Background
Bernard Trainor was born on September 2, 1928 in New York City, in the family of Joseph Patrick and Ann Veronica (Whelan) Trainor.
Bernard Trainor was born on September 2, 1928 in New York City, in the family of Joseph Patrick and Ann Veronica (Whelan) Trainor.
Bernard received Bachelor of Science at College of Holy Cross in 1951. Then he earned Master of Arts at University of Colorado in 1963. Later he had a postgraduate study at University of Colorado in 1973. He also was a student of Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1970.
In 1946, Trainor enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school and served until his selection as a midshipman in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. In 1951 he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division in Korea, where he served as an infantry platoon commander. Returning to the United States in September 1952, Bernard served with the 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
In June, 1953, Bernard was assigned duties aboard the heavy cruiser USS Columbus (CA-74), where he served consecutively as executive officer and commanding officer of the ship's Marine Detachment. During this two-year tour of duty, he was promoted to captain.
Following sea duty, Trainor was assigned to the Personnel Department at Headquarters Marine Corps until 1958. He was then assigned as an exchange officer to the British Royal Marine Commandos. After a period of training in the United Kingdom, he commanded a company in 45 Commando, 3 Commando Brigade, on Malta.
Ordered to the Republic of Vietnam in July 1965, General Trainor was assigned as an advisor to a Vietnamese special operations group. After a year in Vietnam, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and returned to Quantico, where he served for three years as an instructor at the Command and Staff College.
Following his return to the United States in 1971, Trainor was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, where he served as a plans officer. During this tour, he was promoted to colonel on January 3, 1972. From July 1974 through June 1975, he served as Deputy Director of the 1st Marine Corps District, headquartered in New York. On July 1, 1975, he assumed duties as Director and held this post until his advancement to brigadier general in April 1976. At this time, he assumed duties as Assistant Depot Commander, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina.
On April 14, 1978, he assumed the duties of Deputy for Education/Director, Education Center, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico. During this tour of duty, he was promoted to major general. He was subsequently transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps in April 1981 and assigned duty as Director, Plans Division, Plans, Policies and Operations Department. Upon promotion to lieutenant general on June 15, 1983, he was assigned duty as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans, Policies and Operations, Headquarters Marine Corps. He served in this capacity until his retirement on July 1, 1985.
At present, General Trainor is a military analyst for NBC. He worked for The New York Times as chief military correspondent from 1986 to 1990 and at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government as Director of the National Security Program from 1990 to 1996. Later he was a Senior Fellow for National Security for the Council on Foreign Relations. He and Michael R. Gordon have written three books together: "The Generals' War", which covers the 1991 Gulf War, "Cobra II", which covers the Iraq War begun in 2003 and concludes with "The Endgame: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Iraq, from George W. Bush to Barack Obama."
On June 13, 1959, Bernard married Margaret Ann Hamilton, with whom he has three children: Kathleen Marie, Theresa Ann, Eileen Cecile, and Claire Hamilton.