John Kizirian

John Kizirian (April 2, 1928 - February 26, 2006) was a highly decorated member of the United States Armed Forces for over three decades and served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Kizirian enlisted in the United States Navy near the end of World War II at the age of 17. In 1949, he applied for a transfer to the Army and became a sergeant. During the Korean War, he fought in the infantry in numerous front line battles, becoming a lieutenant and platoon leader. By the Vietnam War, Kizirian was an intelligence officer who frequently led troops in special combat missions. After 30 years of service, Kizirian retired from the military as a colonel in 1975, but returned to duty again to serve as the U.S. Defense Representative in Indonesia from 1980 to 1984. Believed to be one of the most decorated Armenian-Americans ever to serve, Kizirian earned the Distinguished Service Cross, Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit (4 awards), Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star with V Device (6 awards), the Purple Heart (3 awards), and the Air Medal (14 awards). With a total of sixty-six decorations and awards, Kizirian is regarded as the most highly decorated Army Intelligence officer in United States history. Kizirian's father, through a sponsorship by his uncle Garabed Kizirboghosian (Kizirboghosian would later be changed to Kizirian) who already lived in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, arrived in the United States in 1914. Kizirian's mother, along with her family emigrated to Cuba in order to seek an opportunity to move to the United States. By an arrangement, Kizirian's father, who was already a U.S. citizen, went to Cuba in 1927, met Kizirian's mother, married her and brought her to Whitinsville. Prior to the marriage, Kizirian's father was a baker, but after the marriage, he went to work for the Whitin Machine Works as a laborer where he worked for 45 years. Kizirian's mother was a housewife. He had two sisters, Margaret and Ani.

John Kizirian grew up on 34 Willow Street in Whitinsville and attended the local Northbridge High School. At an early age, Kizirian worked at a nearby floral shop as a panel setter. In his junior year of high school, Kizirian was on the student council and on February 3, 1944, became Northbridge's first Eagle Scout.

Military service

Active duty John Kizirian joined the United States Navy on May 3, 1945, and was sent to Sampson Air Force Base, New York for boot camp. From there he was sent to San Diego, California to learn to be a pharmacist mate. While he was acquiring his education, World War II ended. He was then sent to a naval hospital in Virginia, then to a medical technology school in Cambridge, Maryland, Maryland where he became a lab technician.

Kizirian spent his third year in the navy on the , a light cruiser which was part of the Atlantic Fleet. He was then assigned to Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. He spent approximately a year in Puerto Rico and was discharged on April 3, 1949.

After serving the navy, Kizirian returned to Whitinsville and remained in the reserves. He worked in the stock room of the Whitin Machine Works. Kizirian desired to return to the military and went to a local navy recruiter. The navy recruiter stated that they can only accept him as a hospital apprentice which Kizirian subsequently refused. He then applied to the Army and got accepted as a sergeant in 1949.