Chairman of the Board
In loving Remembrance 1917 - 2007
ROBERT E. JONES, COL USA, (Ret.)
Colonel Jones was born 19 July 1917, Montreal, Canada. He was commissioned in the United States Army as a 2nd Lt Infantry, 22 May 1939. Jones served in Troop F, 111th Cavalry, NMNG, CCC, and 33 years Active Duty. He graduated from Parachute School 23 May 1942, and was assigned to 502d PIR; he served in various assignments, to include participation in Normandy and Rhineland Campaigns WWII. Jones was injured in Holland during Operation Market Garden while commanding "H" Company, 502d PIR, and returned to the US in February 1945 for hospitalization.
Colonel Jones was assigned to Airborne School, Ft. Benning, GA, May 1945 to May 1948, then assigned to 511th PIR, 11th ABN DIV, at Camp Haugen, Japan. He was subsequently assigned to the 32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division April 1949. Jones participated in the Inchon landing as Company Commander "C" Company, 32d Infantry. He was a participant in the Chosin Reservoir attack in North Korea as S1 of the 1st Battalion, 32d Infantry, and led the remnants of that Battalion, consisting of 3 officers and 18 soldiers, out of Chosin Reservoir attached to the 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. He remained in Korea as BN CO and XO of the Battalion engaging in five offensive campaigns. Colonel Jones returned to the United States in June 1951.
Jones served a tour as an Airborne Instructor at the Command and General Staff College 1951-1954 which was followed by a three year tour in Hawaii as a National Guard Advisor, G3 Staff Officer and as G5 US Army Pacific. His next assignments were with the 1st Airborne Battle Group, 327th Infantry 1957-1960, and as Executive Officer, Deputy Commander and Group Commander, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.
In 1960 Jones was assigned as an Infantry Unit Advisor to the Turkish Third Army. In 1961 at the expiration of his overseas tour, he was selected to attend the US Army War College. After completing the USAWC he was assigned to Special Warfare Directorate, Office of the Chief of Staff for Operations, Department of the Army at the Pentagon 1962-1964, then to the Joints Chiefs of Staff J3, Pacific Division actively engaged in planning and operations of the Vietnam Conflict. In August 1966, Jones left on another overseas tour initially assigned to USAEUR Heidelberg, and then assumed command of the 10th Special Forces Group (ABN) Bad Toelz, Germany. Upon return of the Group to the United States in September 1968 he traveled to Vietnam to serve as Deputy Director, Phoenix Directorate, COORDS, HQ MACV until 3 June 1970, and then he departed to be Chief of Staff and Deputy Installation Commander, Fort Lewis, WA.
Colonel Jones received his Bachelor of Science degree from New Mexico A&M College in 1939, with Post Graduate work at the University of Texas. In 1965, he received a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs from George Washington University.
Colonel Jones' awards and decorations include: Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with two clusters, Bronze Star with cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal with two clusters, Purple Heart with cluster, Army Commendation Medal with Metal Pendant, Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Presidential Unit Citation 1st and 2d Awards (Navy), Combat Infantry Badge 2d Award, Belgian Fourraguere, French Croix DeGuerre with Palm, Netherlands Orange Lanyard, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnamese Police Medal of Honor 1st Class, Vietnamese Rural Revolutionary Development Medal, and various other Service Medals. He also is rated a Master Parachutist and a qualified Gliderman, and has been awarded the Departments of Army General Staff Identification and Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badges.
Colonel Jones retired from active duty in 1973, and presently resides in Clarksville, TN. He is a past President and Chairman of the Board of the 101st Airborne Division Association, Honorary Colonel of the 502d Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 32d Infantry Regimental Association, a Member of The Chosin Few-an organization of the survivors of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War when the Chinese entered that conflict, he is a Distinguished Member of the 327th Infantry Regiment, and active in other military and civilian pursuits. In addition, he presently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Fort Campbell Historical Foundation.
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