Gordon Byrom Rogers – Lieutenant General, United States Army

by

Courtesy of the 3rd Armored Division Museum & Archives:

gbrogers-01

Lieutenant General Gordon B. Rogers was born in Manchester, Tennessee in 1901.  He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Cavalry when he graduated from the United State Military Academy, West Point, New York, in 1924.

His first assignment was as a Calvary Troop Commander in the 1st Cavalry Regiment.  General Rogers attended the Cavalry School at Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1928.  In 1930 he was a member of the Olympic Horse Show Team and in 1934 played on the Army Polo Team.

Following troop duty in the 10th and 2d Cavalry Regiments, General Rogers attended the Command and Staff School.  Upon graduation in 1939 he was assigned to the 6th Cavalry at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, where he served as a Troop and Squadron Commander.  In February 1942 he joined the 3d Cavalry Regiment and became a Regimental Commander.

In July, 1942, the general was made G2 (Intelligence) of I Corps, then located at Columbus, South Carolina.  He stayed with the Corps as it moved first to Australia and then to New Guinea.  In December of that year he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in the Papuan Campaign, New Guinea.  The Distinguished
Service Cross is the nation’s second highest award for valor on the battlefield.  An Oak Leaf Cluster to the Distinguished Service Cross was awarded him for another act of valor in New Guinea later in December 1942.

Following his tour with the I Corps, General Rogers became G2 (Intelligence) of the Army Ground Forces, remaining with that headquarters until September, 1945.  He was next assigned to the War Department general Staff in Washington, D.C. as Chief of the Training Branch of the Office of the Director of Intelligence.

In September 1946, General Rogers returned to the Far East as commander of the 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.  In 1948, he successively commanded the First Cavalry Brigade and the 5th Cavalry Regiment.

Upon his return to the United States in July 1949, the general was appointed Director of Intelligence of the Command and General Staff College.  A year later he became a member of the Army War College faculty and was appointed its acting Deputy Commandant in March, 1952.

General Rogers, again went to the Far East in 1952.  he was appointed Assistant Division Commander of the 40th Infantry Division in June and the following April received his appointment as Deputy Chief of the Korean Military Advisory Group.

After a month’s service as Deputy chief, he was appointed Chief of the United states Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea on May 15, 1953, where he served until his return to the United states in October 1953.  Following that assignment he was appointed Commanding General of the 3d Armored Division.  He assumed command of the Division on January 5, 1954.

General Rogers was promoted to Major General August 1, 1953.  In addition to the Distinguished Service Cross with Cluster, he holds the Silver star with Oak Leaf Cluster; Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters; Purple Heart; Bronze Star with oak Leaf Cluster; Commendation Ribbon with Oak Leaf Cluster; Combat Infantryman Badge; Distinguished Unit badge; Taeguk with Silver star, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

General Rogers was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant General.  He died in 1967 and was buried with full military honors in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery.

General Roger’s son, Gordon B. Rogers, Jr., while a Lieutenant Colonel, served in the 3d Armored Division as Battalion Commander of the 2d Battalion 33d Armor in the 1st Brigade  at Ayers Kaserne, Kirchgons, Germany 1976-1978. Gordon B. Rogers, Jr., later attained the rank of Brigadier General and today is retired and believed to reside in Georgia.

cib

ROGERS, GORDON B
LTG US ARMY

  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 08/22/1901
  • DATE OF DEATH: 07/02/1967
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 07/05/1967
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 1  SITE 943-A
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

ROGERS, MARY LOUISE WIFE OF ROGERS, GORDON BYRON

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 07/25/1910
  • DATE OF DEATH: 02/21/1963
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 02/25/1963
  • BURIED AT: SECTION I  SITE 943 -A
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF GB ROGERS – LT GEN US ARMY

gbrogers-070302

gbrogers-120304

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment