John Langdon II

Colonel John Langdon II, USMC Retired, 77, of Raleigh, North Carolina, passed away on Monday, March 2, 2026, at Brookdale Senior Living in Cary.

A memorial service to honor Colonel John’s life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 28th at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Morehead City, NC. Interment, with military honors, will follow at the Church Columbarium. The family invites everyone to join them for a reception in the Fellowship Hall following the service.

Born on May 26, 1948, in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Richard and Catherine Langdon.

Colonel Langdon retired on July 1, 2000, after more than thirty years of active duty as a commissioned officer with the United States Marine Corps. His final assignment was as Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Policy, II Marine Expeditionary Force Command Element al Camp Lejeune, NC.

As a native of Huntingdon, PA, Colonel Langdon graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering [1970]. His professional military education included resident tenure at the Georgetown University Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington DC, as the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Visiting Military Fellow [1985-1986], and the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA [1985].

Colonel Langdon was a designated Naval Flight Officer and Aircrew Weapons and Tactics Instructor. His tactical career included over fifteen years of operational flying assignments in the A-6 Intruder all-weather medium attack aircraft with the First, Second and Third Marine Aircraft Wings at various locations throughout the United States, Western Pacific and Southwest Asian theaters. He deployed as Executive Officer of VMA (AW) 533 for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm where he flew 29 night combat strike missions during the Persian Gulf War. After returning to CONUS, Colonel Langdon assumed command of MWSS-271. During the tenure of his command, the “Workhorses" were distinguished by the Marine Corps Aviation Association as Marine Wing Support Squadron of the Year [1991-1992].

Colonel Langdon was a designated Joint Specialty Officer. While serving as Chief of Staff of the Standing Joint task Force Headquarters, Marine Forces Atlantic at Camp Lejeune [1996-1998], he also deployed to Germany and the Republic of Georgia as Deputy Joint Task Force Commander for lnteragency Operation Auburn Endeavor [1998]. He previously served with the U.S. Atlantic Command (USACOM), initially as Chief of Regional Plans and Policy, and later as Deputy Director of the J5 Plans and Policy Directorate [1993-1996]. Other staff assignments included service as G-3 Future Operations Officer, II Marine Expeditionary Force Command Element, Camp Lejeune, NC [1992-1993]; Strategic Initiatives Officer in Plans Division, Plans Policy and Operations Department. Headquarters. U.S. Marine Corps. Washing-ton DC [1986-1988]; Amphibious Warfare Officer. U.S. South Atlantic Force (USCOMSOLANT) [1981]; and as Marine Corps Liaison Officer and Range Schedules Officer at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility (AFWTF), Naval Station Roosevelt Roads PR [1978-1981].

Colonel Langdon's personal decorations included the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star in lieu of second award, the Air Medal single mission award with Combat Distinguishing device and numeral "three" strike/flight device, the Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing device and two gold stars in lieu of second and third awards, and the Joint Service Achievement Medal.

John married the love of his life, Susan Mitchell of Snow Hill, NC. The couple previously lived in Newport, NC where John served as Carteret County Manager [2004-2010], before eventually making their home in Raleigh, NC.

Those remaining to cherish his memory are his beloved wife, Susan Mitchell Langdon; daughter, Holly Langdon of Wilmington, NC; and son, Jason Langdon and his wife Margaret, along with their children, Annie Langdon and Jack Langdon, all of Wake Forest, NC.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.