John Rogers Galvin (May 13, 1929 – September 25, 2015) was an American army general who served as the sixth dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a member of the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century.
John Galvin | |
|---|---|
 Galvin in March 1991 | |
| Birth name | John Rogers Galvin |
| Born | May 13, 1929 Wakefield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | September 25, 2015 (aged 86) Jonesboro, Georgia, U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1954–1992 |
| Rank |  General |
| Commands | 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) 24th Infantry Division VII Corps United States Southern Command U.S. European Command Supreme Allied Commander |
| Battles / wars | Vietnam War Cold War |
| Awards |  Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit (3) Distinguished Flying Cross Soldier's Medal Bronze Star (3) Air Medal with "V" Device |
| Other work | Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century |
Career
editGalvin began his service as an enlisted soldier in the Massachusetts Army National Guard from 1947 to 1950 before he received an appointment to United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1969, during the Vietnam War, lieutenant colonel Galvin commanded the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). For his actions as the battalion's commander he was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Soldiers Medal.[1]
He earned a Master of Arts degree in English from Columbia University in 1962[2] and later completed a fellowship at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1971. Galvin served with the Army Combat Development Command, from 1970 to 1972, as a Military Assistant with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), from 1974 to 1975 and commanded the 24th Infantry Division in the early 1980s. He was promoted to lieutenant general and commanded the VII Corps in Germany from July 1983 to February 1985.
Galvin's career included the rare opportunity to command two different Department of Defense Unified Commands following his promotion to full (4-star) general. He served as Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command in Panama from 1985 to 1987 and Commander in Chief, United States European Command from June 26, 1987, to June 23, 1992. During his tenure as Commander U.S. European Command he also served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR).[3]
During his time as SACEUR many stay-behind networks in Europe were dismantled, a process that started with the revelations by Italy's then prime minister, Giulio Andreotti, who disclosed to the Italian Parliament the existence of a Gladio stay-behind anti-communist paramilitary network headed by NATO and present in most European countries.[4]
Personal life
editGalvin lived with his wife Ginny and had four daughters. One of his daughters, Beth, served a medical reporter for WAGA, the FOX affiliate in Atlanta during 1996-2024. The Galvin Middle School in Wakefield, Massachusetts, is named after him. The United States Military Academy awarded Galvin (Class of '54) the 1997 Distinguished Graduate Award.[5] On September 25, 2015, he died in Jonesboro, Georgia at the age of 86.[6]
Selected awards and decorations
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| Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Row | Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster |
Army Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | ||
| 2nd Row | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Air Force Distinguished Service Medal | Silver Star | |
| 3rd Row | Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters |
Distinguished Flying Cross | Soldier's Medal | |
| 4th Row | Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters |
Air Medal with V Device |
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star | |
| 5th Row | Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze campaign stars |
Army Service Ribbon | Army Overseas Service Ribbon | |
| 6th Row | Great Cross of Merit with star (Federal Republic of Germany) |
Bavarian Order of Merit | Légion d'honneur Grand Officier | |
| 7th Row | Order of Military Merit Grand Cross (Spain) |
Order of Orange-Nassau Grand Cross, 1992 (Netherlands)[5] |
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal | |
| Badge | Senior Parachutist Badge | |||
Bibliography
edit- Galvin, John (1969). Air Assault: the Development of Airmobile.
- Galvin, John (1997). Three Men of Boston. Brassey's. ISBN 1574881116.
- Galvin, John (2006). The Minute Men: The First Fight: Myths and Realities of the American Revolution. Potomac Books. ISBN 1597970700.
- Galvin, John (2015). Fighting the Cold War: A Soldier's Memoir. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ John Rogers Galvin awardes, Military Times hall of vallor.
- ^ "Class of 1954—Register of Graduates". Official Register of the Officers and Cadets. United States Military Academy. 1969. p. 698. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ "USAREUR Units & Kasernes, 1945 - 1989".
- ^ "General John Galvin - obituary". Telegraph. October 18, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
- ^ a b "ANP Historisch Archief Community - Den Haag". April 13, 1992. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
- ^ "Wakefield Native General John R. Galvin Dies at Age of 86". Wakefield, MA Patch. 28 September 2015.
- ^ "John Galvin - Recipient -".