John R. Guthrie
Encyclopedia
John Reiley Guthrie was a United States Army
four star general who served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Development and Research Command (CG DARCOM), from 1977 to 1981. In the 1980s, DARCOM was renamed United States Army Materiel Command
.
, on December 20, 1921. He graduated from Princeton University
with a B.A. degree in 1942. An honor graduate of the Princeton ROTC, he was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant, Field Artillery Reserve, and immediately ordered to active duty. He was integrated into the Regular Army in July 1946, while on duty with the War Department General Staff. In October 1946, he was assigned to London, England as Assistant to the Military Attaché, where he served for three years.
In November 1949, he returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the 39th Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning
, Georgia. He served as Battery Commander and S-3 of the 39th at Fort Benning, Japan and Korea, until June 1951 when he was assigned as S-3, 3rd Infantry Division Artillery. During this period, he participated in operations against guerrillas in the Wonsan
area, the evacuation from Hŭngnam
, the reoccupation of Seoul and the spring Chinese offensive and United Nations counteroffensive.
Upon his return to the United States, he commanded the 602nd Field Artillery Battalion and Fort Sill
from February 1952 to May 1953. He was then assigned to the Staff and Faculty at the Artillery and Guided Missile School as a member of the Combat Developments Department. In March 1956, he was transferred to the Office of the Chief of Research and Development, HQDA, for duty with the Surface-to-Surface Missiles Division and later with the Missiles and Space Division. He was the Army Staff project officer for the launching of the United States' first artificial earth satellite, Explorer 1. In July 1958, he was assigned as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Army and was appointed Assistant Executive to the Secretary of the Army on August 1, 1959.
After serving in this position for a year, he attended the National War College
and graduated in 1961. He was then assigned to the Staff, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, Camp H. M. Smith
, Hawaii, serving as Deputy Chief, War Games Branch, and Group Operations Officer, from August 1961 to February 1964. In February 1964, he assumed command of the 25th Infantry Division Artillery, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, which he commanded until appointed Chief of Staff, 25th Infantry Division, in July 1964. In July 1965, he returned to the Continental United States and was assigned to the Requirements and Development Division, J-5 Directorate, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
In March 1966, he became Director of Developments, Office of the Chief of Research and Development, HQDA. He remained in that position until his reassignment to Korea, where he served as Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver) and Assistant Division Commander (Support), 2nd Infantry Division, which at the time was actively engaged in counter-infiltration operations along the Korean Demilitarized Zone
.
General Guthrie was named Deputy Director of Development and Engineering, AMC, in November 1968; became Director of Research, Development and Engineering in August 1969; and was selected as Deputy Commanding General for Materiel Acquisition, AMC, in April 1971. In October 1973, General Guthrie returned overseas to become Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Pacific Command
, Hawaii. In March 1975, he was promoted to lieutenant general and assigned as Commanding General, IX Corps and United States Army, Japan
.
In May 1977, General Guthrie returned to AMC, which had been redesignated the U.S. Army Materiel Readiness and Development Command, as its Commanding General. He remained in that assignment until his retirement in August 1981.
's Landpower Education Program, a position he filled until December 1986. He also served as a Trustee of Princeton University from 1981 to 1985, was on the Board of Directors of the Army and Air Force Mutual Aid Association and the Board of Advisors of the National Contract Management Association, and as a member of the National Research Council
's Space Technology Assessment Panel and its Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Army Robotics.
Guthrie was married to Rebecca Jeffers Guthrie, who died on April 11, 2005. They had six children, one of whom is autistic.
General Guthrie died May 25, 2009.
The 2010 Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution celebrating his life and expressing the "high regard" in which his memory is held by the members of the legislature and the citizens of Virginia.
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...
four star general who served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Development and Research Command (CG DARCOM), from 1977 to 1981. In the 1980s, DARCOM was renamed United States Army Materiel Command
United States Army Materiel Command
The U.S. Army Materiel Command is the primary provider of materiel to the United States Army.The Command's mission includes the research & development of weapons systems as well as maintenance and parts distribution....
.
Military career
Guthrie was born in Phillipsburg, New JerseyPhillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950....
, on December 20, 1921. He graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
with a B.A. degree in 1942. An honor graduate of the Princeton ROTC, he was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant, Field Artillery Reserve, and immediately ordered to active duty. He was integrated into the Regular Army in July 1946, while on duty with the War Department General Staff. In October 1946, he was assigned to London, England as Assistant to the Military Attaché, where he served for three years.
In November 1949, he returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the 39th Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia. He served as Battery Commander and S-3 of the 39th at Fort Benning, Japan and Korea, until June 1951 when he was assigned as S-3, 3rd Infantry Division Artillery. During this period, he participated in operations against guerrillas in the Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
area, the evacuation from Hŭngnam
Hungnam
Hŭngnam was the third largest city in North Korea.It is a port city on the eastern coast, in South Hamgyong Province, on the Sea of Japan . The city covers an area of 250 square kilometers...
, the reoccupation of Seoul and the spring Chinese offensive and United Nations counteroffensive.
Upon his return to the United States, he commanded the 602nd Field Artillery Battalion and Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
from February 1952 to May 1953. He was then assigned to the Staff and Faculty at the Artillery and Guided Missile School as a member of the Combat Developments Department. In March 1956, he was transferred to the Office of the Chief of Research and Development, HQDA, for duty with the Surface-to-Surface Missiles Division and later with the Missiles and Space Division. He was the Army Staff project officer for the launching of the United States' first artificial earth satellite, Explorer 1. In July 1958, he was assigned as the Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Army and was appointed Assistant Executive to the Secretary of the Army on August 1, 1959.
After serving in this position for a year, he attended the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
and graduated in 1961. He was then assigned to the Staff, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, Camp H. M. Smith
Camp H. M. Smith
Camp H. M. Smith is a United States Marine Corps installation in the Hawaiian town of Aiea on the island of Oahu, near the community of Halawa Heights...
, Hawaii, serving as Deputy Chief, War Games Branch, and Group Operations Officer, from August 1961 to February 1964. In February 1964, he assumed command of the 25th Infantry Division Artillery, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, which he commanded until appointed Chief of Staff, 25th Infantry Division, in July 1964. In July 1965, he returned to the Continental United States and was assigned to the Requirements and Development Division, J-5 Directorate, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
In March 1966, he became Director of Developments, Office of the Chief of Research and Development, HQDA. He remained in that position until his reassignment to Korea, where he served as Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver) and Assistant Division Commander (Support), 2nd Infantry Division, which at the time was actively engaged in counter-infiltration operations along the Korean Demilitarized Zone
Korean Demilitarized Zone
The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...
.
General Guthrie was named Deputy Director of Development and Engineering, AMC, in November 1968; became Director of Research, Development and Engineering in August 1969; and was selected as Deputy Commanding General for Materiel Acquisition, AMC, in April 1971. In October 1973, General Guthrie returned overseas to become Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Pacific Command
United States Pacific Command
The United States Pacific Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States armed forces responsible for the Pacific Ocean area. It is led by the Commander, Pacific Command , who is the supreme military authority for the various branches of the Armed Forces of the United States serving...
, Hawaii. In March 1975, he was promoted to lieutenant general and assigned as Commanding General, IX Corps and United States Army, Japan
United States Army, Japan
United States Army, Japan consists of about 2,000 soldiers and is charged, during peacetime, with operating port facilities and a series of logistics installations throughout Honshū and Okinawa. USARJ participates actively with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in bilateral training exercises...
.
In May 1977, General Guthrie returned to AMC, which had been redesignated the U.S. Army Materiel Readiness and Development Command, as its Commanding General. He remained in that assignment until his retirement in August 1981.
Post military
In retirement, Guthrie was Director of the Association of the United States ArmyAssociation of the United States Army
The Association of the United States Army is a private, non-profit organization that acts primarily as an advocacy group for the United States Army. Founded in 1950, it has 125 chapters worldwide. Membership is open to everyone, not just Army personnel, nor is membership mandatory for soldiers,...
's Landpower Education Program, a position he filled until December 1986. He also served as a Trustee of Princeton University from 1981 to 1985, was on the Board of Directors of the Army and Air Force Mutual Aid Association and the Board of Advisors of the National Contract Management Association, and as a member of the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
's Space Technology Assessment Panel and its Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Army Robotics.
Guthrie was married to Rebecca Jeffers Guthrie, who died on April 11, 2005. They had six children, one of whom is autistic.
General Guthrie died May 25, 2009.
The 2010 Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution celebrating his life and expressing the "high regard" in which his memory is held by the members of the legislature and the citizens of Virginia.