Martin H . Foery Martin H . Foery ( May 17 , 1913 – June 4 , 1994 ) , was a United States Army Major General born in Brooklyn , New York . He served as the Commanding General of 42nd Infantry Division " Rainbow Division " from 1963 to 1973 . Contents Early Years . Martin H . Foery was born in Brooklyn , New York in 1913 . He attended St . Johns Prep School ( class of 1932 ) where he was Class President and participated in Dramatics and Track . He then attended St . Johns University ( class of 1936 ) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree . While at St . John ' s University he was a member of the Track team and also served as Class Treasurer and Class President . He was also a member of the Omega Gamma Delta fraternity , Alpha Zeta chapter as well as the Skull and Circle Honor Society of St . John ' s University ( New York ) . He was married to the late Kathryn E . Foery ( née Shea ) and they had four children . Military Career and Background . Foery enlisted in the 165th Infantry ( 69th Infantry ) Army National Guard in 1931 . His first assignment was as a Private with Company " A " , 1st Battalion , 165th Infantry Regiment . He was promoted to Corporal in 1933 and Sergeant in 1934 . He remained with Co . " A " until he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1938 when he was assigned to Company " D " , 1st Battalion . In 1940 he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant . World War II . In 1941 the 165th was inducted into Federal service and was assigned to the U . S . Army 27th Infantry Division . At that time he was Executive Officer of Company " D " , 1st Btn . During World War II he served in the Pacific Theater as company commander during the Marianas Campaign . In 1942 he was promoted to Captain . He served as Executive Officer , and subsequently the Commanding Officer , of the 165th Inf . , 3rd Battalion . He was promoted to Major in 1943 . He was cited for Gallantry during the invasions of Makin in 1943 and Saipan in 1944 . In July 1944 he was awarded the Silver Star , the nations 3rd highest military decoration for valor , during the Battle of Saipan ( 27th Infantry Div , GO 47 / 1944 ) . In addition , he was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and " V " Device . In 1945 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel . Due to a family medical hardship he was transferred stateside and subsequently assigned to a Training Regiment at the Army Ground Forces Replacement Depot at Fort George Meade , Maryland . Post World War II . At the conclusion of World War II he left Federal service with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel . In 1947 he was assigned as the Executive Officer of the 165th Infantry Regiment . In 1949 he was promoted to Colonel and was made the Commanding Officer of the 165th Infantry Regiment . Upon his promotion to C . O . , he completed the military cycle from private to commander of the regiment he had joined eighteen years earlier . He was also a 1952 graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College . In 1957 he was promoted to a federally recognized Brigadier General . He served as Assistant Division Commander of the 42nd Infantry Division from 1957 until 1963 . In 1963 he was promoted to a federally recognized Major General and was subsequently named Commanding General by then New York State Governor Nelson A . Rockefeller . He served on the DOD Reserve Forces Policy Board from 1968 to 1971 . In March 1970 he mobilized the 42nd Infantry as part of Operation Graphic Hand to deliver U . S . Mail during the postal strike in New York . In September 1973 he was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal . In July 1973 he was awarded the New York State Conspicuous Service Medal , the 2nd highest military decoration of the New York State National Guard . He retired from service in 1973 . Military Published History & Other Information . General Foery is noted in several published military works including : " " 27th Infantry Division in World War II " " by Captain Edmund G . Love ; " " D - Day in the Pacific : The Battle of Saipan " " by Harold J . Goldberg ; " " Battling for Saipan " " by Francis A . O ' Brien ; " " The War in the Pacific : Campaign in the Marianas " " by Philip A . Crowl ; " " Not a Gentleman ' s War : An Inside View of Junior Officers in the Vietnam War " " By John R . Milam . He is also mentioned in " The National Guard in War : An Historical Analysis of the 27th Infantry Division ( New York National Guard ) in World War II " By Charles S . Kaune , MAJ , USA ; and " Saipan : The Beginning of the End " by Major Carl W . Hoffman , USMC . He is also listed under the Honorary Colonel ' s of the ( 69th ) Regiment . Promotions . < br > < br > Awards and Decorations . Foery ' s awards and decorations include the Silver Star , Legion of Merit , Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and " V " Device , American Defense , American Campaign , Asiatic Pacific Campaign ( w / two battle stars and Arrowhead device ) , World War II Victory , Combat Infantry Badge , Armed Forces Reserve ( w / Gold Hourglass device ) , New York State Conspicuous Service Medal , New York State Military Commendation , New York State Long & Faithful Service , New York State Conspicuous Service Cross , New York State Aid to Civil Authority Medal , Marksmanship Badge ( W / Rifle Bar ) and Honorable Service Button . Civilian career . In his civilian employment , Foery worked as a representative for Prudential Life Insurance Company . He died in June 1994 .