Military commanders

[drol 10,069]

On 12/06/2022 at 16:55, arghton said:

What I understand from recent news is that the good old bigot's wife has suffered from Alzheimer's for a couple of years and while being her carer he started using antidepressants:

https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000008871760.html

Article is behind a paywall but seems to be doing better now. His wife, Ritva,  lives in a care home now. 

 

Forgot to mention this one:

Anton Tus (1931) Croatia's only living five-star general and first Chief of the General Staff 1991-1992. Can't find any recent articles, I wonder how he's doing.

Anton Tus dead at 91.

[arghton 6,124]

On 01/07/2023 at 13:20, drol said:

No fear for Lagu. He will be on the immortals list next year, there's literally nothing which can kill the guy.

Joseph Lagu...'s deputy and right hand man, Lieutenant General Pasquale Angasi Langa, dead at 75 from echinococcosis.

[arghton 6,124]

On 15/07/2022 at 13:39, arghton said:

Algeria's Minister of Mujahideen, the President's advisor and the Minister of Health visited three old Algerian military figures of the Algerian War today.

 

1. Colonel Tahar Zbiri (Arabic wiki, French wiki) 93-year-old who served in the Algerian War as the leader of Wilaya I 1961-1962. And the first Chief of Staff of the Army of Algeria 1964-1967. He's been in very bad health for years and had a bad case of covid in 2020. Seems a bit better than in May, though.

 

2. Youssef El Khatib/Youcef Khatib (Arabic wiki, French wiki). 89-year-old who was the leader of Wilaya IV 1961-1962 after the death of Djilali Bounaâma. Later a Bouteflika critic. He's in the middle and seems to be doing great for his age.

 

3. Djamila Boupacha, now 84, militant who attempted to bomb a cafe in Algiers in 1959 and was arrested for it in 1960. She was raped and tortured, and this case gained wide attention, especially after she brought her torture case to trial with Tunisian-French lawyer Gisèle Halimi, and after publicity by Simone de Beauvoir. She gained support of multiple prominent French artists and politicians during the trial including Pablo Picasso. Pretty much a national symbol. Seems to be doing fine.

Djamila Boupacha has apparently been quite ill recently with some hospital visits, but the image is from last year and she was doing better earlier this year. Tahar Zbiri made an made an appearance in April and looked like he usually does, Khatib hasn't declined much.

 

On 18/12/2018 at 05:12, CaptainChorizo said:

Some more French speaking notables not yet mentioned

 

Djamila Boupacha(b. 1938)-FLN member who bombed a cafe in Algiers,was sentenced to death then later given amnesty

 

Djamila Bouhired (b. 1935)-1 of the 3 FLN Bombers depicted in the classic film "Battle Of Algeirs"

 

Louisette Ighilahriz(b.1936)-Algerian Writer and FLN member

 

Anne Vernon (b,.1924)-Actress who played Catherine Deneuve's mum in "The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg"

 

No idea of the health status of any of these ladies,just figured given they are all 80+ they all might be on the clock so to speak.

However Djamila Bouhired, another Algeria independence fighter/resistance icon (and former DDP Pick) was visited a few days ago by the Mujahideen Ministry and looks a bit frail:

[arghton 6,124]

On 06/05/2023 at 22:48, arghton said:

Military (mostly minor names mentioned on the vietnamese wikipedia as they have Wiki pages for seemingly all SV Generals - some of the Maj/ Lt. Gens likely dead):

Lt. Cen Phạm Quốc Thuần (1926) Said to live or have lived in Oregon.

Lt. Gen Nguyễn Bảo Trị (1929) Was still attending events a few years ago.

Lt. Gen Trần Văn Trung (1926) Was said to be "lying in critical condition in a Paris hospital" in 2012, I doubt he's still alive.

Lt. Gen Nguyễn Vĩnh Nghi (1932) Possibly dead? 

Lt. Gen Mai Hữu Xuân (1916/1917-1988) Involved in the 1963 and 1964 coups. Very much dead (Trần Thiện Khiêm was the last living of those who had a major role in the coups) but nobody seems to know when, all is known he died in the US.

Maj. Gen Nguyễn Chấn (1931-2022?) Said to have died in Toronto last year.

...

South Vietnam Lieutenant General Phạm Quốc Thuần (wiki) died in August at 96 two weeks short of his 97th birthday in Fountain Valley, California. Suprised he was still alive. 

[drol 10,069]

On 13/03/2023 at 11:05, arghton said:

Chinese full General (promoted 1994), WWII veteran and Commander of the Beijing Military Region 1993-1997 Li Laizhu dead at 90.

 

As far as I know there are a few older Generals living, by far the oldest being Wan Haifeng who fought in the Long March.

 

Edit: Wan Haifeng's the oldest, Tiananmen butcher Chi Haotian is the second-oldest (but nine years younger than Wan Haifeng) and then there's Fu Quanyou, Cao Pengsheng and Dai Xuejiang from 1930, Yu Zhenwu, Zhang Lianzhong, Yu Yongbo, Ding Henggao, Wang Ke and Gu Shanqing from 1931, Sui Yongju from 1932, Liu Jingsong from 1933 and Zhang Zhijian from 1934.

 

Wan Haifeng, Chi Haotian and Wang Ke are the last ones to have enlisted before the end of WWII/fought in it.

Yu Zhenwu (wiki), commander of PLA Air Force from 1994 to 1996, dead at 92.

 

Oldest living Commander of PLAAF is now Qiao Qingchen (wiki), aged 84.

[Gisooo 2,554]

On 15/07/2022 at 12:39, arghton said:

2. Youssef El Khatib/Youcef Khatib (Arabic wiki, French wiki). 89-year-old who was the leader of Wilaya IV 1961-1962 after the death of Djilali Bounaâma. Later a Bouteflika critic. He's in the middle and seems to be doing great for his age.

 

Youcef Khatib dead at 90

[drol 10,069]

The Butcher of Beijing Chi Haotian made a rare pubblic appearance last month, at the National Day reception. Looks well as you should expect.

[arghton 6,124]

US General Eric Smith, current commandant of the Marines, reportedly hospitalised after suffering a "medical emergency" yesterday. No further info given yet, but his duties have been taken over. 

 

 

Very old Vietnamese General (and former Vice President, predecessor of Vietnam war diplomat Nguyễn Thị Bình in the role) Nguyễn Quyết has been in hospital for some months this year with heart problems, not the first time... However he looks quite good here:

I think he'll survive long enough to be a pick/hit for a few teams in next year's Centenarians DP.

[drol 10,069]

On 12/09/2022 at 21:17, arghton said:

 

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

 

3. Zheng Zhubo 郑竹波 (1921-)

 

...

Zheng Zhubo dead at 101.

[drol 10,069]

Wang Fuzhi appears to be "recovering from an illness" in ICU. Tough battle between him and Zhang Lixiong.

[drol 10,069]

Zhang Lixiong turns 110 today. Looks the same he looked three months ago.

[Spade_Cooley 9,024]

5 minutes ago, drol said:

Zhang Lixiong turns 110 today. Looks the same he looked three months ago.

 

The Genesis farewell tour really took it out of Phil.

[drol 10,069]

Detailed news article about Zhang Lixiong. Hospitalised in critical condition in 2020 and has been hospitalised since. Last year had "up and downs" but doctors always managed to save him. He looks in the very late stages of dementia now.

[The Old Crem 3,181]

Tony Mason, Royal Air Force Air Secretary between 1985 and 1989 has died aged 91. https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/gloucestershire-lieutenancy/team/

[Thatcher 2,124]

Colonel Derek Wilford, British Army Officer commanding the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment, has died aged 90. Under his command, the battalion carried out the Bloody Sunday killings.

 

Obituaries: The Times, BBC

[Ulitzer95 11,089]

Julius W. Becton Jr. supposedly dead at 97.

 

I’m out atm. Can someone find a link?

[Summer in Transylvania 1,621]

6 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Julius W. Becton Jr. supposedly dead at 97.

 

I’m out atm. Can someone find a link?

Here's one.

[drol 10,069]

On 12/09/2022 at 21:17, 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:

 

11. Wei Jinshan 魏金山 (1927-) former PLA Navy political commissar.

...

Wei Jinshan dead at 96.

[drol 10,069]

On 24/10/2020 at 14:08, 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

Liu Ho-Chien dead at 97.

[drol 10,069]

Former Salvadoran minister of defence Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova dead at 86. A nice CV of murder, torture and rape on his part.

 

For "The Good Die Young" series his even more reviled predecessor,  José Guillermo García turned 90 in June.

[Sinbabad 830]

Bengali Atiqur Rahman, former Chief of Army, has died aged 92.

[arghton 6,124]

Gordon R. Sullivan, Chief of Staff of the US Army 1991-1995, dead at 86. (For DL search purposes Gordon Sullivan or Gordon Russell Sullivan)

 

Two of his predecessors are still alive, John A. Wickham Jr (96 this year) and Carl E. Vuono (90 this year). Vuono was still attending events as of 2019 and probably later, not so sure about Wickham who already looked very frail in 2010.

[Gisooo 2,554]

On 11/09/2020 at 23:23, 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.

 

British Army officer Frank Kitson (Wiki) dead at 97

[Windsor 2,143]

12 minutes ago, Gisooo said:

 

British Army officer Frank Kitson (Wiki) dead at 97

 

Hit for my theme team.

 

I've done well with Franks over these last couple years...

[Ulitzer95 11,089]

1 hour ago, Gisooo said:

 

British Army officer Frank Kitson (Wiki) dead at 97

Sir Frank Kitson was the earliest appointed full British Army general (in 1982) still living.

Surviving full British Army generals appointed in the 20th century:

(1984) Sultan of Brunei (b. 1946) honorary
(1988) Sir Robert Pascoe (b. 1932)
(1990) Sir John Waters (b. 1935)
(1991) Sir Peter de la Billière (b. 1934)
(1992) Sir John Learmont (b. 1934)
(1992) Lord Charles Guthrie (b. 1938)
(1992) Sir Garry Johnson (b. 1937)
(1994) Harald V of Norway (b. 1937) honorary
(1994) Sir Jeremy Mackenzie (b. 1941)
(1995) Sir Michael Rose (b. 1940)
(1996) Sir Roger Wheeler (b. 1941)
(1997) Lord Michael Walker (b. 1944)
(1997) Sir Samuel Cowan (b. 1941)
(1998) Sir Alexander Harley (b. 1941)
(1998) Sir Rupert Smith (b. 1943)
(2000) Sir Mike Jackson (b. 1944)

Come July all will be aged 80+

(side note: in the 21st century there have been 20 people appointed as full generals. All 20 are still living.)