Military commanders

[DCI Frank Burnside 3,880]

11 minutes ago, drol said:

Lt. Gen Fu Kuiqing dead at 101. Sohu covered his life story in January.

 

Was already a lieutenant general when Tien An Men facts happened. Not among the founding lt generals though.

 

 

Fu Kuiqing hell that's some age to live to 

[arghton 6,695]

4 hours ago, drol said:

Lt. Gen Fu Kuiqing dead at 101. Sohu covered his life story in January.

 

Was already a lieutenant general when Tien An Men facts happened. Not among the founding lt generals though.

How many centenarian Generals does China have? Zhang Lixiong must be the oldest at 108 years, 10 months. Tu Tongjin probably #2 at 107 or 108. Atleast two other Maj. Gens + Haifeng. Probably more out there who don't have Wikipedia pages.

 

Also I don't know the exact definition of a "founding general", but according to inf news the founding Lt. Gens are all dead now.

[drol 11,912]

27 minutes ago, arghton said:

How many centenarian Generals does China have? Zhang Lixiong must be the oldest at 108 years, 10 months. Tu Tongjin probably #2 at 107 or 108. Atleast two other Maj. Gens + Haifeng. Probably more out there who don't have Wikipedia pages.

 

Also I don't know the exact definition of a "founding general", but according to inf news the founding Lt. Gens are all dead now.

A lot of them I think. Wikipedia, expecially English Wikipedia, lacks a lot of pages about them. Chinese have their own wiki which is Baike (Kuiqing has a long article there).

 

Founding generals were appointed in the 50s/early 60s. The five remaining one are increasingly frail and old, but for some reason they seem to last forever.

 

Wan Haifeng is one of the last living pre -1989 full generals. The other one is 93-year old "Butcher of Tien An Men" Chi Haotian.

[drol 11,912]

On 19/05/2022 at 19:41, arghton said:

 

4. Yang Yongsong (1917/1919-) Another who miraculously survived the long march despite how he "had enormously bloated legs" and other medical issues when it ended.

 

 

 

Reading on the topic there were 10 founding marshals, 10 full generals, 57 generals, 177 Lt. Gens and 1360 Maj. Gens. 

Last marshal died in 1992, last general in 2009, last Lt. Gen in 2015. According to INF NEWS, all five living Maj. Gens are still in good health but I really doubt that.

Yang Yongsong dead at 103.

[arghton 6,695]

18 minutes ago, drol said:

Yang Yongsong dead at 102.

 

On 28/08/2022 at 20:21, drol said:

The five remaining one are increasingly frail and old, but for some reason they seem to last forever.

You jinxed him!

 

4 left, average age around 105. Zhang Lixiong, the oldest will be 109 in November if still alive, but I expect him to die any day due to his horrible condition in 2021. This picture is around, or over a year old:

I'm amazed by how this living corpse with a nasogastric tube could still walk on his birthday in Nov 2021. Living relic though, he already participated in riots ca. 1929.

 

Tongjin is 108, and in April the Ministry of National Defence described him like this:

In the Second Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army, a 108-year-old Red Army veteran, Tu Tongjin, is lying quietly on a hospital bed. His weather-beaten face is full of marks left by the years, his eyes are sunken, and his eyes are still bright, like a window into the past.

 

Wang Fuzhi, 99 this month, is the youngest by 5 years and probably in the best condition out of the four and I expect he'll be the last one. 

[arghton 6,695]

On 28/08/2022 at 20:21, drol said:

A lot of them I think. Wikipedia, expecially English Wikipedia, lacks a lot of pages about them. Chinese have their own wiki which is Baike (Kuiqing has a long article there).

Baike isn't easy to search but I could find one more ancient General:

 

Xiong Yukun 熊玉坤 (8 Nov 1919-22 Mar 2023) General, unknown rank, wounded seriously three times during the Long March, including a shrapnel injury on his head and a bullet that pierced through his stomach and intestines. Not in great health.

[arghton 6,695]

Went through a 38-name list of living Long March vets from 2 years ago, seems like the most fitting thread for this as multiple of these people have been discussed here:

 

1. Su Li 苏力 (1927-2022) "Youngest veteran of the Long March", joined the Red Army at the age of 7 after fleeing an abusive landlord her mother had sold her to. Lived in Ruijin Hospital her last years, died on the 21st of May 2022. 

2. Jian Xianfo 蹇先佛 (1915/1916-2022) Guerrilla, propagandist and later cadre and Vice Minister of Electricity. Married Xiao Ke (1907-2008) and gave birth during the Long March. Died on the 30th or 31st of December 2022 from a lung infection or covid at 106/107.

3. Wang Xinlan 王新兰/王新蘭 (1924-2022) She was also very young during the Long March, later became a Colonel and worked as the Consultant of the Logistics Department of Lanzhou Military Region. Died on the 30th of December 2022, possibly from covid.

4. Zhan Danan 詹大南 (1915-2020) Founding Major General. Died on the 21st of November 2020.

5. Tu Tongjin 涂通今 (1914-2023) One of the living Founding Major Generals, former President of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences. Died on the 3rd of April 2023 at 108 following an extremely lengthy hospitalisation.

6. Zou Yan 邹衍 (1915-2022) Founding Major General who died on the 1st of April at 106, mentioned here when that happened.

7. Zhang Lixiong 张力雄 (1913-2024) Oldest of the Founding Major Generals, talked about here. Died on the 2nd of April 2024 at 110 following an extremely lengthy hospitalisation.

8. Yang Silu 杨思禄 (1917-2020) Major General who died on the 18th of November 2020.

9. Yang Yongsong 杨永松 (1919-2022) Founding Major General, died on the 1st of September as mentioned above.

10. Wang Fuzhi 王扶之 (1923-) Youngest of the Founding Major Generals, mentioned here before.

11. Xiang Yuan 向轩 (1926-2023) Apparently the youngest male Long March veteran. Also a minor name in politics. Died on the 10th of February 2023.

12. Wan Haifeng 万海峰 (1920-2023) General, immortal and the largest name on this list. Died on the 31st of March 2023.

13. Qin Zhong 秦忠 (1917-2021) Former member of the Standing Committee of the Hubei Provincial People's Congress. Died on the 14th of March 2021.

14. Chen Qi 陈其 (1924-?) Minor name, not sure if he/she's still alive. Either this person or someone with a similar name seemingly mentioned to have died "recently" in November 2022. Some sites say that this person is still alive.

15. Hao Yi 郝毅 (1917-2022) Veteran who died around June from a heart disease at 104/105.

16. Jiang Benxing 蒋本兴 (1915-2020) Died on the 28th of August 2020.

17. Ma Zhixuan 马志选 (1918-) Deputy head of the 313th military station of Taiyuan base. Frail and seems to be permanently hospitalised. Still has a shrapnel inside him.

18. He Zhicong 何志聪 (1918-2020) Died on the 17th of September 2020.

19. Hu Zhengxian 胡正先 (1918-) Radio station chief, seems to have been quite high ranking in the military at some point.

20. Li Hongxiang 李鸿翔 (1920-2021) Minor name in politics, she died after receiving "minister-level" medical treatment for ages on the 6th of April 2021 at 100.

21. Wang Yuqing 王玉清/王玉清 (1921-2023) Minor name often interviewed. Died on the 23rd of June 2023 at 101.

22. Xiong Yukun 熊玉坤 (1919-2023) General of an unknown rank, mentioned above. Died on the 22nd of March 2023.

23. Feng Yukui 凤玉奎 (1920-2020) Worked a ton of jobs during his life, died on the 27th of October 2020 at 99.

24. Xiao Yan 肖延 (1921-2022) Zhou Enlai's attendant, former deputy commander of the Neijiang Military Division. Died in March 2022 at 101.

25. Ruan Changgui 阮长桂 (1920-2021) Donated his fortune to poverty-stricken areas. Died on the 24th of October 2021 at 100. 

26. Gu Changhua 顾昌华 (1918-2021) Mao's guard. Died around December 2021 at 103.

27. Suo Xinzhong 索心忠 (1921-) Later worked in cinema.

28. Zhang Sikui 张世魁 (1918-2021) Long March veteran who was shot in his head during WWII. Died in May 2021 at 102.

29. Zeng Guangchang 曾广昌 (1915-2020) Died on the 3rd of November 2020 at 105, as for some reason the "treatment given to him stopped working".

30. Du Hongjian 杜宏鉴 (1915-2020) Died on the 23rd of November 2020 at 105.

31. Wang Chendeng 王承登 (1915-2020) Another one who was shot through the head, how do these people survive for so long? Died on the 19th of August 2020 at three days short of his 105th.

32. Yang Huanbing 杨焕炳 (1919-2023) Died on the 7th of October 2023 at 104.

33. Zhao Guiying 赵桂英 (1916-2022) Neijiang's last Long March veteran. Died 18th of November 2022 at 106.

34. Li Guang 黎光 (1914-2020) Founding Major General, died on the 27th of December 2020 at 106.

35. Wang Jingqun 王敬群 (1919-2024) Local politician. Died on the 21st of January 2024 at 104.

36. Min Jingde 闵敬德 (1915-) Shot four times, suffered shrapnel wounds two times. Looked decades younger than his age in 2018 and was apparently active around April or May. 

37. Zhang Wen 张文/張文 (1917/1919-2022) Widow of General Hong Xuezhi (1913-2006), died on the 27th of March 2022.

38. Wan Manlin 万曼琳 (1926-) One of the youngest Long March veterans. 

 

Over half have died since it was posted, but it's interesting that there are still quite many veterans living of a military operation that happened before the Spanish Civil War. (Well, there's a still a few Chaco War veterans alive, but as far as I know, only around ten or less of those out there)

 

Additional names I found in December 2022, seems to include some auxiliaries etc:

(39 邓忠德、40 刘文治，41 范希贤、42 曹守成、43 杜国榜，44 苟申发、45 王全英、46 强德义、47 王大用，48 郭天富、49 张松云、50 王少连、51 杨义生，52 张文贤、53 杨茂德、54 何颐好、55 谢才山，56 李章凡、57 李宇光、58 邓玉亁、59 吳九成、60 李培英、61 龚成文、62 孙金道、63 赵世新、64 钟发镇)

 

39. Deng Zhongde 邓忠德 (1916-2021) Died on 24th of October 2021 due to "ineffective medical treatment" at 105.

40. Liu Wenzhi 刘文治 (1912-2020) Died due to illness on the 28th of September 2020 at 107/108. 

41. Fan Xixian 范希贤 (1917-) Guangdong local politician who was still very active a few years ago. 

42. Cao Soucheng 曹守成 (1915-2023) Interviewed this year. Suffered from PTSD, had a shrapnel head injury. 

43. Du Guobang 杜国榜 (1917-) Military boxing master whose hat got knocked off by a bullet during the war. Suffers from mild dementia.

44. Gou Shenfa 苟申发 (1918?-2020) Seems to have died in 2020 - looking into this one later. Edit: Seemingly never got an article, but was very frail before dying and died sometime in 2020.

45. Wang Quanying 王全英 (1921-) Tibetan. Her toe apparently froze off during the Long March.

46. Qiang Deyi 强德义/強德義 (1918-) Looking into this case later. Mentioned alive by Toutiao earlier this year.

47. Wang Dayong 王大用 (1921-) Looking into this case later. Possibly died off-radar? Mentioned in March 2022 on a government site list that he's receiving subsidies due to economic difficulties.

48. Guo Tianfu 郭天富 (1922-) Mentioned alive this year by Toutiao. Living on CRT's list.

49. Zhang Songyun 张松云 (1919-) See 46 and 47. A mystery. Could have died off-radar, but living on CRT's list.

50. Wang Shaolian 王少连 (1921-2023) Wheelchairbound in 2021. Died on the 9th of January 2023.

51. Yang Yisheng 杨义生/楊義生 (1919-Unknown) Limbo since 2021, not mentioned alive on any list since.

52. Zhang Wenxian 张文贤/張文賢 (1922/1923-) See 46, 47, 49, mentioned alive this year. Living on CRT's list.

53. Yang Maode 杨茂德/楊茂德 (1922-) Said to be alive in Oct 2022. Living on CRT's list.

54. He Yihao 何颐好 (1920-) Said to be alive in Oct 2022. Living on CRT's list.

55. Xie Caishan 谢才山 (1921-) Said to be alive in Oct 2022. Living on CRT's list.

56. Li Zhangfan 李章凡 (1927-) Mentioned alive this year. 

57. Li Yuguang 李宇光 (1921-2023) Permanently hospitalised, article from 2021 when he donated his footprints. December 2022 article says he has Alzheimer's. Died around the 17th of January 2023.

58. Deng Yuquan 邓玉亁 (1929-) Said to be alive this year. Probably the youngest vet alive and one of the youngest to participate in the March. Brother of Deng Xiuying who died in 2014 at 92.

59. Wu Jiucheng 吳九成 (1915-) Led a flag raising ceremony in October 2022.

60. Li Peiying 李培英 (1922-) Article from October 2022 says he's alive.

61. Cong Chengwen 龚成文 (1920-2020) Died on the 13th of October 2020 at 100.

62. Sun Jindao 孙金道 (1919-2022) Had high BP but otherwise was very healthy, Toutiao says he died "unexpectedly" in September 2022 at 102.

63. Zhao Shixin 赵世新/趙世新 (1914-2022) Interviewed in 2021. Died in late December 2022 due to "illness and ineffective treatment" at 108.

64. Zhong Fazhen 钟发镇 (1919/1920-) Telegraph operator.

 

Others/later finds...

65. Feng Zigen 馮自根 (1918-2024) Interviewed very recently. Zhu De's bodyguard. Survived being in ICU and critical with covid, double pneumonia, bilateral pleural effusion and other ailments in January 2023. Died on the 22nd of February 2024 at 106 due to "treatment not working anymore".

66. Su Yiran 蘇毅然 (1918-2021) Politician, died in summer 2021.

67. Li Li'an 李力安 (1920-2023) Politician, with Haifeng one of the two remaining Deng's advisors. Died on the 2nd of January 2023 at 102.

68. Xia Fei 夏飛 (1919-2022) Mentioned alive in 2022. Died on the 12th of March 2022 according to Yunnan.

69. Li Fang 李方 (1920-) Mentioned alive in 2022. Living on CRT's list.

70. Xie Rongde 谢荣德 (1916-2020) Died at an unknown point in 2020 and reported by Chinese news back then.

71. Xiao Xiandong 肖先东 (1916/1917-2022) Died in April at 105/106.

72. Tan Deben 谭德本 (1918-2022) Died in May at 103.

73. Zou Shun 邹顺 (1918-Unknown) Said to be alive in 2021. Colonel. Not mentioned alive on official lists, possibly dead since the 1960s.

74. Han Shoudao 韩守道 (1909-2021) Arguable. Died on the 13th of January 2021.

...

75. Huang Chenxiang (1921-) TBA

76. "Sang Wuxian" (1915-) Anonymous from Taizhou.

 

 

Veterans "old enough" to have been (b. bef. 1927), but weren't Long March vets:

1. Wen Jian 文击 (1918-2023) Founding General, only one of the Founding Generals not a Long March vet. Died on the 8th of November 2023 at 105.

2. Zhang Mei 张梅 (1919-2023) Joined the Red Army in 1935. Widow of Marshal Lin Biao who was likely killed after trying to coup Mao Zedong. One of the two living spouses of the Ten Marshals with Li Gang 李刚 who is around 95. Was on an NG tube in 2019. Rumored dead in January 2023. Turned out the rumor was true, died on the 27th of January 2023 at 103.

3. Zheng Zhubo 郑竹波 (1921-2023) Major General? Colonel? God knows, died on the 28th of October 2023 at 102.

4. Xu Yaotian 徐尧田 (1921-)

5. Yin Fatang 阴法唐 (1922-) Lt. Gen, joined the Red Army 1938.

6. Zhou Deli 周德礼 (1922-) Maj. Gen, joined the Red Army 1939.

7. Ma Xinchun 马辛春 (1925-2024) Vice Admiral and former North Sea Fleet commander. Joined the army ca. 1938.

8. Jiang Shunxue 蒋顺学 (1926-2022) Lt. Gen. Died on the 24th of December 2022 at 96, not mentioned until January.

9. Hou Shujun 侯书军 (1926-) Lt. Gen

10. Zhang Jihui 张积慧 (1927-2023) Commander and Korean War hero who allegedly shot down George Andrew Davis Jr. Died on the 26th of April 2023 at 95.

11. Wei Jinshan 魏金山 (1927-2023) former PLA Navy political commissar. Died on the 8th of December 2023 at 95.

 

As of April 2024 the list has been updated with CRT's March 2024 list of the living survivors.

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

FB post announcing the death of U.S. Army Lieutenant General David E. Grange Jr. (wiki), aged 97.

[arghton 6,695]

On 12/09/2022 at 22:17, arghton said:

36. Min Jingde 闵敬德 (1915-) Shot four times, suffered shrapnel wounds two times. Looked decades younger than his age in 2018 and was apparently active around April or May. 

Min Jingde not dead but looks a bit frail in this picture apparently taken a day ago (despite how they insist he's in great health. Well, he is for his age, he's a 107-year-old!):

I still don't know his actual rank but from what I understand he's a Colonel. He lives at a PLA Hospital. I wonder how they're able to keep these people alive.

[YoungWillz 21,024]

On 20/10/2021 at 11:38, arghton said:

Five-star Generals born before 1940

 

FIVE

 

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

Charles Guthrie isn't dead, but here's a death notice for his wife Catherine (nee Worrall): http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/260100/guthrie

 

You know what they say about widowers on here... maybe one to watch?

[arghton 6,695]

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

...

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

...

Karel Pezl, first Chief of General Staff of the Czech Army, dead at 95.

[arghton 6,695]

Recent Sohu article on the oldest Chinese generals. The earliest living full generals are 93-year-old Chi Haotian and 102-year-old Wan Haifeng, both made general in 1988. Chi Haotian was at the Party Congress as far as I know.

 

Wan Haifeng who was on the verge of death two years ago, selling memorabilia, bedridden and nearly unable to speak, is now doing better*, sharp and seems to be enjoying retirement:

*However there's two IV infusion bottles in the background of the full image. And they probably have a fridge full of dissident organs to put in this guy if something starts to fail.

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

Admiral of the Fleet Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce (wiki) dead at 79.

Chief of Defence Staff, 2001–2003. Advised the British Government on the deployment of troops for the '03 invasion of Iraq. Member of the House of Lords since '03.

Telegraph obit.

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

On 25/04/2022 at 21:33, Ulitzer95 said:

You literally just ninja'd me by about a minute!

There's an obituary here as confirmation. Also picked in the Centenarian Deadpool I think?

This means that William A. Jenkins (wiki, b. 1917) is the last high ranking U.S. military official born in the 1910s.

Death notice (GDPR blocked) for William A. Jenkins (wiki).

Died back on August 27, aged 104 from COVID-19-related pneumonia.

Oldest high-ranking military officers in the U.S. are now:

Henry Simon (wiki, b. Feb 1921)
Kenneth O. Chilstrom (wiki, b. Apr 1921)
John F. Gonge (wiki, b. Nov 1921)
Sanford K. Moats (wiki, b. Dec 1921)

[drol 11,912]

On 18/02/2022 at 11:31, Ulitzer95 said:

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.

William A. Jenkins died of COVID in August according to an obituary which is not available, at least from Europe.

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

Some screenshots from the obit.

 

[arghton 6,695]

Zhang Lixiong seemingly didn't make an appearance on his 109th birthday. I guess he's too ill to make appearances now. Jaakko Valtanen hasn't made appearances in a while, however there's an event on the 1st of December he could attend if still in good health. Kenneth O. Chilstrom seems to have been in a steady health decline for a while

Barbados has as far as I know two very old ex-Chiefs of Staff living, Colonel Leonard Banfield and Brigadier Rudyard Lewis, not sure how old they are. 

[YoungWillz 21,024]

Death Notice for Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight, a former UK Military Representative to NATO: http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/260984/knight

 

Wiki refers to his marriage as extant, but the death notice specifies that Patricia has already died.

[YoungWillz 21,024]

5 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

Death Notice for Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight, a former UK Military Representative to NATO: http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/260984/knight

 

Wiki refers to his marriage as extant, but the death notice specifies that Patricia has already died.

Patricia Knight seems to have a Guardian obit here: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2008/jan/29/mainsection.obituaries

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

On 12/11/2022 at 21:30, Ulitzer95 said:

Death notice (GDPR blocked) for William A. Jenkins (wiki).

Died back on August 27, aged 104 from COVID-19-related pneumonia.

Oldest high-ranking military officers in the U.S. are now:

Henry Simon (wiki, b. Feb 1921)
Kenneth O. Chilstrom (wiki, b. Apr 1921)
John F. Gonge (wiki, b. Nov 1921)
Sanford K. Moats (wiki, b. Dec 1921)

U.S. Air Force Colonel and test pilot Kenneth O. Chilstrom dead at 101.

[arghton 6,695]

On 12/09/2022 at 22:17, arghton said:

Went through a 38-name list of living Long March vets from 2 years ago, seems like the most fitting thread for this as multiple of these people have been discussed here:

 

33. Zhao Guiying 赵桂英 (1916-) Neijiang's last Long March veteran.

Zhao Guiying dead at 106. She was a veteran of the Long March (1934-1935), WWII and the Huaihai Campaign (1948-1949).

Died at the "cadre rest center" of the Meijiashan Military Division, Neijiang, Sichuan last month. Not sure how many Long March vets there are left, but atleast those ca. 17 and probably a lot (10 or 20+) more. 

 

 

EDIT: Xiao Yan is apparently also dead according to Sohu. Died in March at around 101. 

[YoungWillz 21,024]

Times Obituary for David Ramsbotham, Baron Ramsbotham, former General of the Army and subsequently appointed HM Chief Inspector of Prisons: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/general-lord-ramsbotham-obituary-tsrh6x009

[chel 376]

Mikhail Moiseyev, former Chief of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces, dies.

interfax.ru ru.wiki

 

During the putsch in 1991 he supported his superior, Yazov. But when Yazov was ousted, Moiseyev was appointed acting Defence Minister of the USSR... for one day... then they dismissed Moiseyev as well... 

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

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 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.

Telegraph death notice for Anthony Whetstone (wiki), aged 95.

[arghton 6,695]

On 12/09/2022 at 22:17, arghton said:

63. Zhao Shixin 赵世新/趙世新 (1914-) Interviewed in 2021.

Long March veteran Zhao Shixin being reported dead at 108 from "illness and ineffective treatment" on Guancha cn and Sina.

Guancha link.