Paul L. Freeman, Jr.
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Paul L. Freeman, Jr.
|
|
---|---|
![]() General Paul L. Freeman, Jr.
|
|
Born | Philippines |
June 29, 1907
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Monterey California |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ |
![]() |
Years of service | 1929–1967 |
Rank | ![]() |
Commands held | U.S. Army Europe Continental Army Command 4th Infantry Division 2nd Infantry Division 23rd Infantry Regiment |
Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit Bronze Star "V" device (4) Air Medal Purple Heart |
Paul Lamar Freeman, Jr. (June 29, 1907–April 17, 1988) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group (CINCUSAREUR/COMCENTAG) from 1962 to 1965 and Commanding General, U.S. Continental Army Command (CG CONARC) from 1965 to 1967.
Military career
Freeman was born June 29, 1907, in the Philippine Islands, son of Paul Lamar and Emma (Rosenbaum) Freeman. He graduated from the United States Military Academy on June 13, 1929, with a class ranking of 213 and commissioned in the infantry. His first assignment was at Fort Sam Houston with the 9th Infantry Division. While in Texas, he married Mary Ann Fishburn on August 18, 1932, and had one daughter. A month after getting married, he reported to Fort Benning to attend the Officer's Course at the Infantry School, then was assigned to Tianjin (then called Tientsin) in China with the 15th Infantry Regiment until 1936. Upon his return to the U.S. he was assigned to Fort Washington, Maryland and was a company commander in the 12th Infantry Regiment, and subsequently returned to Fort Benning for the Tank Course. He then spent a year as company and battalion Maintenance Officer with the 66th Infantry Regiment.
At the time of the United States entry into World War II, Freeman was in China again, in Beijing as a language student and concurrently as Assistant Military Attaché at the American embassy. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, he was assigned to the U.S. Military Mission to China, and a few months later reassigned to the staff of the China India Burma Theater as an instructor to Chinese and Indian Armies. He remained on the theater staff until September 1943, when he returned to Washington D.C., as a staff officer. Towards the end of the war in late 1944, he was sent to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as Director of Arms Training for the Joint Brazil-United States Military Commission, a position he held until October 1947. He returned to the Army General Staff in Washington D.C., working in the Latin American Branch of the Plans and Operating Division, then from 1948 to 1950, served as a member of the Joint Brazil-U.S. Military Commission, and was also a member of the U.S. Army delegation to the Inter-American Defense Board.
With the outbreak of the Korean War, he was deployed to that theater as the Commander of the 23rd Infantry Regiment in the 2nd Infantry Division, and remained in command until he was wounded (mortar shrapnel in his left calf ) in February 1951 at the Battle of Chipyong-ni. Freeman led his regiment to victory at the Battle of Chipyong-ni, marking the first major victory by the U.S. Army over the Chinese Communist Forces in the Korean War. The 23rd RCT was cut off and surrounded by elements of five Chinese divisions, which launched fanatical all-out assaults against them from 13–15 February 1951. Although wounded on the first night of the engagement, Freeman refused to be evacuated until the battle was over, leading the defense with courage and boldness. He was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery and leadership during the battle. Although he expected to return to command of the 23rd Infantry Regiment after his wound healed, he was instead sent home for rest and did not return to the war. The Battle of Chipyong-ni was studied for years at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth as a textbook case of how to deal with a numerically superior enemy.
Returning from the war, he attended the National War College, graduating in 1952. In 1955, he assumed command of the 2nd Infantry Division, and in 1956 took command of the 4th Infantry Division, at that time stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. After his second division command ended in 1957, he served as Senior Army Member to the Weapons System Evaluation Group in Washington D.C. He was named Deputy Commanding General for Reserve Forces (CONARC) in 1960. On May 1, 1962 he received his fourth star, and assumed duties as Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group (CINCUSAREUR/COMCENTAG), serving in that capacity until 1965. His final assignment was Commanding General, U.S. Continental Army Command (CG CONARC) from 1965 to 1967.
Freeman retired from the Army in 1967, and died in Monterey California on April 17, 1988.
Awards and decorations
- Badges
- Decorations
Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star with three oak leaf clusters and "V" device
Air Medal
Purple Heart
- Service Medals
American Defense Service Medal with star
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four campaign stars and arrowhead device
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
National Defense Service Medal with star
Korean Service Medal with four campaign stars
- Foreign Awards
Brazilian Order of Merit (Ordem do Mérito Militar)
French Legion of Honor in degree of officer
French Croix de Guerre with palm
United Nations Service Medal for Korea
Philippine Liberation Medal with two stars
- Unit Awards
Army Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines)
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
See also
References
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Militaria Museum fact sheet
Military offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe 1 May 1962 to 18 March 1965 |
Succeeded by Andrew P. O'Meara |
- Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur
- 1907 births
- 1988 deaths
- American military personnel of World War II
- American military personnel of the Korean War
- People from Monterey County, California
- United States Army generals
- United States Military Academy alumni
- Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Recipients of the Purple Heart medal
- Recipients of the Silver Star
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
- Recipients of the Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)
- Recipients of the Air Medal
- Recipients of the Philippine Liberation Medal