John Cleland

John Robin Davis Cleland Jr. (5 July 1925 – 25 October 2017) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, he served from 1943 to 1980 and attained the rank of major general. Cleland's commands included the 8th Infantry Division (1975 to 1977), and his awards included two awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, four awards of the Legion of Merit, and two awards of the Purple Heart.

A native of Washington, D.C., Cleland came from a prominent military family that included his grandfather, General John L. Hines. He was raised and educated in Washington, and enlisted in the military for World War II. He entered the U.S. Army as a private, completed Officer Candidate School and Airborne School, and began a career in the Infantry. He served in the Philippines at the end of the war, and in the post-war Occupation of Japan. He went on to serve as a company commander during the Korean War, during which he was wounded twice.

Cleland's later assignments included completion of United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) as a student, and member of the CGSC faculty; while teaching at the staff college, he completed a bachelor's degree at the Municipal University of Omaha. After deployment to South Vietnam as an advisor to that country's military, he graduated from the United States Army War College and completed a master's degree at George Washington University.

During his second tour in Vietnam, Cleland commanded first a battalion, and later a brigade. Subsequent postings included chief of the US Military Mission to Cambodia, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, and commander of the United States Army Security Assistance Command. He retired from the army in 1980 and became a resident of Melbourne, Florida. Cleland worked as a strategic planning consultant until 1999 and was a noted activist for veteran's and civic causes. He died in Melbourne on 25 October 2017 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Early life John Robin Davis Cleland Jr. was born in Washington, DC on 5 July 1925, the son of John R. D. Cleland Sr. and Alice (Hines) Cleland. The senior Cleland was an army officer who received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in World War I and retired as a major. Alice Hines was the daughter of General John L. Hines, who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and the granddaughter of William M. Wherry, an American Civil War recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Cleland was raised and educated at army posts in locations including California, Nebraska, and the Philippines until 1938, when his parents divorced. His mother, two sisters and he then lived with his mother's parents in Washington, DC. Cleland graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1943. He missed his formal high school graduation ceremony because in early June, shortly before turning 18, he enlisted for World War II military service.

In 1950, Cleland was assigned to Korean War duty as executive officer and later commander of Company G, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment. While assigned to the CGSC, he was admitted to the Phi Alpha Theta honor society and in 1962 he completed a Bachelor of General Education degree at the Municipal University of Omaha under a program that permitted staff college faculty members to complete their civilian education. In 1965 he was assigned to take the course at the United States Army War College, and he graduated in 1966. They met again while Cleland convalesced at Walter Reed Army Hospital, and they married in 1952. Her awards included the Korean Service Medal with 4 bronze service stars, the United Nations Service Medal Korea, and the Army of Occupation Medal (Japan).

Later career From 1966 to 1967, Cleland served as assistant chief of staff for operations (G-3) for the 82nd Airborne Division. After promotion to colonel, he served as deputy commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. From 1979 until his 1980 retirement, Cleland commanded the United States Army Security Assistance Command. In 1971, he was inducted into the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame. Second Lieutenant (Regular Army), 18 March 1947 Captain (Army of the United States), 30 December 1950 Captain (Regular Army), 1 April 1953 Lieutenant Colonel (Regular Army), 5 May 1967 Colonel (Regular Army), 5 July 1971 Brigadier General, 26 November 1971 Major General (Retired), 1 October 1980