Former Assemblyman Gil Ferguson, a long-time CRA member and past Chairman of our Publications Committee, passed away Sunday night after battling leukemia.
A Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, Gil was strong and fought until the very end. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Gil Ferguson served with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1967.
A veteran of three wars (World War II, Korea and Vietnam), Ferguson fought in the battle for the island of Tarawa –America’s first major offensive in the Pacific war. It was also the first attempt to make an amphibious assault against a highly fortified enemy position, and it wrote a new page in military annals, as one of America’s and the Marine Corps’ bloodiest battles.
Following the battle of Tarawa, Ferguson fought in the battles of Saipan and Tinian as a machine-gunner. He was recommended for a battlefield commission after his last battle and was returned to America to attend college prior to his commissioning.
He landed with the first waves at Inchon at the start of the Korean War (1950), as a Forward Observer for an Artillery Battalion. He stayed with the Infantry until the battle of the Chosin Reservoir.
He returned to Korea in 1954 as a Captain, commanding an Artillery Battery.
In 1964, he commanded an Artillery Battalion during the Tonkin Gulf incident in Vietnam.
In 1965, Major Ferguson commanded all Marine Corps Artillery in America’s initial phase of the Vietnam War.
In 1968, Ferguson returned to Vietnam as a Combat Correspondent and artist. Lt. Col. Ferguson retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969, after 26 years of service.
After careers as a corporate officer and owner of an advertising company, he was elected to the California State Assembly in 1984 where he served for 10 years.
He leaves behind his wife Anita, 4 children and numerous grandchilden. Gil was 84 years old.
Thanks to Jeff Evans for this information.
This entry was posted
on Monday, May 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.
May 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
A life well lived… thanks to Gil Ferguson and his life long commitment to America.
May 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
It was an honor to serve with Gil in the Assembly. He brought a common sense perspective and a reminder that our liberties and freedoms come at great sacrifice.
May 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Gil Ferguson…as a YAFer and a CRAer, one of my earliest political heros. A truly great American. The legislature needs more like him.
God Bless Anita and the Ferguson family.