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MAJ Mark E Cooper
to remember
Firth, John G., LTC.
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John Firth, age 59, died 24 Feb, 1985 at Presbyterian Hospital, Charlotte, NC, of congestive heart failure. John retired from the US Army in 1970. He served in Europe during WWII and entered Special Forces in August of 1957 as a member of the 77th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Other Special Forces assignments included duty with the 1st SFGA in Okinawa, Training Group at Fort Bragg, NC, the 8th SFGA in Panama, SF Detachment Korea, and three tours with the 5th SFGA in Vietnam.
His awards and decorations include numerous campaign medals from WWII, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge w/Star, Bronze Star Medal w/OLC, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal w/OLC, Master Parachutist Badge, Jungle Expert Badge, Vietnamese Ranger Badge, Joint Service Commendation Medal w/OLC, and the Expert Infantry Badge.
When he moved to Charlotte in 1971, he became a Senior ROTC Instructor at Olympic High School. He was a member of the Steele Creek Masonic Lodge737 and of the Scottish Rite Bodies. John was a graduate of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville and a member of their Alumni Association. He was buried with full military honors and Masonic Rites at the Fort Bragg Post Cemetery on 27 Feb, 1985. He is survived by his wife, Jere; sons CPT Craig Firth of Washington, DC, Steven Firth of Boone, NC; a daughter, Mrs. Deborah Moore; brothers, Ellis Firth of Monticello, FL, Joseph Firth of Hampton, VA, a sister, Catherine Adams of Hampton, and three grandchildren.
1960-1964, 1542, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne)
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
