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|placeofburial= [[Arlington National Cemetery]], [[Virginia]], United States
|placeofburial= [[Arlington National Cemetery]], [[Virginia]], United States
|placeofburial_label=
|placeofburial_label=
|image=
|image= Ben Sternberg (2).jpg
|caption=
|caption=
|nickname=
|nickname=
|allegiance= {{flag|United States}}
|allegiance= {{flag|United States}}
|branch={{army|United States}}
|branch={{army|United States}}
|serviceyears=1938–1971
|serviceyears=1930–1934, 1938–1971
|servicenumber= 0-21286
|servicenumber= 0-21286
|rank= [[File:US-O8 insignia.svg|25px]] [[Major general (United States)|Major General]]
|rank= [[File:US-O8 insignia.svg|25px]] [[Major general (United States)|Major General]]
|commands=[[25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th Infantry Division]]<br>[[101st Airborne Division]]<br>2nd Battalion, [[18th Infantry Regiment (United States)|18th Infantry Regiment]]
|commands=[[25th Infantry Division (United States)|25th Infantry Division]]<br>[[101st Airborne Division]]<br>[[5th Infantry Regiment (United States)|5th Regimental Combat Team]]<br>2nd Battalion, [[18th Infantry Regiment (United States)|18th Infantry Regiment]]
|unit=[[File:USA - Army Infantry Insignia.png|25px]] [[Infantry Branch (United States)|Infantry Branch]]
|unit=[[File:USA - Army Infantry Insignia.png|25px]] [[Infantry Branch (United States)|Infantry Branch]]
|battles= [[World War II]]<br>[[Vietnam War]]
|battles= [[World War II]]<br>[[Vietnam War]]
|awards= [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]<br>[[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]]<br>[[Silver Star]]
|awards= [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]<br>[[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]]<br>[[Silver Star|Silver Star Medal]]<br>[[Legion of Merit]]<br>[[Bronze Star Medal]] (3)
|relations=
|relations=
|laterwork=
|laterwork=
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==Early life==
==Early life==
Sternberg was born in [[Starke, Florida]] on 28 February 1914. He enlisted in the [[Florida National Guard]] on 2 July 1930 and attended the [[Marion Military Institute]].<ref name=register>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mJwZAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA774 |title=Official Army Register: United States Army Active and Retired Lists |date=1 January 1955 |volume=I |page=774 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0J4BJHbKRkkC&pg=RA3-PA6 |title=Ben Sternberg '38 |date=September–October 2007 |volume=LXVI |issue=1 |page=6 |magazine=Taps: A Supplement to Assembly Magazine |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref>
He was born in [[Starke, Florida]] on 28 February 1914.


==Military career==
==Military career==
Sternberg enlisted in the Regular Army on 2 July 1933 and was subsequently appointed to the [[United States Military Academy]]. He graduated from West Point with a B.S. degree on 14 June 1938 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry.<ref name=register/>
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He graduated from the [[United States Military Academy]] in 1938.


In March 1943 as a Lieutenant colonel he commanded the 2nd Battalion, [[18th Infantry Regiment (United States)|18th Infantry Regiment]], [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]] in combat at the [[Battle of El Guettar]], [[Tunisia]]. For his actions he was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]. During the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]] he led the 2/18th Infantry when it captured [[Ponte Olivo Airfield]]<ref>{{cite book|last1=Garland|first1=Albert|last2=Smyth|first2=Howard|title=United States Army in World War II Mediterranean Theater of Operations Sicily and the Surrender of Italy|publisher=United States Army Center of Military History|year=1993|isbn=9781508422389|url= United States Army in World War II Mediterranean Theater of Operations Sicily and the Surrender of Italy|page=185}}</ref>
In March 1943 as a lieutenant colonel he commanded the 2nd Battalion, [[18th Infantry Regiment (United States)|18th Infantry Regiment]], [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]] in combat at the [[Battle of El Guettar]], [[Tunisia]]. For his actions he was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]. During the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]] he led the 2/18th Infantry when it captured [[Ponte Olivo Airfield]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Garland|first1=Albert|last2=Smyth|first2=Howard|title=United States Army in World War II Mediterranean Theater of Operations Sicily and the Surrender of Italy|publisher=United States Army Center of Military History|year=1993|isbn=9781508422389|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RHjZAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA185|page=185}}</ref>


After the war, Sternberg graduated from the [[United States Army Command and General Staff College|Command and General Staff College]] in 1948 and the [[United States Army War College|Army War College]] in 1953.<ref name=register/> From 1948 to 1951, he taught tactics at West Point. From 1953 to 1954, Sternberg was deployed to Korea, commanding the [[5th Infantry Regiment (United States)|5th Regimental Combat Team]] and serving at the [[Eighth United States Army|8th Army]] headquarters.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cNeqibq2y1EC&pg=469 |chapter=Class of 1938—Register of Graduates |title=Register of Graduates and Former Cadets 1802–1971 of the United States Military Academy |date=1971 |page=469 |publisher=The West Point Alumni Foundation Inc. |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref>
⚫
From January 1964 to March 1996 he served as a J-1 Manpower and Personnel Directorate, [[Military Assistance Command, Vietnam]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Morden|first=Bettie J.|title=The Women's Army Corps, 1945–1978|publisher=[[United States Army Center of Military History]]|year=2000|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/030/30-14-1/index.html|pages=241–2}}{{PD-notice}}</ref> He was promoted to Major general on 1 February 1965.


⚫
From January 1964 to March 1996 he served as a J-1 Manpower and Personnel Directorate, [[Military Assistance Command, Vietnam]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Morden|first=Bettie J.|title=The Women's Army Corps, 1945–1978|publisher=[[United States Army Center of Military History]]|year=2000|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/030/30-14-1/index.html|pages=241–2|access-date=4 August 2021|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225014135/https://history.army.mil/html/books/030/30-14-1/index.html|url-status=dead}}{{PD-notice}}</ref> He was promoted to Major general on 1 February 1965.
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[[File:Fort Campbell, Kentucky, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Major General Ben Sternberg in jeep during a rainstorm - NARA - 192520.tif|thumb|right|Sternberg with President Johnson at [[Fort Campbell]], July 1966]]

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[[File:Fort Campbell, Kentucky, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Major General Ben Sternberg in jeep during a rainstorm - NARA - 192520.jpg|thumb|right|Sternberg with President Johnson at [[Fort Campbell]], July 1966]]
From March 1966 to July 1967 he commanded the [[101st Airborne Division]]. [[The Associated Press]] on 9 June 1966 reported him saying that the U.S. would need 500,000 more troops to seal off the borders of South Vietnam from infiltration, that Premier [[Nguyễn Cao Kỳ]] would probably have to step aside given the repercussions of the [[Buddhist Uprising]] and that a U.S. defeat in Vietnam was a possibility.<ref>{{cite news|title=500,000 more troops needed in Vietnam, U.S. general says|newspaper=The New York Times|date=10 June 1966|page=3}}</ref> On 23 July 1966 he escorted President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] on an inspection of the division.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.lbjlibrary.net/assets/lbj_tools/daily_diary/pdf/1966/19660723.pdf |title=LBJ daily diary 23 July 1966|publisher=LBJ Library|accessdate=4 August 2021|pages=7–8}}</ref>
From March 1966 to July 1967 he commanded the [[101st Airborne Division]]. [[The Associated Press]] on 9 June 1966 reported him saying that the U.S. would need 500,000 more troops to seal off the borders of South Vietnam from infiltration, that Premier [[Nguyễn Cao Kỳ]] would probably have to step aside given the repercussions of the [[Buddhist Uprising]] and that a U.S. defeat in Vietnam was a possibility.<ref>{{cite news|title=500,000 more troops needed in Vietnam, U.S. general says|newspaper=The New York Times|date=10 June 1966|page=3}}</ref> On 23 July 1966 he escorted President [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] on an inspection of the division.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.lbjlibrary.net/assets/lbj_tools/daily_diary/pdf/1966/19660723.pdf |title=LBJ daily diary 23 July 1966|publisher=LBJ Library|accessdate=4 August 2021|pages=7–8}}</ref>


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==Decorations==
==Decorations==
His decorations include Distinguished Service Cross, [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]] and the [[Silver Star]].
His decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, the [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]], the [[Silver Star]], the [[Legion of Merit]] and three awards of the [[Bronze Star Medal]].<ref name=register/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/23129 |title=Ben Sternberg |website=Military Times |publisher=Sightline Media Group |access-date=22 November 2022}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sternberg, Ben}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sternberg, Ben}}
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[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
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[[Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War]]
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:United States Army generals]]
[[Category:People from Starke, Florida]]
[[Category:Florida National Guard personnel]]
[[Category:Marion Military Institute alumni]]
[[Category:United States Army soldiers]]
[[Category:United States Military Academy alumni]]
[[Category:United States Military Academy alumni]]
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[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Silver Star]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Silver Star]]
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[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni]]
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[[Category:United States Military Academy faculty]]
[[Category:United States Army War College alumni]]
[[Category:United States Army generals]]
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[[Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War]]
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[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Honolulu]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:People from Starke, Florida]]
[[Category:Operation Overlord people]]

Latest revision as of 16:18, 29 March 2024

Ben Sternberg
Born(1914-02-28)28 February 1914
Starke, Florida, United States
Died2 January 2004(2004-01-02) (aged 89)
Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii, United States
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, United States
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1930–1934, 1938–1971
Rank Major General
Service number0-21286
Unit Infantry Branch
Commands25th Infantry Division
101st Airborne Division
5th Regimental Combat Team
2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsWorld War II
Vietnam War
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal (3)

Major General Ben Sternberg (28 February 1914 – 2 January 2004) was a United States Army officer who served in World War II and the Vietnam War.

Early life

[edit]

Sternberg was born in Starke, Florida on 28 February 1914. He enlisted in the Florida National Guard on 2 July 1930 and attended the Marion Military Institute.[1][2]

Military career

[edit]

Sternberg enlisted in the Regular Army on 2 July 1933 and was subsequently appointed to the United States Military Academy. He graduated from West Point with a B.S. degree on 14 June 1938 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry.[1]

In March 1943 as a lieutenant colonel he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in combat at the Battle of El Guettar, Tunisia. For his actions he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. During the Allied invasion of Sicily he led the 2/18th Infantry when it captured Ponte Olivo Airfield.[3]

After the war, Sternberg graduated from the Command and General Staff College in 1948 and the Army War College in 1953.[1] From 1948 to 1951, he taught tactics at West Point. From 1953 to 1954, Sternberg was deployed to Korea, commanding the 5th Regimental Combat Team and serving at the 8th Army headquarters.[4]

From January 1964 to March 1996 he served as a J-1 Manpower and Personnel Directorate, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.[5] He was promoted to Major general on 1 February 1965.

Sternberg with President Johnson at Fort Campbell, July 1966

From March 1966 to July 1967 he commanded the 101st Airborne Division. The Associated Press on 9 June 1966 reported him saying that the U.S. would need 500,000 more troops to seal off the borders of South Vietnam from infiltration, that Premier Nguyễn Cao Kỳ would probably have to step aside given the repercussions of the Buddhist Uprising and that a U.S. defeat in Vietnam was a possibility.[6] On 23 July 1966 he escorted President Lyndon B. Johnson on an inspection of the division.[7]

In 1971 he commanded the 25th Infantry Division.

His final assignment was as commanding general U.S. Army, Hawaii.

Later life

[edit]

He retired from the U.S. Army in Hawaii. He died on 2 January 2004 at Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Decorations

[edit]

His decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit and three awards of the Bronze Star Medal.[1][8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Official Army Register: United States Army Active and Retired Lists. Vol. I. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1 January 1955. p. 774. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Ben Sternberg '38". Taps: A Supplement to Assembly Magazine. Vol. LXVI, no. 1. September–October 2007. p. 6. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  3. ^ Garland, Albert; Smyth, Howard (1993). United States Army in World War II Mediterranean Theater of Operations Sicily and the Surrender of Italy. United States Army Center of Military History. p. 185. ISBN 9781508422389.
  4. ^ "Class of 1938—Register of Graduates". Register of Graduates and Former Cadets 1802–1971 of the United States Military Academy. The West Point Alumni Foundation Inc. 1971. p. 469. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  5. ^ Morden, Bettie J. (2000). The Women's Army Corps, 1945–1978. United States Army Center of Military History. pp. 241–2. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ "500,000 more troops needed in Vietnam, U.S. general says". The New York Times. 10 June 1966. p. 3.
  7. ^ "LBJ daily diary 23 July 1966" (PDF). LBJ Library. pp. 7–8. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Ben Sternberg". Military Times. Sightline Media Group. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
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