Robert C. Kingston
Encyclopedia
Robert Charles Kingston (July 16, 1928 - February 28, 2007) was an American
General who served as the commander of United States Central Command
.
Kingston graduated from Brookline High School
in 1947. He entered the Army
as an enlisted soldier in November 1948. The following year he attended Officer Candidate School
at Fort Riley
, Kansas and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry on December 20, 1949.
As a 2LT, he commanded Task Force Kingston in the early phase of the Korean War, driving his unit all the way to the Yalu River.
He has commanded troops at each level from platoon to brigade. In 1970 he was assigned as the Deputy Secretary of the General Staff, Office of the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army. In June 1972 General Kingston returned to Vietnam where he was promoted to Brigadier General in December and served as Deputy Commanding General, Second Regional Assistance Command and as Deputy Senior Advisor, II Corps and Military Region 2.
In January 1973, General Kingston assumed command of the Joint Casualty Resolution Center in Nakhon Phanom
, Thailand. Upon his return to the United States in 1974, he assumed duties as Assistant Division Commander of the First Infantry Division and was promoted to Major General in September 1975. He assumed command of the US Army John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance and the US Army Institute for Military Assistance at Fort Bragg
in 1975. Leaving Fort Bragg, General Kingston assumed command of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division in Tongduchon, Korea and served as Commanding General from June 1979 - June 1981. Following his promotion to Lieutenant General in 1981 he assumed command of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force, MacDill Air Force Base
Florida. On November 6, 1984 he was promoted to General and a year later he retired from active duty. Kingston died on February 28, 2007, at age 78, due to complications from a fall.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
General who served as the commander of United States Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
.
Kingston graduated from Brookline High School
Brookline High School
Brookline High School is a four-year public high school in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts, in the United States.As of the 2007-08 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,826 students and 136 teachers , for a student-teacher ratio of 13.4 to 1 teacher.-Education:Almost every senior in...
in 1947. He entered the Army
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...
as an enlisted soldier in November 1948. The following year he attended Officer Candidate School
Officer Candidate School (U.S. Army)
The United States Army's Officer Candidate School , located at Fort Benning, Georgia, provides training to become a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army...
at Fort Riley
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
, Kansas and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry on December 20, 1949.
As a 2LT, he commanded Task Force Kingston in the early phase of the Korean War, driving his unit all the way to the Yalu River.
He has commanded troops at each level from platoon to brigade. In 1970 he was assigned as the Deputy Secretary of the General Staff, Office of the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army. In June 1972 General Kingston returned to Vietnam where he was promoted to Brigadier General in December and served as Deputy Commanding General, Second Regional Assistance Command and as Deputy Senior Advisor, II Corps and Military Region 2.
In January 1973, General Kingston assumed command of the Joint Casualty Resolution Center in Nakhon Phanom
Nakhon Phanom
Nakhon Phanom is a town in northeastern Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Phanom Province. The town covers the whole tambon Nai Mueang and Nong Saeng and parts of tambon At Samat and Nong Yat, all of Mueang Nakhon Phanom district...
, Thailand. Upon his return to the United States in 1974, he assumed duties as Assistant Division Commander of the First Infantry Division and was promoted to Major General in September 1975. He assumed command of the US Army John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance and the US Army Institute for Military Assistance at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
in 1975. Leaving Fort Bragg, General Kingston assumed command of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division in Tongduchon, Korea and served as Commanding General from June 1979 - June 1981. Following his promotion to Lieutenant General in 1981 he assumed command of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force, MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
Florida. On November 6, 1984 he was promoted to General and a year later he retired from active duty. Kingston died on February 28, 2007, at age 78, due to complications from a fall.