caption serviceyears laterwork branch commands death_date death_place birth_place allegiance awards battles birth_date rank image article_title name
general robert w. porter , jr. . 1930 -- 1969 tree farmer united states army united armored division states southern command first united states army 3rd 22 april 2000 charlottesville , virginia alma , nebraska united states of america distinguished bronze star service medal legion of merit -lrb- 2 -rrb- world war ii korean war 29 april 1908 general robert w. porter , jr. portrait.jpg robert w. porter , jr. .
 robert william porter , jr.
robert w. porter , jr. .

robert william porter , jr. -lrb- april 29 , 1908 -- april 22 , 2000 -rrb- was a united states army four-star general who served as commander in chief , united states southern command -lrb- uscincso -rrb- from 1965 to 1969 .
porter was born in alma , nebraska on april 29 , 1908 .
after graduating from high school , he entered the united states military academy , graduating in 1930 .
he began his career in the cavalry , and during world war ii served with the 1st infantry division in north africa and sicily .
and ii corps in italy .
returning to the war department in 1945 , he served as a strategic planner , and later became executive officer to the under secretary of the army .
after graduating from the national war college in 1950 , porter held a variety of positions to include commander , 2nd armored cavalry regiment ; deputy g-3 , allied land forces central europe ; chief of staff , x corps ; member of the national security council planning board ; commander , 3rd armored division ; united states representative to the permanent deputies group , central treaty organization .
from april 1964 to 1965 he commanded first united states army at fort jay , governors island , new york .
his final assignment was commander-in-chief , southern command .
porter 's awards and decorations included the army distinguished service medal , the legion of merit with oak leaf cluster , and the bronze star .
after retiring from the army , porter became a tree farmer in virginia , winning the title virginia tree farmer of the year in 1995 .
he died on april 22 , 2000 at the martha jefferson hospital in charlottesville , virginia after a heart attack .
