Andrew Goodpaster

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Andrew Jackson Goodpaster (12 February 1915 - 16 May 2005) was a notable American general. He served as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe from 1 July 1969 and Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 5 May 1969 until his retirement 17 December 1974. He returned to service in June 1977 as the 51st Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point until he retired again in July 1981.

Goodpaster's career in the Army began with a commission to the Corps of Engineers after graduation from West Point in 1939. After serving in Panama he returned to the U.S. in mid-1942 and, in 1943, attended a wartime course at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

During the Second World War, he commanded the 48th Engineer Combat Battalion in North Africa and Italy. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and two Purple Hearts for his service in World War II.

Goodpaster was known as a "soldier-scholar". He received an M.S. in Engineering and an M.A. and Ph.D. in International Affairs from Princeton University. He served as the Commandant of the National War College (1967-1968) and authored the book "For the Common Defense".

After retiring in 1974, he served as senior fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and taught at the Citadel. He was brought back to active duty as superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy (1977-1981) after a notorious cheating scandal in 1976.

In his later years, Goodpaster was vocal in advocating the reduction of nuclear weapons. In 1996, along with General Lee Butler and General Eugene Carroll, Goodpaster co-authored a statement for the Global Security Institute advocating the complete elimination of nuclear weapons due to their danger and lack of military utility.

Goodpaster was Staff Secretary and Defense Liaison Officer to President Eisenhower and later advised the Johnson, Nixon, and Carter Administrations. Other key assignments include command of the San Francisco District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the 8th Infantry Division in Germany (1961-1962), Director of the Joint Staff, and Deputy Commander of US forces in Vietnam (1968-1969). His military career culminated as Commander-in-Chief of USEUCOM and Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Forces (1969-1974).

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan awarded Goodpaster the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

[edit] References

NATO biography

Preceded by Sidney Bryan Berry	Superintendents of the United States Military Academy 1977–1981	Succeeded by Willard Warren Scott, Jr.
Preceded by Gen. Lyman Lemnitzer	Supreme Allied Commander Europe (NATO) 1969—1974	Succeeded by Gen. Alexander Haig