speaker on education and Western culture. Bunting is married and has four adult children. His half-brother is Dick Ebersol, the creator and former executive producer of Saturday Night Live; Ebersol and Bunting have the same mother.
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68. J. H. Binford Peay III
1940-. (aged 86)
military personnel
James Henry Binford "Binnie" Peay III is a retired four-star general of the United States Army. He served as the 14th superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute from 2003 to 2020, and as chairman of the Allied Defense Group from 2001 to 2003. He has also served on various corporate and nonprofit boards.
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69. Stan Okoye
1991-. (aged 35)
basketball player
Stanley Onyekachukwu Okoye Listen is a Nigerian professional basketball player for MoraBanc Andorra of the Liga ACB. A 6'6" swingman, he was named the 2012–13 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year while playing for Virginia Military Institute (VMI).
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70. Darren W. McDew
1960-. (aged 66)
military officer
Darren Wayne McDew is a retired United States Air Force general who served as the Commander of United States Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. His previous senior command positions include Commander of Air Mobility Command as a general and Commander, Eighteenth Air Force (18AF) as a lieutenant general. In March, 2019, soon after General McDew's retirement, United...
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71. Walter H. Taylor
1838-1916 (aged 78)
lawyer
Walter Herron Taylor was an American banker, lawyer, soldier, politician, author, and railroad executive from Norfolk, Virginia. During the American Civil War, he fought with the Confederate States Army, became a key aide to General Robert E. Lee and rose to the rank of Colonel. After the war, Taylor became a senator in the Virginia General Assembly, and attorney for...
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72. Robert E. Rodes
1829-1864 (aged 35)
military personnel
Robert Emmett Rodes (March 29, 1829 – September 19, 1864) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War, and the first of Robert E. Lee's divisional commanders not trained at West Point. His division led Stonewall Jackson's devastating surprise attack at the Battle of Chancellorsville; Jackson, on his deathbed, recommended that Rodes be promoted to major general. Rodes then...
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73. Reed Garrett
1993-. (aged 33)
baseball player
Reed Garrett is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Saitama Seibu Lions. He made his MLB debut in 2019.
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74. Moses Jacob Ezekiel
1844-1917 (aged 73)
artist
sculptor
Moses Jacob Ezekiel, also known as Moses "Ritter von" Ezekiel, was an American sculptor who lived and worked in Rome for the majority of his career. Ezekiel was "the first American-born Jewish artist to receive international acclaim". Ezekiel was an ardent supporter, in both his writings and in his works, of the Lost Cause view of the American Civil War...
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75. John P. Jumper
1945-. (aged 81)
military officer
John Phillip Jumper is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) general, who served as 17th chief of staff of the United States Air Force from September 6, 2001 to September 2, 2005. He retired from the USAF on November 1, 2005. Jumper was succeeded as chief of staff by General T. Michael Moseley.
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76. John E. Wool
1784-1869 (aged 85)
military officer
John Ellis Wool was an American military officer in the United States Army during three consecutive American-involved wars: the War of 1812 (1812–1815), the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), and with allegiance to the Union in the American Civil War (1861–1865). He also participated in the American Indian Wars and the Trail of Tears, that resulted in Indian tribes being forcefully marched...
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77. Reggie Williams
1960-. (aged 66)
baseball player
Reginald Leon Williams II is an American former professional basketball player who played seven seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for five teams. He played college basketball for the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) where he is the school's all-time leading scorer and led the country in scoring twice.
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78. Ryan McCarthy
1973-. (aged 53)
businessperson
Ryan D. McCarthy is an American business executive and former U.S. Army Ranger who served as the 24th United States Secretary of the Army, from 2019 to 2021. He previously held the office in an acting capacity in 2017 and 2019.
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79. Jennifer Carroll Foy
1981-. (aged 45)
politician
Jennifer Denise Carroll Foy is an American politician and public defender serving in the Virginia Senate from the 33rd district since 2024. A Democrat, Carroll Foy previously served in the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 2nd district from 2017 until 2020. She resigned from the position to focus on her campaign for governor in the 2021 primary election, which...
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80. Leonard T. Gerow
1888-1972 (aged 84)
military personnel
Leonard Townsend Gerow was a general in the United States Army who served with distinction in both World War I and World War II.
81. Cory Spangenberg
1991-. (aged 35)
baseball player
Cory Joseph Spangenberg is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, and St. Louis Cardinals, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Saitama Seibu Lions.
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82. George S. Patton, Sr
1833-1864 (aged 31)
lawyer
Colonel George S. Patton Sr. was a Confederate colonel during the American Civil War. He was the grandfather of World War II General George S. Patton.
83. Harry F. Byrd Jr
1914-2013 (aged 99)
military officer
politician
lawyer
editor
journalist
Harry Flood Byrd Jr. was an American orchardist, newspaper publisher, and politician. He served in the Senate of Virginia and then represented Virginia in the United States Senate, succeeding his father, Harry F. Byrd Sr. His public service spanned thirty-six years, while he was a publisher of several Virginia newspapers. After the decline of the Byrd Organization due to its...
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84. Edward Almond
1892-1979 (aged 87)
military personnel
Edward Mallory Almond was a senior United States Army officer who fought in World War I, World War II, where he commanded the 92nd Infantry Division, and the Korean War, where he commanded the U.S. X Corps.
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85. William Mahone
1826-1895 (aged 69)
politician
civil engineer
William Mahone was an American civil engineer, railroad executive, and Confederate States Army general. After the Civil War he became a defender of the rights of freedmen and a leader of the Readjuster Party. He represented Virginia in the United States Senate between 1881 and 1887.
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86. Dan Caine
1968-. (aged 58)
air force officer
John Daniel "Raizin" Caine is an American general and venture capitalist who is serving as the 22nd chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 2025. He served as the associate director for military affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency from 2021 to 2024.
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87. Chris Beck
1966-. (aged 60)
LGBTQ rights activist
soldier
Christopher Todd Beck is a retired United States Navy SEAL who gained public attention in 2013 after coming out as a trans woman, and in 2022, when he announced his detransition. During the time of his transition, he went by the name Kristin Beck. A memoir detailing his experience was published in June 2013, Warrior Princess: A U.S. Navy SEAL's...
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88. Douglas Macgregor
1947-. (aged 79)
military personnel
Douglas Abbott Macgregor is a retired colonel in the United States Army, former government official, author, consultant, and political commentator.
89. Mike Waltz
1974-. (aged 52)
civil servant
businessperson
military officer
politician
Michael George Glen Waltz is an American politician, diplomat, businessman, author, and former Army Special Forces officer who has served as the 32nd United States ambassador to the United Nations since September 2025 in the second Trump Administration. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 29th national security advisor from January to May 2025 and was...
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90. Dabney Coleman
1932-2024 (aged 92)
stage actor
television actor
voice actor
actor
film actor
Dabney Wharton Coleman was an American actor. He was recognized for his roles portraying egomaniacal and unlikeable characters in comedic performances. Throughout his career, he appeared in over 175 films and television programs and received awards for both comedic and dramatic performances.
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91. Richard E. Byrd
1888-1957 (aged 69)
oceanographer
explorer
military officer
aircraft pilot
Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. was an American naval officer, and pioneering aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Aircraft flights in which he served as a navigator and expedition leader crossed the Atlantic Ocean, a segment of the Arctic Ocean, and a segment of the Antarctic Plateau. He is also known for discovering Mount Sidley, the largest dormant volcano...
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92. George Marshall
1880-1959 (aged 79)
army officer
diplomat
American football player
politician
George Catlett Marshall Jr. was an American army officer and statesman. He rose through the United States Army to become Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army under presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, then served as Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense under Truman. Winston Churchill lauded Marshall as the "organizer of victory" for his leadership...
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93. Chesty Puller
1898-1971 (aged 73)
military officer
Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller was a United States Marine Corps officer. Beginning his career fighting guerillas in Haiti and Nicaragua as part of the Banana Wars, he later served with distinction in World War II and the Korean War as a senior officer. By the time of his retirement in 1955, he had reached the rank of lieutenant general.
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94. Ralph Northam
1959-. (aged 67)
politician
writer
military physician
neurologist
physician
Ralph Shearer Northam is an American physician and former politician who served as the 73rd governor of Virginia from 2018 to 2022. A pediatric neurologist by occupation, he was an officer in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1984 to 1992. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 40th lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018...
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95. Mel Brooks
1926-. (aged 100)
cinematographer
lyricist
film producer
television producer
film director
Melvin James Brooks is an American actor, filmmaker, comedian, and songwriter. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. A recipient of numerous accolades, he is one of 28 entertainers to win the EGOT, which includes an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a...
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96. George S. Patton
1885-1945 (aged 60)
autobiographer
military personnel
army officer
swimmer
George Smith Patton Jr. was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, then the Third Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944.
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97. Zachary Taylor
1784-1850 (aged 66)
army officer
statesperson
Zachary Taylor was an American military officer and politician who was the 12th president of the United States, serving from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to the rank of major general and becoming a national hero for his victories in the Mexican–American War. As a result, he won...
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98. Fred Willard
1933-2020 (aged 87)
comedian
television actor
film actor
voice actor
television presenter
Frederic Charles Willard was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with Christopher Guest in his mockumentary films This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006), and Mascots (2016). He also appeared in supporting roles in the comedy films Austin Powers: The...
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99. Sun Li-jen
1900-1990 (aged 90)
basketball player
military personnel
Sun Li-jen was a Chinese National Revolutionary Army general best known for his leadership in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. His military achievements earned him the laudatory nickname "Rommel of the East". Sun's commands were credited with effectively confronting Japanese troops in the 1937 Battle of Shanghai and in 1943–1944 during the Burma campaign; his New...
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