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MAJ Mark E Cooper
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Kingston, Robert (Barbwire Bob), GEN.
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Contact Info
Last Address Alexandria, VA
Date of Passing Feb 28, 2007
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
KINGSTON, ROBERT C. Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry), U.S. Army Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division Date of Action: November 22, 1966
Citation:
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Robert C. Kingston, Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.
Lieutenant Colonel Kingston distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions during the period 22 November 1966 to 24 November 1966 while commanding elements of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Division on a search and destroy mission.
When two of his companies made contact with the forward positions of a Viet Cong battalion, Colonel Kingston landed by helicopter and assumed control of ground operations. In the evening of 22 November 1966 when the lead company was pinned down by intense automatic weapons fire, Colonel Kingston, with complete disregard for his safety, charged a wounded Viet Cong and wrestled a weapon from him. While firing the captured weapon, he then led an assault on the hostile positions and forced the insurgents to flee.
Throughout the three day period, Colonel Kingston repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire, to encourage his troops and direct air strikes and artillery against the Viet Cong emplacements. His aggressive leadership and personal courage inspired his men to fight with renewed vigor and defeat the numerically superior hostile force. Colonel Kingston's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Other Comments:
General Robert Charles Kingston
Robert Kingston was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry from the Officer Candidate School at Fort Riley, Kansas in December 1949. Less than a year later, between 21-28 November 1950, 2LT Kingston distinguished himself as the commander of 'Task Force Kingston,' an element of the 3-32 Infantry Battalion, which fought it's way to the Yalu River despite of conditions of extreme cold and fierce enemy resistance. During this action, then-Lieutenant Kingston's task force was augmented by armor, artillery, and engineer formations all led by officers senior to him in rank and over whom he retained operational command. His actions and leadership during this operation are noted among the most impressive achievements of the Korean War and set the pattern for a career of exceptionally distinguished service. For the duration of the Korean War, he continued to serve in other positions of responsibility with the 3-32 Infantry Battalion, ending his first tour in Korea in 1954 as a Company Commander.
Between 1954 and 1961, General Kingston served in several Airborne and Ranger assignments including postings at Dahlonega, Georgia, with the 82d Airborne Division at Ft Bragg, and as an Airborne Exchange Officer to Great Britain. From 1961 to 1969, he served in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility including tours with the Army Airmobility Test Unit, as an advisor in Vietnam, and as the Commander of the 3d Special Forces Group. In late 1969, he returned to Vietnam to command the 3d Brigade and then the 1st Brigade of 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).
Between 1972, when he was promoted to Brigadier, and 1984 when he retired as a General, he commanded the Joint Casualty Resolution Center, the Kennedy Center for Military Assistance, the 2d Infantry Division, the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force, and finally, the United States Central Command. General Kingston is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the National War College and holds a Masters degree from George Washington University in International Relations. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Silver Star (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Legion of Merit (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star with V device (with Oak Leaf Cluster) and the Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd Award) and Master Parachutist Badge.
Vietnam War/Tet Counteroffensive Campaign (1968)
From Month/Year
January / 1968
To Month/Year
April / 1968
Description This campaign was from 30 January to 1 April 1968. On 29 January 1968 the Allies began the Tet-lunar new year expecting the usual 36-hour peaceful holiday truce. Because of the threat of a large-scale attack and communist buildup around Khe Sanh, the cease fire order was issued in all areas over which the Allies were responsible with the exception of the I CTZ, south of the Demilitarized Zone.
Determined enemy assaults began in the northern and Central provinces before daylight on 30 January and in Saigon and the Mekong Delta regions that night. Some 84,000 VC and North Vietnamese attacked or fired upon 36 of 44 provincial capitals, 5 of 6 autonomous cities, 64 of 242 district capitals and 50 hamlets. In addition, the enemy raided a number of military installations including almost every airfield. The actual fighting lasted three days; however Saigon and Hue were under more intense and sustained attack.
The attack in Saigon began with a sapper assault against the U.S. Embassy. Other assaults were directed against the Presidential Palace, the compound of the Vietnamese Joint General Staff, and nearby Ton San Nhut air base.
At Hue, eight enemy battalions infiltrated the city and fought the three U.S. Marine Corps, three U.S. Army and eleven South Vietnamese battalions defending it. The fight to expel the enemy lasted a month. American and South Vietnamese units lost over 500 killed, while VC and North Vietnamese battle deaths may have been somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000.
Heavy fighting also occurred in two remote regions: around the Special Forces camp at Dak To in the central highlands and around the U.S. Marines Corps base at Khe Sanh. In both areas, the allies defeated attempts to dislodge them. Finally, with the arrival of more U.S. Army troops under the new XXIV Corps headquarters to reinforce the marines in the northern province, Khe Sanh was abandoned.
Tet proved a major military defeat for the communists. It had failed to spawn either an uprising or appreciable support among the South Vietnamese. On the other hand, the U.S. public became discouraged and support for the war was seriously eroded. U.S. strength in South Vietnam totaled more than 500,000 by early 1968. In addition, there were 61,000 other allied troops and 600,000 South Vietnamese.
The Tet Offensive also dealt a visibly severe setback to the pacification program, as a result of the intense fighting needed to root out VC elements that clung to fortified positions inside the towns. For example, in the densely populated delta there had been approximately 14,000 refugees in January; after Tet some 170,000 were homeless. The requirement to assist these persons seriously inhibited national recovery efforts.
