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Gen Clark Louis Ruffner

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Gen Clark Louis Ruffner Famous memorial Veteran

Birth
Buffalo, Erie County, New York, USA
Death
26 Jul 1982 (aged 79)
Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia, USA
Burial
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA GPS-Latitude: 38.8836, Longitude: -77.0689
Plot
Section 30, Site 430
Memorial ID
View Source
US Army General. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he rose in rank to become The US Military Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Military Committee. After completing high school, he enrolled in the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia and graduated in 1924 with a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Cavalry. From 1924 until 1937 he was assigned to various cavalry regiments and then became Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Norwich University in Norwich, Vermont until 1940, when he became a student at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Texas. After the US entered World War II un December 1941, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and became Deputy Chief of Staff for the US Army 7th Corps at San Jose, California. In 1943 he was assigned to Hawaii as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for the Hawaiian Department and then became Deputy Chief of Staff for the Central Pacific Area and was promoted to the rank of major general. In 1944 he became Chief of Staff for US Army Pacific. He then served as Chief of Staff of the US Army 10th Corps until the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, when he became commander of the US Army 2nd Division and saw combat action at the Battle of the Soyang Rover. From 1951 until 1954 he was assigned to Washington DC and served in the International Security Affairs section of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In 1954 he became Commander, US Army Pacific at Fort Shafter, Hawaii and the following year he was appointed Commanding General of the 2nd Armored Division (nicknamed "Hell on Wheels") at Fort Hood, Texas. In 1958 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and became Commanding General of the US 3rd Army in Germany. In March 1960 he was promoted to the rank of general and became the US Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee at Brussels, Belgium and he retired at this position in 1962 with 38 years of continuous military service. Among his military and foreign decorations and awards include the Army Distinguished Service Cross, the Army Distinguished Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Silver Star (with one oak leaf cluster), the Legion of Merit (with one oak leaf cluster), the Bronze Star, the Air Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korea Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal (Korea). He died at the age of 79.
US Army General. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he rose in rank to become The US Military Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Military Committee. After completing high school, he enrolled in the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia and graduated in 1924 with a commission as a 2nd lieutenant in the Cavalry. From 1924 until 1937 he was assigned to various cavalry regiments and then became Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Norwich University in Norwich, Vermont until 1940, when he became a student at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Texas. After the US entered World War II un December 1941, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and became Deputy Chief of Staff for the US Army 7th Corps at San Jose, California. In 1943 he was assigned to Hawaii as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for the Hawaiian Department and then became Deputy Chief of Staff for the Central Pacific Area and was promoted to the rank of major general. In 1944 he became Chief of Staff for US Army Pacific. He then served as Chief of Staff of the US Army 10th Corps until the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, when he became commander of the US Army 2nd Division and saw combat action at the Battle of the Soyang Rover. From 1951 until 1954 he was assigned to Washington DC and served in the International Security Affairs section of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In 1954 he became Commander, US Army Pacific at Fort Shafter, Hawaii and the following year he was appointed Commanding General of the 2nd Armored Division (nicknamed "Hell on Wheels") at Fort Hood, Texas. In 1958 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and became Commanding General of the US 3rd Army in Germany. In March 1960 he was promoted to the rank of general and became the US Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee at Brussels, Belgium and he retired at this position in 1962 with 38 years of continuous military service. Among his military and foreign decorations and awards include the Army Distinguished Service Cross, the Army Distinguished Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Silver Star (with one oak leaf cluster), the Legion of Merit (with one oak leaf cluster), the Bronze Star, the Air Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), the Army Commendation Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korea Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal (Korea). He died at the age of 79.

Bio by: William Bjornstad



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  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: Carol STEVENS
  • Added: Oct 29, 2007
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22552692/clark_louis-ruffner: accessed ), memorial page for Gen Clark Louis Ruffner (12 Jan 1903–26 Jul 1982), Find a Grave Memorial ID 22552692, citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.