Ben Sternberg

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Ben Sternberg
Born(1914-02-28)28 February 1914
Starke, Florida, United States
Died2 January 2004(2004-01-02) (aged 89)
Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii, United States
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, United States
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1938–1971
RankUS-O8 insignia.svg Major General
Service number0-21286
UnitUSA - Army Infantry Insignia.png Infantry Branch
Commands held25th Infantry Division
101st Airborne Division
2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsWorld War II
Vietnam War
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star

Major General Ben Sternberg (28 February 1914 – 2 January 2004) was a United States Army officer who served in World War II and the Vietnam War.

Early life[]

He was born in Starke, Florida on 28 February 1914.

Military career[]

He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1938.

In March 1943 as a Lieutenant colonel he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in combat at the Battle of El Guettar, Tunisia. For his actions he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. During the Allied invasion of Sicily he led the 2/18th Infantry when it captured Ponte Olivo Airfield[1]

From January 1964 to March 1996 he served as a J-1 Manpower and Personnel Directorate, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam.[2] He was promoted to Major general on 1 February 1965.

Sternberg with President Johnson at Fort Campbell, July 1966

From March 1966 to July 1967 he commanded the 101st Airborne Division. The Associated Press on 9 June 1966 reported him saying that the U.S. would need 500,000 more troops to seal off the borders of South Vietnam from infiltration, that Premier Nguyễn Cao Kỳ would probably have to step aside given the repercussions of the Buddhist Uprising and that a U.S. defeat in Vietnam was a possibility.[3] On 23 July 1966 he escorted President Lyndon B. Johnson on an inspection of the division.[4]

In 1971 he commanded the 25th Infantry Division.

His final assignment was as commanding general U.S. Army, Hawaii.

Later life[]

He retired from the U.S. Army in Hawaii. He died on 2 January 2004 at Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Decorations[]

His decorations include Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal and the Silver Star.

References[]

  1. ^ Garland, Albert; Smyth, Howard (1993). [United States Army in World War II Mediterranean Theater of Operations Sicily and the Surrender of Italy United States Army in World War II Mediterranean Theater of Operations Sicily and the Surrender of Italy] Check |url= value (help). United States Army Center of Military History. p. 185. ISBN 9781508422389.
  2. ^ Morden, Bettie J. (2000). The Women's Army Corps, 1945–1978. United States Army Center of Military History. pp. 241–2.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ "500,000 more troops needed in Vietnam, U.S. general says". The New York Times. 10 June 1966. p. 3.
  4. ^ "LBJ daily diary 23 July 1966" (PDF). LBJ Library. pp. 7–8. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
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