Frederick James Kroesen Jr. (11 February 1923 – 30 April 2020) was a United States Army four-star general who served as 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 United States 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.
Early life Kroesen was born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey,Former Vice Chief Gen. Frederick Kroesen Dies the son of Jean (Shillinger) and Frederick Kroesen, who worked for the New Jersey state government. His paternal ancestor, Garret Dircksen Kroesen (1638–1680) arrived in America (New Netherland) from the Netherlands around 1661. Kroesen moved to the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey as a child and he attended Trenton Central High School.Piehler, Kurt; and Marley, Lynn. Kroesen, Frederick, Rutgers University Oral History Archives, March 16, 1998. Accessed May 4, 2020. "When I was ten-years-old, we moved to Eggerts Road in, what is now, Lawrenceville.... I was in Trenton Central High School, as a senior, and she came as a sophomore that year. We only had three grades in Trenton High, in those days." A 1944 graduate of Rutgers University, 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. In addition, he was also a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity to which his membership traces back to his days at Rutgers University.
Military career World War II In 1944 Kroesen was commissioned through the Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, then 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. On the 26 and 27 January 1945,p. 546 he participated in the particularly tough fighting in Jebsheim.
Korean War During the Korean War Kroesen served in Korea with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team.
Vietnam War Kroesen was the commander of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade of the 23rd Infantry Division in 1968. He was an adviser to the assistant chief of staff, J-3, in Vietnam, and then served there as commander of the 23rd Infantry Division; deputy commander, XXIV Corps; and commanding general, First Regional Assistance Command.
Post-Vietnam After returning from Vietnam, Kroesen served as Deputy Commander, XXIV Corps (1972), Commanding General, 82nd Airborne Division (1972–1974), Deputy Commanding General, V Corps (1974–1975) and Commanding General, VII Corps (1975–1976).
In 1976 Kroesen was promoted to the rank of four star general (O-10), becoming the first Officer Candidate School (OCS) graduate to hold that rank. He then served as Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command (1976–1978) and Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1978–1979).
Red Army Faction attack From 1979 to 1983 Kroesen served as commander of United States Army Europe and a commander of the Seventh United States Army.
Kroesen was injured in Heidelberg on 15 September 1981, when his armoured Mercedesphoto of the car 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).Stars and Stripes Published: August 5, 2005 In 1991, West German prosecutors announced that former East German secret police leader Erich Mielke had been indicted for collusion with the attack."World IN BRIEF : GERMANY : Ex-Security Chief Accused in Attack", Los Angeles Times, March 27, 1991.
Later life After retiring from the army in 1983, Kroesen became a businessman. He was chairman of the board of Military Professional Resources Inc. (incorporated in 1987) and a senior fellow at the Institute of Land Warfare of the Association of the United States Army. He was a vice-president of the American Security Council Foundation. General Kroesen was a Compatriot of the George Washington Chapter of the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution based on the service of his ancestor, Johannes Kroesen, who served as a second lieutenant in the Bucks County Pennsylvania Militia during the Revolutionary War.Association of the United States Army details Kroesen's association with SAR Kroesen also served on the board of advisors for the Center for Military Readiness.
Kroesen died in Alexandria, Virginia, on 30 April 2020, at the age of 97 after a long illness.Association of the United States Army announces death of GEN Kroesen He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Military education Infantry Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1944 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1956 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, 1959 United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, 1962General Kroesen bio
Senior assignments Commanding officer, 196th Light Infantry Brigade (1968–1969) Adviser to the assistant chief of staff (J3), Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (1969–1970) Assistant chief of staff (J3), Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (1970–1971) Commanding general, 23rd Infantry Division (1971) Commanding general, First Regional Assistance Command (1971–1972) Deputy gommander, XXIV Corps (1972) Commanding general, 82nd Airborne Division (1972–1974) Deputy commanding general, V Corps (1974–1975) Commanding general, VII Corps (1975–1976) Commanding general, United States Army Forces Command (1976–1978) Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1978–1979) Commanding general, Seventh United States Army, United States Army Europe and NATO Central Army Group (1979–1983)
Awards and decorations Combat Infantryman Badge, third awardMaster Parachutist BadgeSilver German Parachutist BadgeArmy Staff Identification BadgeOffice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Defense Distinguished Service MedalArmy Distinguished Service MedalSilver Star with one oak leaf clusterLegion of Merit, with two oak leaf clustersDistinguished Flying CrossBronze Star, with v device & two oak leaf clustersAir Medal, with bronze award numeral 29Army Commendation Medal, with two oak leaf clustersPurple Heart, with one oak leaf clusterArmy Presidential Unit Citation, with two oak leaf clustersArmy Good Conduct MedalAmerican Campaign MedalEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, with three service starsWorld War II Victory MedalArmy of Occupation MedalNational Defense Service Medal with oak leaf clusterKorean Service Medal, with one service starVietnam Service Medal, with eight service starsArmy Service RibbonArmy Overseas Service Ribbon, with award numeral 3French Legion of Honour (Officer)National Order of Vietnam (Officer)National Order of Vietnam (Knight)Vietnam Military Merit MedalVietnam Army Distinguished Service Order, 1st ClassVietnam Gallantry Cross with palm (four awards)Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Knight Commander's Cross)Korean Presidential Unit CitationVietnam Gallantry Cross Unit CitationUnited Nations Korea MedalVietnam Campaign MedalKorean War Service Medal
Other honors Association of the United States Army Abrams Award, 2005 West Point Association of Graduates Sylvanus Thayer Award, 2007 American Veterans Center Audie Murphy Award, 2013 Sons of the American Revolution Gold Good Citizenship Medal, 2013 Honorary Sergeant Major of the Army, 2017GEN Kroesen named honorary SMA Namesake of the American Security Council Foundation General Frederick Kroesen Leadership Award Chairman Emeritus of the board of MPRI Life Member Emeritus, United States Army Officer Candidate School Alumni Association
Works General Thoughts: Seventy Years with the Army. Publisher: Institute of Land Warfare, Association of the United States Army, 2003
References
External links Interview with Kroesen for the ORAL HISTORY ARCHIVES OF WW-II