Marshall Carter was born in Fort Monroe, Virginia, on 16th September, 1909. He graduated from the US Military Academy in 1931. Later he studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Carter worked as Special Assistant to George C. Marshall (1947-49). When Marshall became Secretary of Defense in 1950, Carter became director of his Executive Office. Carter was also Chief of Staff of the US Eighth Army in Korea (1959-60) and Commanding General, Army Air Defense Center (1961-62).

In March, 1962, President John F. Kennedy appointed Carter as Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Carter also served as the Director of the National Security Agency (1965-69).

Marshall Carter died on 18th February, 1993.