Gerald J. Higgins

Gerald Joseph Higgins (29 August 1909 in Chicago, Illinois - 20 December 1996 in Riverside County, California) was a highly decorated Major General who served in World War II and the Korean War. He was famous for serving as the Chief of Staff for the 101st Airborne Division during the Second World War. Higgins was a 1934 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Units

 * 1941: 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
 * 1943-1945: Chief of Staff of the 101st Airborne Division
 * 1945: Commandant of the U.S. Army Parachute School
 * 1946-1948: Commandant of the Cadet Corps, U.S. Military Academy at West Point
 * 1950: Chief of the Army Support Center
 * 1952-1953: Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division

Awards & Decorations

 * Belgian Fourragere
 * Parachutist Badge
 * Silver Star Medal
 * Legion of Merit
 * Bronze Star Medal
 * American Campaign Medal
 * American Defense Service Medal
 * European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 Service stars
 * World War II Victory Medal
 * Army of Occupation Medal
 * Presidential Unit Citation with Oak leaf cluster
 * Croix de Guerre (1939-1945)
 * Croix de Guerre 1940
 * Korean Service Medal