Allegiance United States Rank Lieutenant general | Name Thomas Tackaberry Years of service 1943–1981 | |
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Born September 6, 1923 (age 100)
Los Angeles, California, United States ( 1923-09-06 ) | ||
Service/branch United States Army | ||
Thomas Howard Tackaberry (September 6, 1923 – April 3, 2017) was a lieutenant general in the United States Army. He was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War and was a recipient of three Distinguished Service Crosses and served as Commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps from 1979 to 1981.
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Biography
Tackaberry enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II on October 23, 1942, but did not see overseas service. Remaining in the Army after the war, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on August 30, 1945. He saw service in Korea during the Korean War and was promoted to captain on July 31, 1951. In 1952, while serving as a company commander, he earned the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism near Chorwon, Korea when he voluntarily went to relieve a patrol which had lost its commander. Tackaberry directed the soldiers back toward their own lines and personally covered their retreat at the risk of his own life. He also received two Silver Stars for his service in Korea.
In 1966 Tackaberry was serving in Vietnam as a lieutenant colonel in command of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, and earned another Distinguished Service Cross. In 1969, he had been promoted to colonel and was the deputy brigade commander of the 196th Infantry Brigade when he earned a third Distinguished Service Cross, making him one of the few individuals who had earned three or more Distinguished Service Crosses. Tackaberry also received three more Silver Stars for his service in Vietnam. From 1974 to 1976 Tackaberry was a major general in command of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This was followed by promotion to lieutenant general and command of the XVIII Airborne Corps from July 1979 until his retirement from the Army on September 30, 1981. Tackaberry died on Monday April 3, 2017.
Awards and Decorations
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (Army Version)
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation