Jackson S. Gouraud III – Colonel, United States Army

From a news report: August 20, 2002

Colonel Jackson S. Gouraud,United States Army (retired) died August 17, 2002. He was 83 years old. Jackson Gouraud was born on September 7, 1918 to Powers St. George Gouraud & Irma Schlesinger Hunt in New York City. He graduated from Townsend Harris and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also lectured at Yale University on nuclear proliferation.

During World War II, Colonel Gouraud enlisted in the United States Army. He survived a plane crash in the jungles of British Guiana and later fought as a combat Company Commander in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he served as Senior Officer for Sub-Sahara Africa. He retired from military service as a full Colonel. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge and Bronze Star.

He joined Pfizer Corp. in 1953, where he launched the Veterinary and Animal Health Division whose annual revenue now exceeds $3 billion. Col. Gouraud co-founded the first marketing consulting firm in the U.S. in 1960. Among his marketing achievements, included launching Valium for Roche, introducing split-run advertising and creating the science of persuasion. Gouraud joind the Department of Energy during the Carter administration as Deputy Under-Secretary. He was responsible for the commercialization of all alternative energy sources. He subsequently became Chairman and President of the Solar Energy Industries and Association. He took Energy Clinic Corporation public and was Chairman off Servamatic Systems, then the largest solar energy company.

Colonel Gouraud was the seventh generation to serve in the American military and was also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He was very proud of many of his ancestors including his greatgrandfather George Snow who co-founded
the Herald Tribune with Horace Greeley. Gouraud’s grandfather, George Edward Gouraud, received the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism in the Civil War at the Battle of Honey Hill South Carolina.

Jackson met Sheila M. McCowan in British Guiana in 1941. They were married on January 31, 1942. She preceeded him in death in October 1994. In 1996, he married Betty Upham Buffum, who survives him. He is also survived by his daughter Meg, son George, daughter-in-law Tracey and grandsons Michael Briley and Charles and
Steven Gouraud.

He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Colonel Jackson S. Gouraud III

Decorated combat commander, served as senior officer in charge of sub-Sahara Africa. Awarded Legion of Merit by President Nixon. Appointed as the first Deputy Under Secretary of Energy in the Carter Administration. Owned and managed consulting firms, both here and in Europe, and consulted to over 250 major energy and pharmaceutical corporations. Managed major divisions of Seagrams, Liggett & Myers, Sperry, and Pfizer. Served as President and Chairman of  the Solar Energy Industries Association.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard