James M. Gavin

James M. Gavin
Lieutenant General James M. Gavin, pictured here in 1964.
United States Ambassador to France
In office
March 21, 1961 – September 26, 1962
PresidentJohn F. Kennedy
Preceded byAmory Houghton
Succeeded byCharles E. Bohlen
Personal details
Born
James Maurice Gavin

(1907-03-22)March 22, 1907
New York City, New York, United States
DiedFebruary 23, 1990(1990-02-23) (aged 82)
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Resting placeWest Point Cemetery, West Point, New York, United States
Spouses
Irma Baulsir
(m. 1929; div. 1947)
[a]
Jean Emert Duncan
(m. 1948)
Children5
Nickname(s)"The Jumping General"
"Slim Jim"
"Jumpin' Jim"[1]
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1924–1958
RankLieutenant General
UnitInfantry Branch
Commands505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
82nd Airborne Division
VII Corps
Battles/warsWorld War II Korean War
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross (2)
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star (2)
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Distinguished Service Order (United Kingdom)
Legion of Honour (France)
Service number0-17676

James Maurice Gavin (March 22, 1907 – February 23, 1990), sometimes called "Jumpin' Jim" and "the jumping general", was a senior United States Army officer, with the rank of lieutenant general, who was the third Commanding General (CG) of the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II. During the war, he was often referred to as "The Jumping General" because of his practice of taking part in combat jumps with the paratroopers under his command; he was the only American general officer to make four combat jumps in the war.

Gavin was the youngest major general to command an American division in World War II, being only 37[2] upon promotion,[3] and the youngest lieutenant general after the war, in March 1955. He was awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses and several other decorations for his service in the war. During combat, he was known for his habit of carrying an M1 rifle, typically carried by enlisted U.S. infantry soldiers, instead of the M1 carbine, which officers customarily carried.[4]

Gavin also worked against segregation in the U.S. Army,[4] which gained him some notability. After the war, Gavin served as United States Ambassador to France from 1961 to 1962.


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  1. ^ "United States Army officer histories". Unit Histories. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  2. ^ Washington Post Obituary, "LT. GEN. JAMES M. GAVIN, WORLD WAR II HERO, DIES AT 82" by Richard Pearson, 25 February 1990 [1]
  3. ^ Fauntleroy, Barbara Gavin (2007). The General and His Daughter: The Wartime Letters of General James M. Gavin to His Daughter Barbara. Archived from the original on 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  4. ^ a b Carlo D'Este (June 2, 2011). "Jim Gavin: The General Who Jumped First". historynet.com.