M.C. Long Obituary
Visit the Greenlawn Funeral Home Northeast website to view the full obituary.
The Life of M.C. Long
The Early Miles
MC Long was born on April 21, 1928, in Eutaw, Sumter County, Alabama, to the late Joseph
Long, Sr. and Hattie Winston-Long. As the youngest boy of nine children, he was playfully
dubbed "Wheels," a name that captured his innate energy and the relentless pace at which he
approached life. His early years were spent in the red clay of the family sharecropping farm,
where the seeds of his legendary work ethic were first sown.
In a moment that would alter the course of history, a fifteen-year-old MC was enticed by a
Marine Corps recruiter. With a wink and a doctored set of papers provided by the recruiter
himself, a boy from Alabama stepped into a man's world. He followed in the footsteps of his
brothers, making military service a defining pillar of the Long family legacy.
A Titan of History
Little did MC know that his enlistment would place him at the vanguard of social change. He
was stationed at Montford Point, the segregated training camp for the first African American
U.S. Marines. For 31 years, he stood as a firsthand witness to the painful era of segregation and
the triumphant dawn of integration within the Corps.
M.C.'s service was a masterclass in resilience and survival, spanning the three major conflicts
of the 20th century: World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. MC transformed
every challenge into an opportunity for growth, mastering the arts of Guerrilla Warfare,
Marksmanship, Drill Instructor, and Infantry Battalion Organization. He was respectfully
referred to as "Top Long". This nickname was given to him as he ascended to the rank of Master
Gunnery Sergeant (E9)-the highest pinnacle of the enlisted Marine Corps.
M.C. guarded his DD214 with his life, instructing his daughters to do the same, for it was the
ledger of his sacrifice. His chest bore the weight of numerous honors, including the Victory
Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal, eight Good Conduct Medals, and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of
Gallantry with Palm and Frame. Though the Great Fire of 1973 in St. Louis may have claimed
other records of his valor, his true legacy was written in the lives of the Marines he trained in
the way of Semper Fidelis. To MC, "Once a Marine, Always a Marine" was a sacred vow kept
until his final breath.
A Life of Service and Discipline
In the later years of his career, MC moved to Bakersfield, California, where he helped plant the
roots of the Marine Corps Recruiting Center and the Toys for Tots program. Upon his retirement
in 1975, he didn't slow down; instead, he dedicated a decade to the United States Forestry
Service California Conservation Corps. There, he used his "Top" sergeant skills to mentor
wayward youth-who, despite his firm hand, absolutely loved him.
Even in civilian life, MC lived by the bugle. Every morning at 4:00 AM, he was up for PT,
running for hours with his beloved dogs-Chico, Killer, and Brandon-by his side.
During the last 10 years of his life, he lived in Northern California where he was surrounded by
loved ones. He even became a member of Guiding Light Church of God in Christ where he
gained a new set of family members.
Devotion and Legacy
Beyond the uniform, MC was a man of profound devotion. After his time with the Forest
Service, he spent over ten years tenderly caring for his beloved wife, Charlotte Blondine Long
(Hinton), whom he had met in San Bernardino. They wed in 1958 and shared a 38-year union of
mutual respect and deep love until her passing in 1996. Prior to his life with Charlotte, MC was
married to Ruby, with whom he shared two children, Johnnie and Connie Long.
On December 21, 2025, MC Long transitioned from this life peacefully, his long march finally
complete. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Charlotte; his five sisters: Deloris,
Susie, Mary, Martha, and Ophelia; his four brothers: Joseph, Willie James, Levie, and Eugene;
his children: Quita Ann Mcinnis, Valerie Long, and Johnnie Long.
His legacy of strength, discipline, and honor will be cherished by those who remain: his
daughters, Connie O'Neil, Jacqueline Long, and Charlotte Vaughns; his devoted son-in-law,
Thomas Vaughns Jr.; and his sister-in-law, Mona Carroll. He also leaves a proud lineage of
grandchildren: Christopher McInnis, Michael Robinson II, Thomas Vaughns III, Miles Vaughns,
Ryleigh Vaughns, and the children of Johnnie (Tonya Perkins and Johnnie Long) and Connie
(Adrienne Brewer, Dorethia Thomas, Donnie Thomas, Richard Thomas, Jamie Henry, Gregory
Dillard, and Lorie O'Neil); as well as a host of great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and nephews including Patricia Thomas, Patsy Hunter, Crystal Fairley, and Hezekiah
Bolton Jr.
Master Gunnery Sergeant MC Long left behind a trail of excellence for all who knew him. He
leaves behind a blueprint for a life well-lived: Stand tall, remain loyal, and always keep the
wheels moving. We ask that you take a moment and give a final salute to Master Gunnery
Sergeant M.C. Long
The Early Miles
MC Long was born on April 21, 1928, in Eutaw, Sumter County, Alabama, to the late Joseph
Long, Sr. and Hattie Winston-Long. As the youngest boy of nine children, he was playfully
dubbed "Wheels," a name that captured his innate energy and the relentless pace at which he
approached life. His early years were spent in the red clay of the family sharecropping farm,
where the seeds of his legendary work ethic were first sown.
In a moment that would alter the course of history, a fifteen-year-old MC was enticed by a
Marine Corps recruiter. With a wink and a doctored set of papers provided by the recruiter
himself, a boy from Alabama stepped into a man's world. He followed in the footsteps of his
brothers, making military service a defining pillar of the Long family legacy.
A Titan of History
Little did MC know that his enlistment would place him at the vanguard of social change. He
was stationed at Montford Point, the segregated training camp for the first African American
U.S. Marines. For 31 years, he stood as a firsthand witness to the painful era of segregation and
the triumphant dawn of integration within the Corps.
M.C.'s service was a masterclass in resilience and survival, spanning the three major conflicts
of the 20th century: World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. MC transformed
every challenge into an opportunity for growth, mastering the arts of Guerrilla Warfare,
Marksmanship, Drill Instructor, and Infantry Battalion Organization. He was respectfully
referred to as "Top Long". This nickname was given to him as he ascended to the rank of Master
Gunnery Sergeant (E9)-the highest pinnacle of the enlisted Marine Corps.
M.C. guarded his DD214 with his life, instructing his daughters to do the same, for it was the
ledger of his sacrifice. His chest bore the weight of numerous honors, including the Victory
Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal, eight Good Conduct Medals, and the Republic of Vietnam Cross of
Gallantry with Palm and Frame. Though the Great Fire of 1973 in St. Louis may have claimed
other records of his valor, his true legacy was written in the lives of the Marines he trained in
the way of Semper Fidelis. To MC, "Once a Marine, Always a Marine" was a sacred vow kept
until his final breath.
A Life of Service and Discipline
In the later years of his career, MC moved to Bakersfield, California, where he helped plant the
roots of the Marine Corps Recruiting Center and the Toys for Tots program. Upon his retirement
in 1975, he didn't slow down; instead, he dedicated a decade to the United States Forestry
Service California Conservation Corps. There, he used his "Top" sergeant skills to mentor
wayward youth-who, despite his firm hand, absolutely loved him.
Even in civilian life, MC lived by the bugle. Every morning at 4:00 AM, he was up for PT,
running for hours with his beloved dogs-Chico, Killer, and Brandon-by his side.
During the last 10 years of his life, he lived in Northern California where he was surrounded by
loved ones. He even became a member of Guiding Light Church of God in Christ where he
gained a new set of family members.
Devotion and Legacy
Beyond the uniform, MC was a man of profound devotion. After his time with the Forest
Service, he spent over ten years tenderly caring for his beloved wife, Charlotte Blondine Long
(Hinton), whom he had met in San Bernardino. They wed in 1958 and shared a 38-year union of
mutual respect and deep love until her passing in 1996. Prior to his life with Charlotte, MC was
married to Ruby, with whom he shared two children, Johnnie and Connie Long.
On December 21, 2025, MC Long transitioned from this life peacefully, his long march finally
complete. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Charlotte; his five sisters: Deloris,
Susie, Mary, Martha, and Ophelia; his four brothers: Joseph, Willie James, Levie, and Eugene;
his children: Quita Ann Mcinnis, Valerie Long, and Johnnie Long.
His legacy of strength, discipline, and honor will be cherished by those who remain: his
daughters, Connie O'Neil, Jacqueline Long, and Charlotte Vaughns; his devoted son-in-law,
Thomas Vaughns Jr.; and his sister-in-law, Mona Carroll. He also leaves a proud lineage of
grandchildren: Christopher McInnis, Michael Robinson II, Thomas Vaughns III, Miles Vaughns,
Ryleigh Vaughns, and the children of Johnnie (Tonya Perkins and Johnnie Long) and Connie
(Adrienne Brewer, Dorethia Thomas, Donnie Thomas, Richard Thomas, Jamie Henry, Gregory
Dillard, and Lorie O'Neil); as well as a host of great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and nephews including Patricia Thomas, Patsy Hunter, Crystal Fairley, and Hezekiah
Bolton Jr.
Master Gunnery Sergeant MC Long left behind a trail of excellence for all who knew him. He
leaves behind a blueprint for a life well-lived: Stand tall, remain loyal, and always keep the
wheels moving. We ask that you take a moment and give a final salute to Master Gunnery
Sergeant M.C. Long
Greenlawn Funeral Home Northeast
3700 River Blvd., Bakersfield, CA 93305
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