Military commanders

[Sideik 236]

Yevgeny Zinichev, Russian Emergency Minister dies trying to save a cameraman fallen from a cliff.

He honored his duty till the end 

[arghton 6,717]

Phùng Quang Thanh, Vietnamese general,Vietnam's Chief of Staff 2001-2006 and Minister of Defence 2006-2016 finally dead aged 71:

https://www.qdnd.vn/tuong-linh-viet-nam/dai-tuong-phung-quang-thanh-tu-tran-670941

 

Rumored dead in 2015 when he spent around a month in France for medical care due to complications from a wartime lung injury. His predecessor as Chief of Staff, General Lê Văn Dũng (1945-), predecessor as Minister of Defence, General Phạm Văn Trà (1937-) are still alive. Oldest and earliest General (out of the seven living ones) is the former VP Nguyễn Quyết (1922-) who is still in great health:

Picture from last year.

[arghton 6,717]

On 24/10/2020 at 15:08, arghton said:

Some more people I'd keep an eye on:

Chief of the General Staff of Republic of China (Taiwan) Liu Ho-Chien is 94. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/劉和謙

 

Yugoslav fleet admiral Branko Mamula is 99 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branko_Mamula

 

Former Sri Lankan General Officer Commanding Cyril Ranatunga is 90

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Ranatunga

 

And former Turkish Chief of General Staff Necdet Ürug is 98 or 99.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necdet_Üruğ

https://www.newsfirst.lk/2021/06/16/former-secretary-defence-army-chief-of-staff-general-cyril-ranatunga-retd-passes-away/

Cyril Ranatunga died in June.

 

On 13/06/2021 at 18:09, arghton said:

Algerian War 1954-1962, FLN against France against FAF and OAS

Saadi Yacef (1928-2021) FLN

And as mentioned in the Foreign Personalities thread, Yacef died on 10th of September.

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

U.S. Navy vice admiral Raymond E. Peet (wiki) dead at 100.

Fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

[arghton 6,717]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/10/03/former-head-royal-marines-found-dead-aged-54/

Major General Matthew Holmes, Commander General of the Royal Marines from June 2019 to April 2021 found dead aged 54.

Survived by fifteen of his predecessors, oldest and earliest being Sir Henry Beverley, 86 later this month.

[drol 11,945]

Zhang Xudong, former commander of the Western Theatre (border with India) who stepped down in June due to health issues, dead at 58 from stomach cancer.

 

His successor Xu Qiling, who turned 59 in July, stepped now in August and is reportedly gravely ill too.

[drol 11,945]

US former Chief of Staff Raymond T. Odierno dead at 67 according to wiki edits...

[arghton 6,717]

On 09/10/2021 at 21:59, drol said:

US former Chief of Staff Raymond T. Odierno dead at 67 according to wiki edits...

Seems to be true:

https://www.ausa.org/news/former-army-chief-staff-gen-raymond-odierno-dies

In office 2011-2015. Eight of his predecessors are alive, oldest and earliest being John A. Wickham Jr. (1928-2024, 1983-1987)

 

Edit: Cancer battle. Seems to have been pretty fast as he was still quite active.

[Toast 16,137]

2 hours ago, drol said:

US former Chief of Staff Raymond T. Odierno dead at 67 according to wiki edits...

 

Oh dear no!

[YoungWillz 21,037]

Death Notice for former Air Chief Marshal Sir John Robson Rogers, aged 93:  http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/252767/rogers

 

No real war service as I understand it, but rose through the ranks of the Royal Air Force to become Air Chief Marshal so there's that. Also, public school educated - was it different times back in the day? No is the correct answer.

[DCI Frank Burnside 3,887]

Cross posting from Political Frailty as he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs during the Gulf War

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, DCI Frank Burnside said:

Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell dead from Covid-19

[arghton 6,717]

He was the oldest and the earliest living Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Both the oldest and the earliest one is now Hugh Shelton (1942-, tenure 1997-2001) who will be 80 on the second of January. His successor Richard Myers (1942-, tenure 2001-2005) is two months younger.

[arghton 6,717]

On 24/10/2020 at 15:08, arghton said:

Some more people I'd keep an eye on:

Chief of the General Staff of Republic of China (Taiwan) Liu Ho-Chien is 94.

https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/劉和謙

 

Yugoslav fleet admiral Branko Mamula is 99 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branko_Mamula

 

Former Sri Lankan General Officer Commanding Cyril Ranatunga is 90

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyril_Ranatunga

 

And former Turkish Chief of General Staff Necdet Ürug is 98 or 99.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necdet_Üruğ

Admiral of the Fleet Branko Mamula dead aged 100 as mentioned in The 100 Club. He was the Chief of General Staff 1979-1982 when Tito died and the Federal Secretary of People's Defense of Yugoslavia 1982-1988, last person living to serve in these positions.

 

 

Remaining Chiefs of Defence born before 1930:

Tahar Zbiri (1929-2024) Algeria's first Chief of Staff of the People's National Army, 1964-1967. Frail and was hospitalised with covid a year ago.

David Musuguri (1920-2024) Chief of Tanzania People's Defence Force 1980-1988. Has diabetes, Uganda's Idi Amin was Musuguri's pupil. Also helped overthrow Amin. Served in WWII

Sumio Murai (1925-?) Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces 1983-1984

Hiroshi Mori (1928-?) Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of the Japanese Self-Defence Forces 1986-1987

Tin Oo (1927-2024) Myanmar Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services 1974-1976. Frail.

Rahimuddin Khan (1926-2022) Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Pakistan Armed Forces 1984-1987

Fidel V. Ramos (1928-2022) Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines 1984-1985, 1986-1988 and later President of the Philippines

Liu Ho-Chien (1926-2023) Chief of the General Staff (Republic of China) 1991-1995

Karel Pezl (1927-2022) Chief of the General Staff (Czech Republic) 1993 and Chief of the General Staff (Czechoslovakia) 1991-1992

Jaakko Valtanen (1925-2024) Chief of Defence (Finland) 1983-1990. Served in WWII

Wolfgang Altenburg (1928-2023) Inspector General of the Bundeswehr (Germany) 1983-1986, Chair of the NATO Military Committee 1986-1989

Stamatis Vellidis (1928-2021) Hellenic National Defence General Staff (Greece) 1989-1990

Ion Coman (1926-) Chief of the Romanian General Staff 1974-1976

David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley (1929-) Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom) 1988-1991

Phillip Bennett (1928-2023) Chief of the Defence Force (Australia) 1984-1987 first as Chief of Defence Force Staff

Chi Haotian (1929-) Head of the General Staff Department of the People's Liberation Army 1987-1992

Othmar Tauschitz (1925-2022) Chief of the General Staff (Austria) 1987-1990

...

Additionally (สายหยุด เกิดผล) Saiyd Kerdphol (1924-) who was the Chief of Armed Forces (Thailand) 1981-1983 is still alive.

 

 

 

Five-star Generals born before 1940

Vladimir Chernavin (1928-2023) Soviet Fleet Admiral.

David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley  (1929) Former Chief of Staff, Marshal of the Royal Air Force.

Anton Tus  (1931-2023) Chief of Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces from 1991 to 1992 during the Croatian War of Independence

Queen Sirikit (1932) Queen Mother of Thailand, field marshal, admiral of the fleet and marshal of the royal air force.

Than Shwe  (1933/1935) Myanmar, Head of State 1993-2011

Heng Samrin (1934) Cambodia, Head of State 1979-1992

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent  (1935) UK, Royal, Field Marshal

Sir Benjamin Bathurst  (1936) UK, First Sea Lord 1993-1995, Admiral of the Fleet

Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank  (1938) UK, Former Chief of Staff, Field Marshal

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

On 11/09/2020 at 22:23, Ulitzer95 said:

If there's only three turning 95+ next year, might as well extend to British commanders born in the 1920s then (excluding Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip):

Sir James Jungius b. Nov 1923, Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir John Morrison Forbes b. Aug 1925, Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir Frank Kitson b. Dec 1926, General in the British Army
Anthony Whetstone b. Jun 1927, Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir Richard Lawson b. Nov 1927, General in the British Army
Sir Alexander Boswell b. Aug 1928, Lieutenant-General in the British Army
Sir Richard Vickers b. Aug 1928, Lieutenant-General in the British Army
Sir Derek Reffell b. Oct 1928 Admiral in the Royal Navy

All of these guys will obit of course.

List is incomplete so any additions welcome.

Royal Navy Vice Admiral Sir John Morrison Forbes (wiki) dead at 96.

14 months on and only 2 deaths but at least they're dying in order!

[YoungWillz 21,037]

On 11/09/2020 at 22:23, Ulitzer95 said:

If there's only three turning 95+ next year, might as well extend to British commanders born in the 1920s then (excluding Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip):

Sir James Jungius b. Nov 1923, Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir John Morrison Forbes b. Aug 1925, Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir Frank Kitson b. Dec 1926, General in the British Army
Anthony Whetstone b. Jun 1927, Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir Richard Lawson b. Nov 1927, General in the British Army
Sir Alexander Boswell b. Aug 1928, Lieutenant-General in the British Army
Sir Richard Vickers b. Aug 1928, Lieutenant-General in the British Army
Sir Derek Reffell b. Oct 1928 Admiral in the Royal Navy

All of these guys will obit of course.

List is incomplete so any additions welcome.

Sir Alexander Boswell commands a coming cremation: https://www.islandfm.com/news/guernsey/former-lieutenant-governor-dies/

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

On 11/09/2020 at 22:23, Ulitzer95 said:

British commanders born in the 1920s:

Sir James Jungius b. Nov 1923, Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir Thomas Baird b. May 1924, Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir John Morrison Forbes b. Aug 1925, Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir Ted Horlick b. Sep 1925, Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir Frank Kitson b. Dec 1926, General in the British Army
Anthony Whetstone b. Jun 1927, Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy
Sir Richard Lawson b. Nov 1927, General in the British Army
Sir Alexander Boswell b. Aug 1928, Lieutenant-General in the British Army
Sir Richard Vickers b. Aug 1928, Lieutenant-General in the British Army
Sir Derek Reffell b. Oct 1928 Admiral in the Royal Navy

All of these guys will obit of course.

List is incomplete so any additions welcome.

Sir Ted Horlick died on 12th November, aged 96, according to a now reverted edit to his Wiki page. Can't find a death notice anywhere though.

[The Old Crem 3,583]

18 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Sir Ted Horlick died on 12th November, aged 96, according to a now reverted edit to his Wiki page. Can't find a death notice anywhere though.

Three in a month for the above list if confirmed.

[YoungWillz 21,037]

On 17/11/2021 at 16:15, Ulitzer95 said:

Sir Ted Horlick died on 12th November, aged 96, according to a now reverted edit to his Wiki page. Can't find a death notice anywhere though.

Death Notice for Ted Horlick: http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/253553/horlick

[arghton 6,717]

https://www.dawn.com/news/amp/1662879

Shamim Alan Khan, Pakistani four-star general, former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee 1991-1994 dead at 84 from covid. 

[Captain Hemlock 742]

Richard Marcinko, first commanding officer of Seal Team 6, dead at 81.

https://nypost.com/2021/12/27/richard-marcinko-first-commanding-officer-of-seal-team-6-dies-at-81/?utm_source=NYPFacebook&sr_share=facebook&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwAR07OuXka5JL1f4-N8SEGL-J7HI6ezLEtZwDw2q3wZVs-y7ceRi6HIDMLmY

[arghton 6,717]

General of the Army Anatoly Kvashnin, Chief of the Russian General Staff 1997-2004 dead at 75 from covid: 

https://www.bfm.ru/news/490111

[arghton 6,717]

Air Chief Marshal Deshamanya Paddy Mendis, Commander of the Royal Ceylon (Sri Lanka) Air Force 1971-1976 dead at 88, a week before his 89th:

https://www.newsfirst.lk/2022/01/18/former-air-force-commander-p-h-mendis-has-passed-away/

He was the Commander of the Air Force during the 1971 JVP insurrection and the last person to serve in this position when Ceylon/Sri Lanka was a dominion of the Commonwealth (1948-1972).

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

U.S. Army brigadier general Henry J. Muller (wiki) died on January 31st, aged 104, according to this tweet:
 

 

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

On 09/02/2022 at 15:19, Ulitzer95 said:

U.S. Army brigadier general Henry J. Muller (wiki) died on January 31st, aged 104, according to this tweet:
 

 

Obituary as confirmation.

From the U.S. Army/Navy/Air Force/Coast Guard etc., there seems to be just three "high ranking" officials left who were born in the 1910s:

Harry E. Goldsworthy (wiki, b. 1914), Ronald R. Van Stockum (wiki, b. 1916), William A. Jenkins (wiki, b. 1917).

Goldsworthy 108 in April and still pretty active. I reckon he'll outlive Roberta McCain and become a bit of a DL legend within time.

[arghton 6,717]

Ronald R. Van Stockum's mother lived to 110, here at 105 a few months ago:

 

On 20/10/2021 at 13:38, arghton said:

Jaakko Valtanen (1925-) Chief of Defence (Finland) 1983-1990. Served in WWII

Valtanen is still active in the Finland's Veteran Federation and "very sharp", reached 97 a few days ago.