Published by Legacy Remembers from Feb. 19 to Feb. 20, 2023.
Carmine John "Sean" Del Grosso, 80, retired Marine Corps colonel, devout Catholic, brave warrior, dedicated scholar, untiring statesman who served as first Marine Officer to be assigned to U.S. Embassy Beijing as the Naval Attache, passed away May 24th, 2022, at his home in
San Clemente, CA. surrounded by family.
Bright, energetic, mature and resourceful, Col. Del Grosso was known throughout the Marine Corps for his extraordinary amount of initiative, a deep sense of loyalty, an impressive military bearing, outstanding writing skills, innate charm and quick Irish wit.
Col. Del Grosso, a native of New York City, attended St Helen's High School,
Bronx, NY (now Monsignor Scanlon HS) and lettered in cross country and indoor/outdoor track for four years. He was Team Captain in 1959. Carmine participated in every CHSAA and PSAL competition during the indoor season conducted at "The Armory" from 1955-1959. After high school, he attended Fordham University 1959-1963 on a track scholarship. While at Fordham, he was a member of the Freshman & Varsity Cross Country team as well as stalwart member of winning mile and two-mile relay, sprint and distance medley teams for four years. Carmine continued running for USMC as a member of the Quantico VA Marine Corps Track Team and All Marine Track & Field Team in 1964.
Col. Del Grosso was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation from Fordham University in 1963 with a B.A. degree in Political Science. He also holds an M.A. degree in International Relations (1977) and a M Phil in Modern Far East History (1980) from The George Washington University, Washington D.C.
After completion of The Basic School,
Quantico, Virginia, he reported to 3d Marine Division in March 1964, and served as an Infantry Platoon Commander with 2d Bn, 3d Marines. (In retirement Sean was asked to be guest speaker at several TBS Reunions. He reminded troops that TBS was, and still is, a unique opportunity to personally observe individual integrity, meet some of America's "Best in Breed," as well as witness up close Marine Corps teamwork and depth of brotherly respect.)
Extending overseas with 3d Reconnaissance Bn, he deployed to Vietnam with the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade in March 1965. Promoted to First Lieutenant in August that year, he remained in Vietnam through December 1965. During these consecutive tours, he served as a Platoon Commander, Company Executive Officer, and Battalion Operations Officer.
Col. Del Grosso returned from overseas in January 1966 and reported to 2d Division, Camp Lejeune, NC. He was promoted to Captain and served as Commanding Officer, Company B then A respectively, 2d Recon Bn until Dec 1966. During this assignment, he saw extensive service in the Caribbean and Latin America. In 1967, he graduated from the U.S. Army Airborne School,
Ft Benning, Georgia, and then attended the Defense Language Institute in Washington DC to study Mandarin Chinese. It was there that he first met a United Stewardess
Helen Peart from
Weaverville, CA. who lived in the same apartment building in
Alexandria, VA. When they weren't dancing the East Coast Swing at Matt Kane's, they were working on Chinese flash cards!
From 1968 to 1971, Col. Del Grosso served subsequent overseas tours as an infantry and logistics advisor with two Allied Marine Corps. While assigned to the Military Assistance Advisor Group (MAAG), Republic of China, he served as an infantry adviser to the Nationalist Chinese Marines during 1969 in Vietnam. Following that tour, he again returned to Vietnam in July 1970 as an infantry adviser with 1st Bn, Vietnamese Marine Corps.
Col. Del Grosso returned to Quantico in August 1971 as a student at the Amphibious Warfare School. Upon graduation in February 1972, he was ordered to 1st Division and initially assigned as Division Plans Officer. He then served as Operations Officer, 2d Bn, 7th Marines. He was promoted to Major in May 1974.
In July 1974, Col. Del Grosso participated in the US Army Foreign Area Specialist (FAO) Program under the aegis of the US Dept of State's School of Chinese Languages and Asian Studies, Taiwan. Carmine joked that his love of the Chinese language and culture was a "hobby that got out of hand."
Upon his return from overseas in July 1975, he was assigned to The Combat Development Command, Quantico, where he assumed duties as a special projects officer for strategic studies and infantry-related research and development matters (Urban Warfare). He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1979. He attended US Marine Corp Command and Staff College from August 1979 to May 1980. He married Helen at Quantico Chapel on May 24, 1980.
A few months later, he brought his family to Asia where he served as a diplomat in uniform. Col. Del Grosso returned to the Western Pacific as the US Assistant Naval Attache, Hong Kong BCC. Reassigned in April 1981, he was posted to a seventh overseas tour as the first Marine Officer to ever serve as a US Naval Attache to the People's Republic of China. His extensive knowledge of China and Chinese made him invaluable in the China policy making arena.
During July 1983, he returned to the United States and attended National War College, Washington DC. Following graduation, Col. Del Grosso was assigned to 2d Division, Camp Lejeune, NC in July 1984 as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2 and was promoted to Colonel on January 1985.
In May 1986, Col. Del Grosso returned to Quantico as Commanding Officer of the distinguished Marine Security Guard Battalion (Department of State), responsible for diplomatic security at 143 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. Relinquishing command in August 1988, he assumed duties as the Military Assistant to The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations at the Pentagon.
He retired 1 July, 1989, and moved the family to sunny
San Clemente, CA where he once helped guard President Nixon's Western White House and enjoyed just a few beers at the Sandpiper in Laguna Beach.
Col. Del Grosso's personal decorations include: The Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal w/ Combat 'V' and two gold stars in lieu of third award, Defense Meritorious Medal with oak leaf cluster in lieu of second award, Joint Service commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal w/Combat 'V' and gold star in lieu of second award, Navy Achievement w/Combat 'V', Combat Action Ribbon, and other personal allied decorations, to include The Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal.
Following a decade of international aerospace sales and marketing with McDonald-Douglas and The Boeing Company, Integrated Defense Systems, Mr. Del Grosso retired again in 2004. He served as the Regional Director, Business Development Asia, the Middle East, Africa and The Americas.
Carmine "Sean" thoroughly enjoyed retirement. He followed the Lao-Tse adage: "If you are depressed, you're living in the past. If you are anxious, you're living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present!" Indeed, Sean spent many present moments playing golf "on days ending with a "Y." He became an avid golfer to include a rare hole-in-one!
Despite visiting nearly every country in the world as CO of the MSG, he and Helen made trips to New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, England, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Spain and many cross country trips to visit family and friends on the East Coast. He purchased the MLB package so he never missed a televised NY Yankee baseball game.
Sean also was asked to share his professional stories of life in Vietnam. The nine hours can be found at Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive (vietnam.ttu.edu).
Carmine was preceded in death by his parents Sebastian and Josephine, brother Robert Del Grosso, and over 120 fellow gunfighters who served in those early Vietnam years. William Penn wrote: "Death cannot kill what never dies...nor can spirit ever be divided, that love and live in friendship. Death is but crossing the world as friends do the sea; they live in one another still...their friendship is ever present."
Carmine is survived by Helen, his wife of 42 years; son Carson Holmes of
Longmont, CO and his wife Jill; daughter Heather Holmes of
San Clemente, CA.; and daughter Crystal Kaplan of
Vienna, VA. and her husband Dean. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Barbara Del Grosso of
Naples, FL, three nieces: Jill Vigliotti of
Ridgewood, NJ, Kristina Del Grosso of
Santa Monica, CA, and Amanda Kelly of
Bridgewater, NJ; and five grandchildren: Samantha, Benjamin, Aliya, Isaac, and Olivia.
Funeral Services will be held at the Old Post Chapel, Ft Myer, Arlington National Cemetery on March 27, 2023 at 8 am. Burial, with full military honors, will follow at 8:45 am. In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org). Helen's address: 617 Calle Juarez,
San Clemente, CA 92673; email:
[email protected]It breaks our hearts to lose you, but you don't go forward alone...because part of us went with you the day God called you home. You will live in our hearts forever. Semper Fi.