Admirers of Gen. Alfred Gray, the gruff, straight-shooting Mustang who rose in the ranks to become the Marine Corps' 29th commandant, have the chance to own a piece of his personal property as it goes up for sale at auction in mid-June.
Two sales, managed by Quinn's Auction Galleries in Falls Church, Virginia, will feature the belongings of Gray, who died March 20, and his wife Jan, who passed away in 2020.
Quinn's weekly auction June 12 will contain household goods and clothing, while a special auction June 14 will spotlight much of Gray's personal collection of Marine Corps memorabilia, including a Baume & Mercier watch featuring the commandant's flag; a custom M1911 Colt .45 pistol; and more than a dozen presentation knives, including at least four Ka-Bars.
In addition to the Marine Corps-themed lots, there are two Louis Vuitton dog carriers, a Waterford crystal biscuit jar, Lladró figurines, crystal decanters and more.
"There are a lot of things that might be more ordinary but, because they are from such an important person, they really do become a little more special," said Matt Quinn, executive vice president of Quinn’s Auction Galleries.
Gray's contributions to the Marine Corps are still felt today. The Point Pleasant, New Jersey, native who was known as a "Marine's Marine" was responsible for creating the first Commandant's Reading List; consolidated Marine Corps schools under a new Marine Corps University; oversaw the crafting of FMFM-1, Warfighting -- the foundational document for the Marine Corps in combat; and changed Marine doctrine on maneuver warfare.
A junior enlisted Marine who served in Korea, Gray was commissioned in 1952 and returned to the Korean War as an officer. He was later awarded the Silver Star for actions in Vietnam.
As the commanding general of the 2nd Marine Division on Oct. 23, 1983, his unit lost 241 service members assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1/8 when their barracks was struck by a truck bomb in Beirut, Lebanon. As a result, Gray offered his resignation but was turned down.
He went on to serve as commandant from 1987 to 1991, overseeing the Corps during the Persian Gulf War.
In a Marine Corps-wide message on March 27, Commandant Gen. Eric Smith recalled that Gray, who famously had his official portrait painted in his camouflage utility uniform, said that "every Marine is, first and foremost, a rifleman. All other conditions are secondary."
"Gen. Gray had foundational impacts on the modern Marine Corps, leaving an awe-inspiring legacy and shaping the service for generations of Marines to come," Smith wrote.
Quinn's Auction Galleries is one of the largest auction houses in northern Virginia, where Gray lived. Quinn said he was contacted by Gray's executor and welcomed the opportunity to handle the commandant's personal effects.
"[Gray] was a huge deal to the Marines and to the country. If you look at who he was and what he was, he was a very special guy. Definitely the highest-profile four-star we've ever handled," Quinn said.
Some items already are garnering great interest. An inscribed Colt Gold Cup pistol was up to $3,000 and the M1911 was up to $3,250 on Wednesday. A cased limited edition Marine Corps commemorative M16 rifle was at $1,900.
Quinn said the auction house does not guarantee that the weapons are in working condition, but added that presentation pieces generally are functional and buyers will have to go through background checks to obtain them should they win one.
The company has not posted details of its weekly auction, but the details of the June 14 memorabilia auction are posted on its website, as well as two live auction sites, LiveAuctioneers and Proxibid.
Absentee bidding and phone bidding will be available during the auction, which will be held virtually.
A preview of the items runs through Thursday in Falls Church, according to Quinn.
For absentee winners, the auction house can provide recommended companies to ship.
"This is going to be a fun day," Quinn said.
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