James M. Gavin | |
|---|---|
.jpeg) Lieutenant General James M. Gavin, pictured here in 1964. | |
| United States Ambassador to France | |
| In office March 21, 1961 – September 26, 1962 | |
| President | John F. Kennedy |
| Preceded by | Amory Houghton |
| Succeeded by | Charles E. Bohlen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Maurice Gavin March 22, 1907 New York City, New York, United States |
| Died | February 23, 1990 (aged 82) Baltimore, Maryland, United States |
| Resting place | West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York, United States |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5 |
| Nickname(s) | "The Jumping General" "Slim Jim" "Jumpin' Jim"[1] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1924–1958 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Unit | Infantry Branch |
| Commands | 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment 82nd Airborne Division VII Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross (2) Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (2) Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart Distinguished Service Order (United Kingdom) Legion of Honour (France) |
| Service number | 0-17676 |
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.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ "United States Army officer histories". Unit Histories. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
- ^ Washington Post Obituary, "LT. GEN. JAMES M. GAVIN, WORLD WAR II HERO, DIES AT 82" by Richard Pearson, 25 February 1990 [1]
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b Carlo D'Este (June 2, 2011). "Jim Gavin: The General Who Jumped First". historynet.com.