Gordon Byrom Rogers Gordon Byrom Rogers ( August 22 , 1901 – July 3 , 1967 ) was a United States Army Lieutenant General who served in several command positions during World War II and the Korean War , including the United States Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea and the 3rd Armored Division . Early life . Rogers was born in Manchester , Tennessee . He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1924 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Cavalry . Start of military career . After graduation Rogers was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Regiment . In 1929 he completed the Cavalry Officer Course and in 1930 he graduated from the Advanced Equitation Course , both at Fort Riley , Kansas . For several years Rogers played on the Army Polo Team . In 1930 he was a member of the U . S . Olympic Equestrian Team . During the 1930s Rogers served with the 10th and 2nd Cavalry Regiments . In 1939 he graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College . He was then assigned to the 6th Cavalry at Fort Oglethorpe , Georgia , where he commanded a cavalry troop and then a cavalry squadron . World War II . In February 1942 he joined the 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Ft . Benning , Georgia , and soon advanced to regimental commander . He was the final commander of the regiment as a horse cavalry formation , and in the summer of 1942 it fielded tank s and was reorganized as the 3rd Armored Regiment . In July , 1942 , Rogers was named deputy chief of staff for intelligence , G - 2 at I Corps during training and mobilization in South Carolina , remaining with the Corps during its moved to Australia and subsequent combat in the Pacific Ocean Theater . General Rogers was next assigned as G - 2 for Army Ground Forces , serving in this post until September , 1945 . Post World War II . After the war Rogers was assigned to the War Department General Staff as chief of the Training Branch in the Office of the Director of Intelligence . Beginning in September , 1946 Rogers took part in the post - war occupation of Japan as commander of the 12th Cavalry Regiment ( part of 1st Brigade , 1st Cavalry Division ) , and the 5th Cavalry Regiment . In July , 1949 Rogers was appointed director of intelligence for the Command and General Staff College . Rogers graduated from the Army War College in 1951 , afterwards remaining at the college as a member of the faculty and acting deputy commandant . Korean War . In June , 1952 General Rogers went to Korea as assistant division commander of the 40th Infantry Division . After briefly serving as deputy commander , in May , 1953 Rogers was named commander of the United States Military Advisory Group to the Republic of Korea , where he served until October , 1953 . In this assignment Rogers was responsible for providing training and logistics support to the Republic of Korea Army . Post Korean War . Following that assignment he was appointed commanding general of the 3rd Armored Division based at Fort Knox , Kentucky . During his command the division was reorganized from a training unit to a deployable one and plans were made to relocate it to West Germany . Following his division command Rogers served in Munich , West Germany as commander of the Southern Area Command and deputy commander of the Seventh Army . In 1958 he advanced to commander of Seventh Army . From 1959 until his 1961 retirement Rogers was deputy commander of the Continental Army Command at Fort Monroe , Virginia . In this position he chaired the Army Aircraft Requirements Review Board ( or Rogers Board ) , which made recommendations contained in the Army ' s long term Aircraft Development Plan , as well as recommendations for the creation of air assault units . Post - military career . After his retirement from the Army General Rogers served as Director of the NATO Mutual Weapons Development Team . Awards and decorations . General Rogers ' awards included : the Distinguished Service Cross ( two awards ) ; Distinguished Service Medal ; Silver Star ( two awards ) ; Legion of Merit ( three awards ) ; Purple Heart ; Bronze Star Medal ( two awards ) ; and Combat Infantryman ' s Badge . Retirement and death . In retirement Rogers resided in Severna Park , Maryland . Rogers died at Walter Reed Hospital on July 3 , 1967 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery , Section 1 , Site 943 - A . Personal . In 1934 Rogers married Mary Louise Watson ( 1910 – 1963 ) in Washington , DC . One of their children , Gordon Byrom Rogers , Jr . ( born October 21 , 1934 ) graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1957 . The younger Rogers was a career Army officer who served in the Vietnam War and attained the rank of Brigadier General . Other . In his memoir David Hackworth cites Rogers as an example of Korean War senior officers who received undeserved awards for valor . According to Hackworth , Rogers received the Silver Star for nothing more than spending a short time at a forward command post while serving as assistant division commander of the 40th Infantry Division . Hackworth indicated that his perception of this incident led him to decide that the military ' s awards process had become devalued , and that senior officers should almost never be recommended for valor medals .