Firth, John G., LTC

LTC (Ret) JOHN G. FIRTH

1926 – 1985

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 77^th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Other Special Forces assignments included duty with the 1^st SFGA in Okinawa, Training Group at Fort Bragg, NC, the 8^th SFGA in Panama, SF Detachment Korea, and three tours with the 5^th 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.