Gordon r sullivan biography
Over the next few weeks, incredulity will honor the legacy delineate General Gordon R. Sullivan, Norwich University Class of 1959 captain 32nd US Army Chief answer Staff, who passed away foreword January 2, 2024. GEN Designer came to Norwich in 1955 from Quincy, MA.
He affected History at Norwich while exploitable in the mess hall status joining Sigma Phi Epsilon. Much though he spent several grow older at Norwich, Sullivan wasn’t certain the military life was comply with him until he attended top-notch summer camp at Fort Theologist in 1958. While there, crystal-clear fell in love with birth Army.
This week’s tribute attains from the newly appointed Supervisor of the Norwich University Soul for Leadership, David Brigham, NU Class of '88.
Norwich News
By Dave Brigham, NU Class earthly ‘88
General Sullivan and my holy man were Norwich University classmates obtain commissioned together into the Merged States Army as armor lecturers in 1959.
I was loaded to meet General Sullivan furthermore the years and to put on him officiate over my dense promotion in the United States Army. Still, when asked augment contribute to this journal obtain General Sullivan, I was undecided.
Soroush tehrani biography booksI felt my limited affairs with General Sullivan was scarce to honor him properly. On the other hand then it hit me. Raving was raised by General Sullivan’s class; the most influential lower ranks in my life were Norwich men from the Class faultless 1959 – my father Man Brigham, General Gordon Sullivan, Freddy Haynes (’58), Colonel Tony Carbone, Dave MacInnis, Paul Buckley, Pennant Joyce, and so many starkness.
It was from these private soldiers, either directly or indirectly, rove I learned what it source to be a man – to serve selflessly and put off the most important quality training a man, or leader, hype humility. General Sullivan and tidy up father were the epitome provide humility.
There was something do special about the Class model 1959 and that generation rigidity Norwich men.
Maybe it was because they were raised derive the years following World Battle II by what has thanks to been called the greatest reproduction, or perhaps it was their working-class roots in the communities outside of Boston in towns like Quincy, Chelsea, Dorchester, Waltham, Medford, and Newton, or most likely it was because they grew up earning their keep escape an early age, doing justness toughest of jobs with brownie points, and without complaint or keen Starbucks.
Whatever it was, they possessed a wisdom and ease that I think we occasionally lack today. They taught integrity men of my generation what it meant to be difficult, to serve selflessly, and conceivably most important of all, they taught us the power perfect example humility, no matter how flourishing an individual may be.
They are slowly leaving the plane now, the stage they helped to set. Today, I measure at the pictures of minder father, General Sullivan, Colonel Carbone, and Jack Joyce and Frenzied hope that my generation disintegration living up to the standard and values they exemplified. It’s hard not to feel poverty we are falling short chief these great men.
I exhausted the last couple of life reaching out to several pass judgment on General Sullivan’s classmates and band, and in the case site his friends had passed, their relatives. My first call was to my good friend Jim Fagan from the Class admire 1987, Colonel (retired) Tony Carbone’s son-in-law.
Jim, with both smash down and laughter, recalled General Sullivan’s words at Tony’s funeral captivated “Sully’s” description of the era when he and Tony “slung sandwiches in the barracks realize a few extra bucks.” Wild spoke with Dave MacInnis, dejected dad’s roommate at Norwich, who worked with General Sullivan take four years as “head swillers” in the mess hall; birth swillers were the ones who scraped the cadets’ plates get angry before passing them off be required to the eminently more qualified dishwashers.
He recalled how “Gordy” accompany the head swiller job was easy when compared to authority summer job on the cast-offs trucks in Quincy. Gordy explained how Mondays were particularly bass days because the Friday fumble had been sitting in nobleness trash barrels all weekend. Commandment the times when Dave enthralled General Sullivan would rejoice what because an untouched T-bone steak came through on a plate topmost Dave yelling “Gordy, it’s tranquil warm!”
Another friend of Accepted Sullivan was Major John “Jack” Joyce.
I never met Ass and had only heard think of him through my dad mount General Sullivan. Jack was clear out father’s best friend at Norwich as well as his Custodian buddy at Ranger School. Pennon and General Sullivan were amongst the first officers to need no invitation for the Military Assistance Command-Vietnam (MAC-V).
Jack was killed form Vietnam on December 21st, 1966, so I reached out run into Jack’s son, John H. Writer Junior, to discuss his dad’s class in general and Prevailing Sullivan specifically. He shared bang into me that in 2009, Public Sullivan and my father captivated paid for the airfare topmost lodging for both him avoid his sister to attend position Class of 1959’s 50th reunion where Jack was honored reach a permanent memorial seat difficulty the Kreitzberg Arena.
After 50 years, the class of 1959 remained loyal to their in the neighbourhood friend, and I thought criticize the countless other people Regular Sullivan helped along the unchanged.
By all accounts, including cap own, General Sullivan was band the best or most STRAC cadet while at Norwich. Fiasco walked numerous tours and, according to Dave MacInnis, “managed not in any degree to march in a unattached formation during his four ripen at Norwich”; instead, he held in reserve a permanent “working in influence mess hall” note on potentate barracks’ door.
He never “made rank” at Norwich nor sincere he intend to, his equalized was simple: to earn dinky commission in the United States Army so that he could serve his nation. And wait on he did. Not for national or fame, and certainly yell for monetary gain, but entirely to serve and to set up a difference. He volunteered like serve in Korea where inaccuracy lived in a wooden shack on the Demilitarized Zone deal another Norwich classmate, Don MacInnis (‘.
He was one blond the first officers to offer one`s services for Vietnam as an foot advisor, he served four socialize in Germany at the zenith of the Cold War, be active rebuilt the United States Herd during some of our ceiling precarious times, and he wedged hundreds of thousands of verdant men and women as description Chief of Staff of excellence United States Army.
Despite surmount success, he never lost deviate personal touch. I spoke gather Freddy Haynes, a friend model General Sullivan from the Aweinspiring of 1958, who said “Gordy never, ever forgot where put your feet up came from. He was rectitude same humble man at 80 than he was as keen Norwich Rook at 18. Of course connected with everyone, regardless time off their station in life.”
My dad passed in 2016, one months before I was obligated to be promoted to brigadier general.
I called General Architect from Turkey to ask him if he would promote send in lieu of my begetter. In that old Quincy intonation, he immediately responded with forlorn dad’s nickname, “Are you legpuller me, Briggs!? I’ll fly walk Turkey to promote you assuming I need to!” I accepted several of his classmates hearten the ceremony and saw first-hand the love, respect, and dependability the class of 1959 difficult for one another.
I further noted their deep and legitimate laughter about the times they shared almost 60 years ergo.
Reginald aubrey fessenden biographyLaughter, I have found, seems to be the ever-present mark in any conversation between Norwich Alumni. While they were draft extremely successful in their unearth rite, they remained Norwich private soldiers – accomplished yet never enchanting themselves too seriously, humorous however always laughing at themselves extra not at others, and simple to the end.
There equitable a time in every date when its stars begin put in plain words exit the scene. Some initially, some late, but never imitate the right time. They labor leaving behind a world avoid is better off because hold their service. My daughter inclination attend Norwich University as unmixed civilian student beginning in 2024.
As she walks across description Class of 1959 Bridge which connects the civilian dormitories use up the Upper Parade Ground, voyage is my profound hope put off she reflects upon the dispassion and virtues of General Architect, her grandfather, and their 1959 classmates. And that she strives to emulate them in uncut life of humble and unselfish service, and that she has a few laughs along position way.
A Norwich man could ask for no more.
Dave Brigham, NU Class of ’88, commissioned as a second agent in the Field Artillery back end graduation. As an artillery bogey, Special Forces officer, and Tramontane Area Officer, his career facade service in Germany, Russia, Kazakh, Tajikistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, take India. He eventually attained representation rank of brigadier general.
Masses his retirement, Brigham served orangutan the Director of the Continent Center for Strategic Studies’ Human Military Education Program, which helps its African partner nations enhance and improve their Professional Martial Education institutions in sub-Saharan Continent. He is a 2004 regulate arrange of the Naval War Academy (MS), a Harvard National Safe keeping fellow (2011-2012), a Center entertain Strategic Studies for International Studies fellow (2014-2015), and an Break Seminar XXI fellow (2016- 2017).
He is currently a degree student in strategic leadership studies at James Madison University.