Gordon Byrom Rogers
Encyclopedia
Gordon Byrom Rogers was a United States Army
Lieutenant General
who served in several command positions during World War II
and the Korean War
, including the United States Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea and the 3rd Armored Division.
. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
in 1924 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Cavalry
.
In 1929 he completed the Cavalry Officer Course and in 1930 he graduated from the Advanced Equitation Course, both at Fort Riley, Kansas.
For several years Rogers played on the Army Polo Team. In 1930 he was a member of the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team
.
During the 1930s Rogers served with the 10th and 2nd Cavalry Regiments.
In 1939 he graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College
. He was then assigned to the 6th Cavalry at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
, where he commanded a cavalry troop
and then a cavalry squadron.
s and was reorganized as the 3rd Armored Regiment.
In July, 1942, Rogers was named deputy chief of staff for intelligence, G-2 at I Corps during training and mobilization in South Carolina
, remaining with the Corps during its moved to Australia
and subsequent combat in the Pacific Ocean Theater.
General Rogers was next assigned as G-2 for Army Ground Forces
, serving in this post until September, 1945.
Beginning in September, 1946 Rogers took part in the post-war occupation of Japan
as commander of the 12th Cavalry Regiment (part of 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division), and the 5th Cavalry Regiment.
In July, 1949 Rogers was appointed director of intelligence for the Command and General Staff College
.
Rogers graduated from the Army War College in 1951, afterwards remaining at the college as a member of the faculty and acting deputy commandant.
as assistant division commander of the 40th Infantry Division.
After briefly serving as deputy commander, in May, 1953 Rogers was named commander of the United States Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea, where he served until October, 1953. In this assignment Rogers was responsible for providing training and logistics support to the Republic of Korea Army
.
.
Following his division command Rogers served in Munich
, West Germany
as commander of the Southern Area Command and deputy commander of the Seventh Army. In 1958 he advanced to commander of Seventh Army.
From 1959 until his 1961 retirement Rogers was deputy commander of the Continental Army Command
at Fort Monroe, Virginia. In this position he chaired the Army Aircraft Requirements Review Board (or Rogers Board), which made recommendations contained in the Army's long term Aircraft Development Plan, as well as recommendations for the creation of air assault units.
(two awards); Distinguished Service Medal
; Silver Star
(two awards); Legion of Merit
(three awards); Purple Heart; Bronze Star Medal
(two awards); and Combat Infantryman's Badge.
. Rogers died at Walter Reed Hospital on July 3, 1967 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
, Section 1, Site 943-A.
and attained the rank of Brigadier General
.
for nothing more than spending a short time at a forward command post while serving as assistant division commander of the 40th Infantry Division. Hackworth indicated that his perception of this incident led him to decide that the military's awards process had become devalued, and that senior officers should almost never be recommended for valor medals.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
who served in several command positions during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, including the United States Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea and the 3rd Armored Division.
Early life
Rogers was born in Manchester, TennesseeManchester, Tennessee
Manchester is a city in Coffee County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 10,102 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Coffee County...
. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1924 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
.
Start of military career
After graduation Rogers was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Regiment.In 1929 he completed the Cavalry Officer Course and in 1930 he graduated from the Advanced Equitation Course, both at Fort Riley, Kansas.
For several years Rogers played on the Army Polo Team. In 1930 he was a member of the U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team
United States Equestrian Team
The United States Equestrian Team, or USET, was founded in 1950 at the Coates estate on van Beuren Road in Morristown, New Jersey, and is the international equestrian team for the United States...
.
During the 1930s Rogers served with the 10th and 2nd Cavalry Regiments.
In 1939 he graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...
. He was then assigned to the 6th Cavalry at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
Fort Oglethorpe is a city in Catoosa County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,263. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, where he commanded a cavalry troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
and then a cavalry squadron.
World War II
In February 1942 he joined the 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Benning, Georgia, and soon advanced to regimental commander. He was the final commander of the regiment as a horse cavalry formation, and in the summer of 1942 it fielded tankTank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s and was reorganized as the 3rd Armored Regiment.
In July, 1942, Rogers was named deputy chief of staff for intelligence, G-2 at I Corps during training and mobilization in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, remaining with the Corps during its moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and subsequent combat in the Pacific Ocean Theater.
General Rogers was next assigned as G-2 for Army Ground Forces
Army Ground Forces
The Army Ground Forces were one of the three autonomous components of the Army of the United States during World War II, the others being the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces. Throughout their existence, Army Ground Forces were the largest training organization ever established in the United...
, serving in this post until September, 1945.
Post World War II
After the war Rogers was assigned to the War Department General Staff as chief of the Training Branch in the Office of the Director of Intelligence.Beginning in September, 1946 Rogers took part in the post-war occupation of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as commander of the 12th Cavalry Regiment (part of 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division), and the 5th Cavalry Regiment.
In July, 1949 Rogers was appointed director of intelligence for the Command and General Staff College
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...
.
Rogers graduated from the Army War College in 1951, afterwards remaining at the college as a member of the faculty and acting deputy commandant.
Korean War
In June, 1952 General Rogers went to KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
as assistant division commander of the 40th Infantry Division.
After briefly serving as deputy commander, in May, 1953 Rogers was named commander of the United States Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea, where he served until October, 1953. In this assignment Rogers was responsible for providing training and logistics support to the Republic of Korea Army
Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
.
Post Korean War
Following that assignment he was appointed commanding general of the 3rd Armored Division based at Fort Knox, Kentucky. During his command the division was reorganized from a training unit to a deployable one and plans were made to relocate it to West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
Following his division command Rogers served in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
as commander of the Southern Area Command and deputy commander of the Seventh Army. In 1958 he advanced to commander of Seventh Army.
From 1959 until his 1961 retirement Rogers was deputy commander of the Continental Army Command
United States Army Forces Command
United States Army Forces Command is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM consists of more than 750,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National...
at Fort Monroe, Virginia. In this position he chaired the Army Aircraft Requirements Review Board (or Rogers Board), which made recommendations contained in the Army's long term Aircraft Development Plan, as well as recommendations for the creation of air assault units.
Post Military Career
After his retirement from the Army General Rogers served as Director of the NATO Mutual Weapons Development Team.Awards and decorations
General Rogers' awards included: the Distinguished Service CrossDistinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
(two awards); Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
; Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
(two awards); Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(three awards); Purple Heart; Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
(two awards); and Combat Infantryman's Badge.
Retirement and death
In retirement Rogers resided in Severna Park, MarylandSeverna Park, Maryland
Severna Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 28,507 at the 2000 census.-History:Robinson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.-Geography:...
. Rogers died at Walter Reed Hospital on July 3, 1967 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, Section 1, Site 943-A.
Personal
In 1934 Rogers married Mary Louise Watson (1910–1963) in Washington, DC. One of their children, Gordon Byrom Rogers, Jr. (born October 21, 1934) graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1957. The younger Rogers was a career Army officer who served in the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and attained the rank of Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
.
Other
In his memoir David Hackworth cites Rogers as an example of Korean War senior officers who received undeserved awards for valor. According to Hackworth, Rogers received the Silver StarSilver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
for nothing more than spending a short time at a forward command post while serving as assistant division commander of the 40th Infantry Division. Hackworth indicated that his perception of this incident led him to decide that the military's awards process had become devalued, and that senior officers should almost never be recommended for valor medals.
External resources
- Find A Grave page, Gordon B. Rogers, accessed April 23, 2011
- Arlington Cemetery.net page, Gordon Byrom Rogers, accessed May 8, 2011