John Kizirian

John Kizirian (Armenian: Ժան Գիզիրեան) (April 2, 1928 - February 26, 2006) was a highly decorated member of the United States Armed Forces for over three decades and served during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.^[1]

Kizirian enlisted in the

One of Kizirian's greatest achievements was his uncovering of the Tet Offensive after studying more than 400 intelligence reports and briefing General Creighton Abrams. According to his obituary, "The warning very likely saved thousands of American and South Vietnamese lives. Like his work in uncovering the Tet Offensive, most of his accomplishments and successes took place behind the scenes."^[2]

Early life

Of

John Kizirian grew up on 34 Willow Street in Whitinsville and attended the local Northbridge High School. At an early age, Kizirian worked at a nearby floral shop as a panel setter. In his junior year of high school, Kizirian was on the student council and on February 3, 1944, became Northbridge's first Eagle Scout.^[2] However, his high school education was cut short when Kizirian quit school and joined military service.^[4]

Military service

Active duty

John Kizirian joined the United States Navy on May 3, 1945, and was sent to Sampson Air Force Base, New York for boot camp.^[5] From there he was sent to San Diego, California to learn to be a pharmacist mate. While he was acquiring his education, World War II ended. He was then sent to a naval hospital in Virginia, then to a medical technology school in Cambridge, Maryland, Maryland where he became a lab technician.^[5]

Kizirian spent his third year in the navy on the USS Fargo (CL-106), a light cruiser which was part of the Atlantic Fleet.^[5] He was then assigned to Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico.^[5] He spent approximately a year in Puerto Rico and was discharged on April 3, 1949.^[5]

After serving the navy, Kizirian returned to Whitinsville and remained in the reserves. He worked in the stock room of the Whitin Machine Works.^[6] Kizirian desired to return to the military and went to a local navy recruiter. The navy recruiter stated that they can only accept him as a hospital apprentice which Kizirian subsequently refused. He then applied to the Army and got accepted as a sergeant in 1949.^[6][2]

Kizirian was sent to

After making a recovery, Kizirian was sent back to Pusan and rejoined the front. He was made platoon commander of B Company. The B Company participated in the battle of Hill 1243 where it was up against mortar fire from enemy positions. Kizirian was shot in the back while saving a soldier who was injured and laid out in the open. Kizirian was taken to a medical aid station and upon hearing that the platoon was under attack, Kizirian returned to the front. He arrived at a time when the troops captured a Korean prisoner who was part of the attack. When the prisoner threw a grenade and killed a couple of soldiers, Kizirian killed him. Kizirian became the commander of the company after the initial commander committed suicide. After he became a commander for a month, a new commander reinstated, and Kizirian left the front because it was his due-time. Upon leaving, he was awarded the

Post-Korea

When Kizirian returned from Korea, he was sent to

When the Vietnam War started, Kizirian was assigned as a senior intelligence advisor to the Vietnamese III Corps until 1968, when he became part of the III Corps Military Intelligence Detachment and senior division of the Reconnaissance Unit until the summer of that year.^[2]

Throughout his time in Vietnam, Kizirian worked closely with General

In 1968, Kizirian uncovered the Tet Offensive, a military campaign that was launched on January 30, 1968, by forces of the Viet Cong and North Vietnam, after studying more than 400 intelligence reports and subsequently briefing General Creighton Adams.^[2] Kizirian's prediction of the 1968 Tet Offensive is considered one of Kizirian's greatest achievements of the war effort.^[2]

Though he did not graduate with his class, Col. Kizirian then attained his high school diploma. After receiving the diploma he studied at the

In 1980, Kizirian became a defence official in Indonesia returning from a five-year active duty break.[4] He was also the military attache to the Indonesian Republic.^[2] He finished his service in Indonesia in 1984 and retired once again.^[2]

Later life

John Kizirian worked for the Martin Marietta Aerospace Cooperation for a year and a half. He became a consultant of various intelligence reports drafted at the time of the Iranian Revolution. The company planned to set up several signal intelligence sites in Iran to monitor activity related to the revolution.

After his military service, Kizirian was invited by

John Kizirian died February 26, 2006, at the Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Florida.^[4] His funeral processions were conducted at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Melbourne and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.^[4]

Personal life

Kizirian spoke fluent Armenian, Persian, Indonesian, Spanish and English.^[4]

Kizirian has been married three times. His first wife, Edith Tally, was born in Kansas. They adopted two children, Joanne and John. Edith died of cancer in 1986. Kizirian's second wife Barbara Holman was born in Tennessee and died in 1999. Kizirian's third marriage was with Carol Whittaker who was from California.

Recognition and legacy

John Kizirian, a resident of Hawaii, was inducted into the Hawaii Army Museum Gallery of Heroes where a portrait of him hangs in the gallery.^[4]

In August 2005, Kizirian's niece, Lesley Kissick of Montara, California, wrote a letter to congressman Dave Weldon insisting that Kizirian deserves to be awarded the Medal of Honor.^[4]

Military awards

Kizirian's military decorations and awards include:^[13][2]

The citation for Kizirian's Distinguished Service Cross reads:^[14]

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Military Intelligence Corps) John Kizirian (ASN: 0-91916), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Advisory Team 95, Technical Intelligence Detachment, 525th Military Intelligence Group. Lieutenant Colonel Kizirian distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 12 and 13 May 1967 while serving as III Corps G-2 advisor on a combat patrol near Bien Hoa. Intelligence reports indicated that a Viet Cong force which had recently attacked the air base was operating in the vicinity, and he led a Vietnamese company-size combat patrol in pursuit of the enemy. Preplanned air strikes hit the hostile fortifications before he reached them, but he ignored the warning which the attack gave to the hostile forces and moved in to assess the bomb damage. He moved to the front of the patrol when it became momentarily disorganized in the dense jungle and quickly rallied his men and moved toward the objective. While crossing a river, he detected a fleeing Viet Cong force and immediately pursued them until he reached an area which he suspected was their camp. Deploying his main force for security, he led three men to the edge of a clearing but was pinned down by small arms and grenade fire. The company could not get to the firefight because of dense jungle and intense firepower which pinned them down, but Colonel Kizirian moved through a hail of bullets to lead them in an attack on the camp which routed the insurgents after they had suffered heavy casualties. He personally killed two insurgents with accurate fire and supervised the destruction of the bunker and tunnel complex used as a regimental base camp. While he led his men back to base, the Viet Cong repeatedly harassed the patrol from ambush. He exposed himself to withering fire time after time to fight furiously and inflict heavy casualties on the determined insurgents. Lieutenant Colonel Kizirian's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Demirjian, Richard N. (2003). The faces of courage: Armenian World War II, Korea, and Vietnam heroes. Moraga, Calif.: Ararat Heritage Publ.
  ISBN 9780962294525
  .
• Tashjian, James H. (1952). The Armenian American in World War II. Hairenik Association.