He served in this capacity until July 1969 and received the Legion of Merit by the army. Mize was also decorated with his second Bronze Star Medal for a helicopter rescue of wounded troops while under enemy fire and Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st Class by the Government of South Vietnam. Following his return to the United States and vacation with his family, Mize was attached to the Marine Corps Development and Education Command at Quantico and served under Lieutenant General Lewis J. Fields as commanding officer of schools demonstration troops until his promotion to the rank of brigadier general in October 1970. He was subsequently transferred to the Headquarters Marine Corps for duty as special assistant in recruiting matters to the deputy director of personnel. Mize served in Washington until July 1971 and then was ordered back to the Marine Corps Base Quantico for duty as deputy base commander for support under Lieutenant General William G. Thrash. He received his second star upon the promotion to major general in July 1973 and assumed duty as director, Office of Naval Disability Evaluation. In this capacity, Mize was responsible for the determination if Marines and other military personnel are capable of continuing to perform military duties. Mize received his final assignment in June 1975, when he was ordered to Camp Pendleton, California for duty as commanding general, 1st Marine Division. He was tasked with the reconstitution of the division, following its return from Vietnam. Many marines under his command were committing crimes or other minor offenses and Commandant Louis H. Wilson ordered ""purging the Corps of its bad apples."" During his tenure as commanding general, Mize discharged thousands of marines from his 18,000 division for everything from initiating riots to dealing drugs. He then focused on programs for attaining the increased combat readiness and also ordered extensive amphibious training. Mize was decorated with his second Legion of Merit for his service with the division and was succeeded by Major General Edward A. Wilcox on July 29, 1976. He retired two days later completing 32 years of active service. After retiring from the Marine Corps, Mize settled in Falls Church, Virginia, and became local builder. He was a partner in the Wilson-Mize Construction Company for next 18 years and also was a member of the Army-Navy Country Club, the Capital Exchange Club and the Naval Academy Alumni Association. Mize died on December 10, 1998, at Inova Alexandria Hospital, following the complications with pneumonia and leukemia. He was survived by his wife, Martha Ann ; sons David and Randy and daughters Sally and Ann. General Mize is buried at United States Naval Academy Cemetery at Annapolis, Maryland.