Frederick Kroesen

Frederick James Kroesen, Jr. (born February 11, 1923) is a United States Army four-star general and was 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 Army from 1978 to 1979.

Born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Kroesen is a graduate of Rutgers University. He earned an M.A. in International Affairs at George Washington University. He commanded troops in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

After leaving the army, Kroesen became a businessman. He is currently chairman of the board of Military Professional Resources Inc. and a senior fellow at the Institute of Land Warfare of the Association of the United States Army. He is additionally the Vice-President of the American Security Council Foundation.

World War II
General Kroesen fought in World War II with the 254th Infantry Regiment of the 63rd Infantry Division. He was a company grade officer, serving as platoon leader and company commander, in the fighting in the Colmar Pocket and into Germany. He participated in the particularly tough fighting in Jebsheim.

Baader-Meinhof Gang Attack
General Kroesen was injured in Heidelberg on September 15, 1981, when his armoured Mercedes was targeted with a RPG-7 anti-tank rocket. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the "Kommando Gudrun Ensslin" of the Red Army Faction (aka Baader-Meinhof Gang).

Education

 * Rutgers University ROTC
 * Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, 1956
 * Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA, 1959
 * United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA, 1962

Senior Assignments

 * Commanding Officer, 196th Light Infantry Brigade of the Americal Division
 * Deputy Commander, XXIV Corps
 * Commanding General, First Regional Assistance Command
 * Commanding General, 23rd Infantry Division
 * Commanding General, 82nd Airborne Division
 * Deputy Commanding General, V Corps
 * Commanding General, VII Corps
 * Commanding General, Seventh United States Army
 * Commanding General, United States Army Europe
 * Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command
 * Commanding General, NATO Central Army Group
 * Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army

Awards and decorations

 * Association of the United States Army Abrams Award, 2005
 * West Point Assiciation of Graduates Sylvanus Thayer Award, 2007
 * Namesake of the American Security Council Foundation General Frederick Kroesen Leadership Award
 * Chairman Emeritus of the board of MPRI

Works

 * General Thoughts: Seventy Years with the Army. Publisher: Institute of Land Warfare, Association of the United States Army, 2003