Joseph C. McDonough

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Joseph Corbett McDonough
Loudoun, Virginia
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1945-1978
Rank Major general
Unit Infantry Branch
Commands heldUnited States Commander, Berlin
8th Infantry Division
196th Infantry Brigade
Battles/warsKorean War
Vietnam War
Awards
Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Silver Star
Legion of Merit (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal (2) with "V" device
Air Medal
(33)

Joseph Corbett McDonough (September 30, 1924 – June 22, 2005) was a highly decorated

Operation Pegasus, the relief of the besieged U.S. Marine Combat Base at Khe Sanh in April 1968. General McDonough went on to hold several staff and command positions including Commanding General, 8th Infantry Division between 1973-1975 and United States Commander, Berlin 1975-1978.[1]

Early life and education

McDonough was born into an Irish American family in New York City on September 30, 1924, and grew up in Chatham Borough, New Jersey.[2] He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June 1945 with a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infantry. He earned a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Georgetown University in 1957.[1]

Military career

Early service

After graduating from West Point in June 1945, he attended the Basic Course at

Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he served for three years as a company grade commander and staff officer.[1][3]

In 1951-1952 he attended the Advanced Course, Infantry School at Fort Benning and from there he was deployed to Korea. McDonough spent a year in combat with the 1st Battalion, 223rd Infantry Regiment as a rifle company commander, battalion operations officer and battalion executive officer and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for his service.[1]

McDonough returned from Korea in 1953 and attended the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He reported for duty to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland one year later and served there as an instructor until November 1958. He was subsequently ordered to England where he was a student at the British Staff College, Camberley.[1]

From January 1959 to May 1960, he served in the Plans Branch, Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Headquarters,

U.S. Army, Europe in Heidelberg, West Germany. McDonough then served from May 1960 to June 1961, as Battalion S-3, Battalion Executive Officer and Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 54th Infantry, 4th Armored Division stationed in Baden-Württemberg, West Germany.[1]

McDonough then returned to the United States and assumed duty as a Plans and Projects Officer in Infantry Branch Officer Personnel Directorate,

Washington D.C. While in D.C., he was ordered to the Army War College in August 1964 and upon graduation one year later he was assigned to the Office of the Under Secretary of the Army under Stanley Rogers Resor and served as Chief, Military Personnel Management Division.[1][4][5]

Vietnam War

In May 1967, McDonough joined the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam as the Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry. During this period the battalion participated in Operation Pershing I and II which was a battle against enemy forces and an effort to assist the Vietnamese in establishing a pacification program in Bình Định province.[1]

In September 1967, he assumed command of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Air Cavalry Division. The Brigade continued operations in Bình Định province and when the

Operation Pegasus in order to relieve the Marines at Khe Sanh. On April 7, the 2nd Brigade captured the old French fort near Khe Sanh after a three-day battle. The link-up between the relief force and the Marines at KSCB took place at 08:00 on 8 April, when the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment entered the camp. The 1st Cavalry Division completed the relief of the Marine units on 10 April and assumed responsibility for the Khe Sanh area of operations.[1][6]

McDonough completed his tour in Vietnam in May 1968 and departed for the United States. For his service in Vietnam, he was decorated with

Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, two Legion of Merit, second Bronze Star Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with 33 Oak Leaf Clusters. He also received several decorations from the Government of South Vietnam.[7][1]

Late career

Upon his return, McDonough was promoted to

23rd Infantry Division and was then assigned Commanding General, 196th Infantry Brigade which he commanded until June 1972. His brigade assisted in port security duties in Da Nang and was the last combat brigade to leave Vietnam by the end of June 1972.[1]

During the 1970s, McDonough was promoted to

Central Treaty Organization – CENTO with headquarters in Ankara, Turkey. He was transferred to West Germany in October 1973 and assumed duty as Commanding General, 8th Infantry Division at Bad Kreuznach.[1][8]

He held that assignment until July 1975, when he was transferred to

Distinguished Service Medal for his service in Germany. General McDonough's soldiers regarded him as a tough, but fair and compassionate commander. The safety and welfare of his troops was always his priority.[7][1][9]

Retirement

After his retirement from the Army, McDonough served as the Executive Vice President of Operations for Butler Aviation in Montvale, New Jersey 1980 – 1992. He died on June 22, 2005, at the age of 80 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia with full military honors. His wife of 60 years Mary Patricia Aaron McDonough (March 11, 1925 – May 18, 2018) was later interred with him.

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Joseph C. McDonough:[7]

Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
V
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Gold star
Army Parachutists Badge
Combat Infantryman Badge with one star
1st Row
Oak Leaf Cluster
2nd Row Silver Star
Oak Leaf Cluster
 Distinguished Flying Cross
Oak Leaf Cluster and "V" device
3rd Row
award numeral
33
Oak Leaf Clusters
 American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal
3rd Row
World War II Victory Medal
 Army of Occupation Medal
Oak Leaf Cluster
 Korean Service Medal
with three 3/16 inch service stars
4th Row Vietnam Service Medal
with four 3/16 inch service stars 		Philippine Independence Medal National Order of Vietnam, 5th Class Vietnam Distinguished Service Order, 1st Class
5th Row Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm and Gold Star Korean Order of Military Merit, 4th Class
United Nations Korea Medal
 Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badge 1st Cavalry Division Combat Service Identification Badge
Badge Republic of Vietnam
Parachutist Badge
Ribbons
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Badges Army Staff Identification Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "...he is MG Joseph C. McDonough - The Berlin Observer, Vol. 31, No. 33; August 15, 1975; page 1" (PDF). The Berlin Observer websites. Retrieved 2018-10-07.[dead link]
  2. Newspapers.com
    . "The senator yesterday also named Joseph C. McDonough, 25 Oliver street, Chatham, his first alternate appointee..."
  3. ^ "The Long Gray Line - WEST POINT ALUMNI, 1st Cavalry Division". First Team websites. Archived from the original on 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
  4. ^ Infantry - The Professional Magazine for Infantrymen, January-February 1964, page 6. Fort Benning, Georgia. 1964. Retrieved December 8, 2017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ United States Government Organization Manual 1966-1967 - Department of the Army, page 147. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Federal Register; National Archives and Records Service; General Service Administration. 1966. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  6. ^ "The 1st Cavalry's Pegasus Ride Through Hell - History Net". History Net. Archived from the original on 2022-06-18. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
  7. ^ a b c "Valor awards for Joseph C. McDonough". valor.militarytimes.com. Militarytimes Websites. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  8. ^ Army - 1974 Green Book - The Status Report on the U.S. Army - October 1974 - Department of the Army; Volume 24, No. 10 page 124. Washington, D.C.: The Association of the U.S. Army. 1974. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  9. ISBN 9780160452727
    . Retrieved December 8, 2017. apples.
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