John R. Deane Jr.

John R. Deane Jr.
General John R. Deane Jr.
Born	(1919-06-08)June 8, 1919 San Francisco, California
Died	July 18, 2013(2013-07-18) (aged 94) Bangor, Maine
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1942–1977
Rank	General
Service number	0-24835
Commands held	United States Army Materiel Command 82nd Airborne Division 173rd Airborne Brigade
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross (2) Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Silver Star (3) Legion of Merit (2) Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart
Relations	Major General John R. Deane (father)

John Russell Deane Jr. (June 8, 1919 – July 18, 2013) was a highly decorated United States Army officer who rose to the rank of general and served as commander of the United States Army Materiel Command.

Early life

Deane was born in San Francisco, California, as the son of career army officer, future Major general John R. Deane.

United States Army service

In 1937, Deane enlisted in the 16th Infantry. After one year, he entered the United States Military Academy. Upon graduation from the academy in 1942, he joined the 104th Infantry Division as a platoon leader and, by the end of World War II, he had become a battalion commander.

Deane held the position of intelligence officer in Europe from 1945 to 1947 and then returned to Washington, D.C., to work in the Joint War Plans Division, HQDA. In 1951, he became executive assistant to the Secretary of the Army. From this post, he went to the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, in 1952. Upon graduation, he served as chief of plans in the Military Armistice Commission until 1954.

Returning to the United States in late 1954, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College. Upon graduation, he became chief of programs and budget in the office of the chief, research and development, HQDA. From 1958 to 1959, he attended the National War College. He then became assistant to the chief of staff, United States Army Europe, Heidelberg, Germany. From February 1961 to June 1962, he was commander of the 2nd Battle Group in Berlin. In December 1962, he returned to Washington as assistant to the director of defense research and engineering, where he served as executive assistant to the assistant secretary of defense (deputy director, defense research and engineering). During this time, he attended Harvard Business School's six-week advanced management program. On 16 August 1965, he became the assistant division commander, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Deane received the assignment of chief of staff, field forces in Vietnam in February 1966. In July 1966, he became assistant division commander, 1st Infantry Division, Vietnam. In December 1966, he was assigned as commanding general, 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. He earned two Distinguished Service Crosses in Vietnam.

From October 1967 to September 1968, Deane served as director of doctrine in the office of the assistant chief of staff for force development, United States Army. From October 1968 to July 1970, he was the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In July 1972, he was appointed the deputy assistant chief of staff for force development, U.S. Army, where he served until August 1972, when he became the deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. He was promoted to full general and assumed command of the United States Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command on 12 February 1975. Deane retired from active service on 31 January 1977.

Deane died on July 18, 2013, in Bangor, Maine.

Decorations

Master Parachutist Badge
Combat Infantryman Badge
1st Row	Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster						Army Distinguished Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters					Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters
2nd Row	Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster				Distinguished Flying Cross				Bronze Star with "V" Device				Purple Heart
3rd Row	Air Medal (25 awards)				Joint Service Commendation Medal				Army Commendation Medal				American Defense Service Medal
4th Row	American Campaign Medal				European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three service stars				World War II Victory Medal				Army of Occupation Medal
5th Row	National Defense Service Medal with one service star				Korean Service Medal				Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one service star				Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars and Arrowhead device
6th Row	National Order of Vietnam, 5th Class				Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm				United Nations Korea Medal				Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Parachutist Badge									Army Aviator Badge

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date	Reference
	Second lieutenant	Infantry	29 May 1942
	First lieutenant	Army of the United States	19 November 1942
	Captain	Army of the United States	14 July 1943
	Major	Army of the United States	22 May 1944
	Lieutenant colonel	Army of the United States	12 April 1945
	First lieutenant	Infantry	29 May 1945
	Captain	Infantry	1 July 1948
	Major	Infantry	6 July 1954
	Lieutenant colonel	Infantry	29 May 1962
	Colonel	Infantry (temporary)	6 December 1955
	Brigadier general	Regular Army	1 August 1965
	Colonel	Infantry	29 May 1967
	Major general	Regular Army	1 November 1967
	Brigadier general	Regular Army	20 November 1968
	Major general	Regular Army	30 June 1948
	Lieutenant general	Regular Army	22 September 1972
	General	Regular Army	12 February 1975

Notes

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army

References

• Cullum, George W. (1950). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the US Military Academy at West Point New York since its Establishment in 1802: Supplement Volume IX 1940–1950. Chicago, Illinois: R. R. Donnelly and Sons, The Lakeside Press. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
• Deane, John R. Jr. (2018). Mason, Jack C. (ed.). Lessons in Leadership: My Life in the US Army from World War II to Vietnam. American Warriors Series. University Press of Kentucky. doi:10.2307/j.ctt22p7j74. ISBN 9780813174945. JSTOR j.ctt22p7j74.
• Deane, John R. Jr.; Sosnowski, John J.; US Army Military History Institute; Oral History Branch; Army War College (U.S.) (2015). An oral history of General John R. Deane, Jr., USA retired. Carlisle Barracks, PA: US Army Military History Institute. OCLC 940942772.