serviceyears branch death_date birth_place allegiance unit awards battles birth_date placeofburial rank article_title name
1940 -- 1975 united states 1992 1915 fairpoint , ohio united states 504th parachute infantry , 82 airborne division distinguished star service medal silver star legion of merit bronze world war ii 14 april 1917 section 59 , arlington national cemetery 23px major general john s. lekson
 john s. lekson
john s. lekson

john s. lekson -lrb- 1915 -- january 19 , 1992 -rrb- was a united states army officer .
he was born to slovenian immigrant parents .
he graduated from western reserve university and enlisted in the ohio national guard in 1940 as a private .
he was commissioned through officer candidate school and rose to major during world war ii .
during the war , he served with the 82nd airborne division , including the 504th parachute infantry , and fought in north africa , italy , the netherlands and germany , including the battle of the bulge .
he also served in austria , italy and korea .
in vietnam he served as assistant commander of the 9th infantry division and the 101st airborne division in 1967-68 , subsequently rising in rank to major general .
his final assignment was director of operations for the readiness command , predecessor of the u.s. central command .
he retired in 1975 .
his medals included the distinguished service medal , the silver star , the legion of merit and the bronze star .
he is buried in section 59 of arlington national cemetery with honors -lrb- d. 1992 -rrb- .
