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MAJ Mark E Cooper
to remember
Aaron, Harold Robert, LTG USA(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Kokomo
Last Address Fort Belvoir, VA
Date of Passing Apr 30, 1980
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Harold Robert Aaron Birth: June 21, 1921 Death: April 30, 1980
United States Army General. Graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1943, and was assigned as a Second Lieutenant and Company Commander in the European Theatre during World War II.
He served in a number of various posts in Europe and the Pacific after the war, rising in the ranks until he was promoted to Lieutenant General.
He served as commander of U.S. Special Forces in the Pacific from 1967 to 1969, as assistant Chief of Intelligence for the Department of the Army from 1973 to 1977, and as Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from 1977 to 1979.
He was decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters during his service.
Lieutenant General Harold Aaron, U.S. Military Academy Class of June 1943.
Distinguished service in special operations and intelligence assignments.
Commander, 5th Special Forces Group, Republic of Vietnam; Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence, U.S. Army, Europe. Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Army; Deputy Director, Defense Intelligence Agency. Extract from Register of Graduates, U.S. Military Academy, 1980:
Born in Indiana, 21 June 1921 Infantry, Company Commander, 259 Infantry, Theater Army Europe, 1944 to 1945 (two Bronze Star Medals; Combat Infantry Badge; Army Commendation Ribbon; Purple Heart) Command and General Staff College, 1953 MA Georgetown University, 1960 Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense, 1961 to 1963 National War College, 1964 Ph.D. Georgetown University, 1964 Aide-de-camp to Commanding General, 8th Army, 1964 to 1965 Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1965 to 1967 Legion of Merit) Commander, 1st Special Forces Group, 1967 to 1968; (Legion of Merit) Commander, 5th Special Forces Group, Republic of Vietnam, 1968 to 1969 (Distinguished Service Medal; Bronze Star Medal; two Air Medals; Combat Infantry Badge) Assistant Division Commander, 8th Division, 1969 to 1971 Chief of Staff, V Corps, Germany, 1971 to 1972 Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, US Army, Europe, 1972 to 1973 (Legion of Merit) Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Army, 1973 to 1977 (Distinguished Service Medal) Deputy Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, 1977 to 1979 (Defense Distinguished Service Medal Retired in 1979 as a Lieutenant General Senior Staff Scientist with TRW, 1979 Died at Fort Belvoir, 30 April 1980
Constituted 5 July 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 2d Company, 1st Battalion, First Regiment, 1st Special Service Force, a combined Canadian-American organization
Activated 9 July 1942 at Fort William Henry Harrison, Montana
Disbanded 6 January 1945 in France
Reconstituted 15 April 1960 in the Regular Army; concurrently consolidated with Company B, 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion (activated 19 June 1942), and consolidated unit redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces
Consolidated 30 September 1960 with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Special Forces Group (constituted 14 June 1957 in the Regular Army and activated 24 June 1957 in Japan), and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces (organic units concurrently constituted and activated 4 October 1960)
Group inactivated 30 June 1974 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Activated 1 September 1984 at Fort Lewis, Washington
(Former Company B, 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion, withdrawn 3 February 1986, consolidated with Company N, 75th Infantry, and consolidated unit redesignated as Company N, 75th Ranger Regiment , hereafter separate lineage)
Redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 1st Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Regiment
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT
World War II
*Aleutian Islands
*Naples-Foggia
*Anzio
*Rome-Arno
*Southern France (with arrowhead)
*Rhineland
1st Special Forces Battalion additionally entitled to:
War on Terrorism
Global War on Terrorism
2d Special Forces Battalion additionally entitled to:
War on Terrorism
Campaigns to be determined
DECORATIONS
*Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered PACIFIC AREA 1972-1973
*Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered ASIA 2002
*Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered JULY-AUGUST 1972
Company C, 1st Special Forces Battalion, additionally entitled to:
Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IRAQ 2007
Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered CENTRAL IRAQ 2008-2009
Company C, 2d Special Forces Battalion, additionally entitled to:
Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IRAQ 2007