Frederick Kroesen

Frederick James Kroesen Jr. (11 February 1923 – 30 April 2020) was a United States Army four-star general who served as the Commanding General of the Seventh United States Army and the commander of NATO Central Army Group from 1979 to 1983, and Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command from 1976 to 1978. He also served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1978 to 1979. He commanded troops in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, enabling him to be one of the very small number who ever was entitled to wear the Combat Infantryman Badge with two Stars, denoting active combat in three wars. Kroesen was born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, the son of Jean (Shillinger) and Frederick Kroesen, who worked for the New Jersey state government. His paternal ancestor, Garret Dircksen Kroesen (1638–1680) arrived in America (New Netherland) from the Netherlands around 1661. Kroesen moved to the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey as a child and he attended Trenton Central High School. A 1944 graduate of Rutgers University, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture. He earned Bachelor of Arts (1962) and Master of Arts (1966) degrees in international affairs at George Washington University. In addition, he was also a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity to which his membership traces back to his days at Rutgers University. In 1944 Kroesen was commissioned through the Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, then fought in World War II with the 254th Infantry Regiment of the 63rd Infantry Division.