This Military Service Page was created/owned by
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.
8th SPECIAL FORCES GROUP
Lineage
Constituted 5 July 1942 in the Army of the United States as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 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 Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion (see Annex) and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 8th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces. Activated 1 April 1963 at Fort Gulick, Canal Zone (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated).
ANNEX- Constituted 27 May 1942 in the Army of the United States Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Ranger Battalion. Activated 19 June 1942 at Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. Redesignated 1 August 1943 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion. Disbanded 15 August 1944 in the United States. Reconstituted 1 September 1948 in the Army of the United States Headquarters Company, 1st Infantry Battalion; concurrently, activated at Fort Gulick, Canal Zone. Inactivated 4 January 1950 at Fort Gulick, Canal Zone. Redesignated 24 November 1952 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Ranger Infantry Battalion and allotted to the Regular Army.
Campaigns
World War II
Northern France
Southern France
Rhineland
Ardennes
Central Europe
Aleutian Islands
New Guinea
Leyte (with arrowhead)
Luzon
Decorations
None