Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr.

Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr.
Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr.
Nickname(s) "Jumping Joe"
"Gunner Six"
"Cider Joe"
Born (1912-03-06)March 6, 1912
Syracuse, New York
Died July 25, 1966(1966-07-25) (aged 54)
Pacific Ocean, approx. 585 miles west of San Francisco, California
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1933–1966
Rank Brigadier General
Commands held 7th Infantry Division
China Burma India Theater
23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division (Korean War)
18th Airborne Corps, Ft. Bragg
US Army Support Group, Vietnam
US Army JFK Special Warfare Center
United States Army Special Forces Command
Battles/wars World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Awards Combat Infantryman Badge
Soldier's Medal
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2 awards)
Bronze Star (4 awards, one for Valor)
Purple Heart (2 awards)
Air Medal (26 awards)

Brigadier General Joseph Warren Stilwell Jr. (March 6, 1912 – July 25, 1966) was a United States Army general best known for his service in United States Army Special Forces and the US Army Support Group in the Vietnam War.

Early life

He was born in Syracuse, New York, one of five children of General Joseph Stilwell. He attended West Point, graduating in the class of 1933.

Military career

He served as a lieutenant with the 15th Infantry Regiment (United States) in China in 1937.

He served as commander of US Army Support Group, Vietnam (renamed US Army Support Command, Vietnam from March 1, 1964) from August 26, 1962, until June 30, 1964.[1]

Death

He was lost at sea on July 25, 1966, when flying a C-47 to Hawaii with longtime friend and pilot Hal Grimes of Air Ferry International. Harold Fossum was the navigator. The C-47 was to continue on to Thailand; however, Stilwell was only intending to travel as far as Hawaii to increase his instrument rating qualification. The Coast Guard, USAF and US Navy (including three destroyers and the USS Yorktown (CV-10)) searched an area of 105,000 square miles without finding any trace of the aircraft.[2]

Awards and decorations

Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross
Soldier's Medal
V
Bronze Star Medal with 3 Oak Leave Clusters and Valor device
Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal with award numeral 26
Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster
China Service Medal
American Defense Service Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
United Nations Korea Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist Badge[3]

See also

  • United States Army portal

References

  1. Eckhardt, George (1974). Vietnam Studies Command and Control 1950–1969. Department of the Army. pp. 36–37.
  2. "C47 Hunt Expanded". The Deseret News. 26 July 1966. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  3. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22044
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