Frederick Kroesen
| Frederick J. Kroesen, Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Kroesen as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army | |
| Born |
February 11, 1923 Phillipsburg, New Jersey |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1943-1983 |
| Rank |
 General |
| Commands held |
United States Army Forces Command U.S. Army Europe Seventh Army 23rd Infantry Division 82nd Airborne Division |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards |
Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (3) Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star with "V" (3) Purple Heart (3) Air Medal (29) |
| Other work | Chairman, Military Professional Resources Inc |
Frederick James Kroesen, Jr. (born February 11, 1923) is a United States Army four-star general and was the Commanding General of the Seventh United States Army and the commander of NATO Central Army Group from 1979 to 1983, and Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command from 1976 to 1978. He also served as Vice Chief of Staff of the Army from 1978 to 1979. He commanded troops in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, enabling him to be one of the very small number who ever was entitled to wear the Combat Infantryman Badge with two Stars, denoting active combat in three wars.
Biography
Early life
Born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey,[1] Kroesen is a 1944 graduate of Rutgers University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. He earned Bachelor of Arts (1962) and Master of Arts (1966) degrees in International Affairs at George Washington University. He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution based on the service of his grandfather, Johannes Kroesen, who served as a second lieutenant in the Bucks County Pennsylvania Militia during the Revolutionary War. In addition, he is also a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity to which his membership traces back to his days at Rutgers University.
World War II
General Kroesen fought in World War II with the 254th Infantry Regiment of the 63rd Infantry Division. He was a company grade officer, serving as platoon leader and company commander, in the fighting in the Colmar Pocket and into Germany. He participated in the particularly tough fighting in Jebsheim.
Baader-Meinhof gang attack
General Kroesen was injured in Heidelberg on September 15, 1981, when his armoured Mercedes was targeted with an RPG-7 anti-tank rocket. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the "Kommando Gudrun Ensslin" of the Red Army Faction (aka Baader-Meinhof Gang).[2][3] In 1991, West German prosecutors announced that former East German secret police leader Erich Mielke had been indicted for collusion with the attack.[4]
Later life
After retiring from the Army in 1983, Kroesen became a businessman.[5] He is currently chairman of the board of Military Professional Resources Inc. and a senior fellow at the Institute of Land Warfare of the Association of the United States Army. He is additionally the Vice-President of the American Security Council Foundation.
Military education
- Rutgers University ROTC
- Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, 1956
- Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA, 1959
- United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA, 1962[6]
Senior assignments
- Commanding Officer, 196th Light Infantry Brigade of the Americal Division
- Deputy Commander, XXIV Corps
- Commanding General, First Regional Assistance Command
- Commanding General, 23rd Infantry Division
- Commanding General, 82nd Airborne Division
- Deputy Commanding General, V Corps
- Commanding General, VII Corps
- Commanding General, Seventh United States Army
- Commanding General, United States Army Europe
- Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command
- Commanding General, NATO Central Army Group
- Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army[6]
Awards and decorations
 |
Combat Infantryman Badge, third award |
 |
Master Parachutist Badge |
 |
Silver German Parachutist Badge |
 |
Army Staff Identification Badge |
 |
Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |
- Association of the United States Army Abrams Award, 2005
- West Point Assiciation of Graduates Sylvanus Thayer Award, 2007
- American Veterans Center Audie Murphy Award, 2013
- Sons of the American Revolution Gold Good Citizenship Medal, 2013
- Namesake of the American Security Council Foundation General Frederick Kroesen Leadership Award
- Chairman Emeritus of the board of MPRI[6]
Works
- General Thoughts: Seventy Years with the Army. Publisher: Institute of Land Warfare, Association of the United States Army, 2003
References
- ↑ Mrozek, Steven J. (1997). 82nd Airborne Division (Google books). Turner Publishing Company. p. 194. ISBN 1-56311-364-3. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ↑ Stars and Stripes Published: August 5, 2005
- ↑ Jessup, John E. (1998). An encyclopedic dictionary of conflict and conflict resolution, 1945-1996 (Google books). Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 409. ISBN 0-313-28112-2. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ↑ "World IN BRIEF : GERMANY : Ex-Security Chief Accused in Attack", Los Angeles Times, March 27, 1991.
- ↑ Center for Military Readiness
- 1 2 3 General Kroesen bio
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gen. Walter T. Kerwin, Jr. |
Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army 1978 – 1979 |
Succeeded by Gen. John William Vessey, Jr. |
| Preceded by George S. Blanchard |
Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe May 29, 1979 to April 15, 1983 |
Succeeded by Glenn K. Otis |
|