George S . Blanchard George Samuel Blanchard ( April 3 , 1920 – May 3 , 2006 ) was a United States Army four - star general who served as Commander in Chief , U . S . Army Europe / Commander , Central Army Group ( CINCUSAREUR / COMCENTAG ) from 1975 to 1979 . Military career . Blanchard was born on April 3 , 1920 in Washington , D . C . and graduated in 1938 from Eastern High School . After high school he attended American University from 1938 to 1940 , then enlisted in the National Guard , serving in the Coast Artillery and rising to the rank of sergeant . He received a National Guard appointment to the United States Military Academy and graduated on D - Day , June 6 , 1944 . He was commissioned in the infantry , and was soon deployed to Europe , serving with the 70th and 78th Infantry Division s . After World War II , he served on the general staff of United States Forces , European Theater , and then returned to the states to earn a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell Graduate School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in 1949 . Blanchard served in various positions during the 1950s , including as an assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , General Omar Bradley , a tactics instructor at Fort Benning ; and as a military advisor in Taiwan from 1955 to 1957 . After being promoted to colonel in 1959 , Blanchard assumed command of the 2nd Airborne Battle Group , 503rd Infantry , 82nd Airborne Division , and subsequently served as the G - 3 of I Corps in Korea . In 1966 , he went to Vietnam and served as Assistant Division Commander , 1st Cavalry Division ( Airmobile ) , and later served as Chief of Staff , I Field Force , Vietnam . After his time in Vietnam , he was assigned as Director of Special Warfare in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations ; and Director of Plans , Programs and Budget for two major Army General Staff organizations , and he served as executive officer to two Secretaries of the Army . After his time at the Pentagon , he took command of the 82nd Airborne Division in 1970 . He next returned to Europe to command the VII Corps , and subsequently U . S . Army Europe , as the army was transitioning to an all - volunteer force . He is credited with instituting the use of television to broadcast command information . He also instituted the Sergeant Morales competition in 1973 , a program to designed to improve the morale and performance of the NCO corps . Blanchard was also known for his attempts to combat alcoholism in the army , which included banning discount drinks during happy hours in post clubs , prohibiting units from holding drinking contests , and opening the first alcoholism treatment center in Europe for officers and senior enlisted soldiers . Decorations . Blanchard ' s awards and decorations included the Army Distinguished Service Medal , the Silver Star , the Legion of Merit , the Distinguished Flying Cross , the Bronze Star , the Air Medal , Army Aviator Badge , and Airborne badge . His military education included the Infantry Officer Advanced Course , Basic Airborne Course , Command and General Staff College and the Armed Forces Staff College . He retired in 1979 . Post military . Blanchard retired to McLean , Virginia , where he established General Analysis Inc . , a defense consulting firm . He was also a member of the Atlantic Council Board , the Army Science Board , the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs and president of both the Retired Officers Association and the United Service Organizations in the 1980s . In 1990 , the Blanchards moved to North Carolina , and while there he helped organize a program where retirees tutor the illiterate . In 2001 , the Association of Graduates , the United States Military Academy alumni organization , selected him as that year ' s recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award . He and his wife returned to Virginia in 2002 to live at The Fairfax , a military retirement community in Fort Belvoir . Blanchard died of pneumonia on May 3 , 2006 at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital at the age of 86 . At the time of his death he was survived by his wife Beth H . Blanchard , four daughters , eight grandchildren , and three great - grandchildren .