Ferdinand J . Chesarek Ferdinand Joseph Chesarek ( February 18 , 1914 – November 20 , 1993 ) was an American army general . World War II . Chesarek graduated from the United States Military Academy and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the field artillery in 1938 . In November 1943 , General Chesarek went to the European Theater of Operations to become Commanding Officer of the 28th Field Artillery Battalion , 8th Infantry Division . He participated in the Normandy , Northern France , Rhineland , and Central Europe campaigns and was awarded the Silver Star , Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster , Air Medal , and Purple Heart . He also received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm and Star for his part in these campaigns . General Chesarek returned to the United States in July 1945 for detail to the War Department General Staff in Washington , D . C . , where he served as a legislative officer in the Logistics Division and received the Army Commendation Medal . From June 1948 to April 1950 , General Chesarek attended Stanford University and received his master ' s degree in Business Administration . He returned to the Pentagon to serve as Assistant to the Chairman , Munitions Board , until February 1953 when he entered the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk , Virginia . Korea . After graduation in July 1953 , General Chesarek went to Korea to serve with the Headquarters , Eighth U . S . Army . He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his work . In May 1954 , he took command of the 5th Artillery Group , which consisted of six United States and four Korean artillery battalions . He later received the Order of Ulchi from the Republic of Korea . In January 1955 , General Chesarek was assigned as Chief of the Military Personnel and Manpower Division , Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics , until August 1955 when he entered the National War College . Following graduation in June 1956 , he served as Military Assistant and Executive Officer to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs . In addition , he acted as International Conference Coordinator for the Secretary of Defense and participated in twelve major international conferences as a Defense Member of the U . S . delegation . During this assignment , he also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University . Chief of Staff . In August 1959 , General Chesarek became the Chief of Staff , U . S . Army Communications Zone , Europe . He went to Italy in July 1960 to be Chief of Staff of the U . S . Army Southern European Task Force and was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army . He returned to France in March 1961 for duty as Commanding General , 4th Logistical Command , and received the Legion of Honor from the French Government . In October 1962 , he was assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics , first as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics ( Materiel Readiness ) and then , from August 1964 , as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics ( Programs ) . He was appointed Comptroller of the Army on August 1 , 1966 and served in this assignment until August 1 , 1967 . Upon the reorganization of the Office of the Chief of Staff on February 16 , 1967 , he was designated the first occupant of the newly created position of Assistant Vice Chief of Staff from February 1967 to May 1968 . U . K . Speaking tour and Promotion . One of the highlights of General Chesarek ' s career was his tour of the United Kingdom in May 1968 as United States 1968 Kermit Roosevelt Lecturer , during which he addressed the students at many British military schools . On July 8 , 1968 , General Chesarek was appointed Senior U . S . Army Member of the Military Staff Committee of the United Nations , in addition to his primary duty as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff . On March 10 , 1969 , he was promoted to full general as the second Commanding General , U . S . Army Materiel Command , where he served until retiring in October 1970 . General Chesarek died on November 20 , 1993 in Nashville , Tennessee of complications from open heart surgery .