Andrew Goodpaster

Andrew Goodpaster
6thSupreme Allied Commander Europe
In office July 1, 1969 – December 15, 1974
President	Richard Nixon
Deputy	Robert Bray Desmond Fitzpatrick John Mogg
Preceded by	Lyman Lemnitzer
Succeeded by	Alexander M. Haig Jr.
Director of the Joint Staff
In office August 1, 1966 – March 31, 1967
President	Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	David A. Burchinal
Succeeded by	Berton E. Spivy
Superintendent of the United States Military Academy
In office 1977–1981
Preceded by	Sidney Bryan Berry
Succeeded by	Willard Warren Scott Jr.
Chairman of theAmerican Battle Monuments Commission
In office 1985–1990
Preceded by	Mark W. Clark
Succeeded by	Paul X. Kelley
White House Staff Secretary
In office October 1954 – January 20, 1961
President	Dwight D. Eisenhower
Preceded by	Pete Carroll
Succeeded by	Bill Hartigan
Personal details
Born	(1915-02-12)February 12, 1915 Granite City,Illinois,U.S.
Died	May 16, 2005(2005-05-16)(aged 90) Washington, D.C.,U.S.
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Spouse	Dorothy Dulaney Anderson ​ ​ (m.1939)​
Children	2
Education	United States Military Academy(BS) Princeton University(MS,MA,PhD)
Nickname	"GoodP"
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1939–1974 1977–1981
Rank	General
Commands	8th Infantry Division Supreme Allied Commander Europe Superintendent of the United States Military Academy
Battles/wars	World War II Cold War Vietnam War
Awards	Army Distinguished Service Cross Defense Distinguished Service Medal(2) Army Distinguished Service Medal(4) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Purple Heart(2) Presidential Medal of Freedom National Order of Vietnam

Andrew Jackson Goodpaster(February 12, 1915 – May 16, 2005) was anAmericanArmyGeneral.He served asNATO'sSupreme Allied Commander, Europe(SACEUR), from July 1, 1969, and Commander in Chief of theUnited States European Command(CINCEUR) from May 5, 1969, until his retirement December 17, 1974.As such, he was the commander of all NATO (SACEUR) and United States (CINCEUR) military forces stationed in Europe and the surrounding regions.

Goodpaster returned to the military in June 1977 as the 51stSuperintendentof theUnited States Military Academy at West Point, New York,until he retired again in July 1981.

Career

Goodpaster entered theUnited States Military AcademyatWest Pointin 1935, followed in 1939 by a commission as asecond lieutenantin theCorps of Engineersafter graduating second in his class of 456. After serving inPanama,he returned to the U.S. in mid-1942, and in 1943, he attended a wartime course at the Command and General Staff School,Fort Leavenworth,Kansas.

DuringWorld War II,Goodpaster commanded the 48th Combat Engineer Battalion inNorth AfricaandItaly.He was awarded theDistinguished Service Cross,theSilver Star,and twoPurple Heartsfor his service in World War II. His combat experience was cut short in January 1944, when he was severely wounded and sent back to the United States to recover. After his wounds had healed, he was assigned to the War Planning Office under General Marshall, where he served the duration of the war.

Goodpaster was seen by many as the quintessential "soldier-scholar."He received a Ph.D. in politics fromPrinceton Universityin 1950 after completing a doctoral dissertation titled "National technology and international politics."He later received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Princeton in 1979. Princeton says he earned degrees in civil engineering and politics.

Key assignments

• Staff Secretaryand Defense Liaison Officer to President Eisenhower (1954–1961)
• Advisor to the Administrations of PresidentsJohnson(1963–1969),Nixon(1969–1974), andCarter(1977–1981)
• Commander of the San Francisco District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
• Commander of the8th Infantry Divisionin Germany (1961–1962)
• Director of the Joint Staff,Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1966–1967)
• Commandant of theNational War College(1967–1968)
• Deputy Commander of theU.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam(MACV) (1968–1969)
• Commander-in-Chief of USEUCOM and Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Forces (1969–1974)
• Superintendent,USMA(1977–1981)

First retirement

After retiring in 1974, he served as seniorfellowat theWoodrow Wilson International Center for Scholarsin 1975–76, and taught atThe Citadel.His book,For the Common Defensewas published in 1977.

He was brought back to active duty asSuperintendentof theU.S. Military Academy(1977–1981) after1976 West Point cheating scandalinvolving 151 cadets (see also,1951 West Point cheating scandal). Although he had retired with the rank ofGeneral(four star), he voluntarily served as superintendent at the lower rank ofLieutenant General(three stars), since thebilletcarries that rank.

Second retirement and later years

In 1981, when Goodpaster retired for the second time, being advanced back to four-star rank. He stayed active in retirement serving on various boards and working on his own memoirs. He died at age 90 atWalter Reed Army Medical Centerand is interred atArlington National Cemetery.

Advocacy for the elimination of nuclear weapons

In his later years, Goodpaster was vocal in advocating the reduction of nuclear weapons. Later his position evolved to advocating for elimination of all nuclear weapons. In September 1994, he commented, "Increasingly, nuclear weapons are seen to constitute a nuisance and a danger rather than a benefit or a source of strength."In 1996, along with GeneralLee Butlerand Rear AdmiralEugene Carroll,Goodpaster co-authored a statement for theGlobal Security Instituteadvocating the complete elimination of nuclear weapons due to their danger and lack of military utility.

Civilian service

Goodpaster was a fellow at theEisenhower Institute,and theInstitute for Defense Analysesin Washington. He served onAmerican Security Counciland founded theCommittee on the Present Danger,emphasizing the Soviet Union's military threat and a corresponding need for a strong defense for the United States.

He served as a trustee and a chairman of theGeorge C. Marshall Foundation,which established the Andrew J. Goodpaster Award to honor, "American business leaders, politicians, military leaders and others who have served our nation in exemplary ways, who, like General Goodpaster, have exhibited great courage, selfless service, patriotism and leadership in their lives and careers."Among the recipients have beenJohn P. Jumper,Raymond T. Odierno,Gordon R. Sullivan,andBrent Scowcroft.

For many years in retirement, Goodpaster was a trustee ofSt. Mary's College of Maryland,playing important roles in advancing the school to national prominence. A building on the school's campus,Goodpaster Hall,is named in his honor.

Awards

• In January 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower awarded Goodpaster theDistinguished Service Medalfor his work in the position of Staff Secretary to the President of the United States, and as Liaison Officer of the Department of Defense to the White House, 1954–1961, “for distinguished service in a position of grave responsibility.” This award was mistakenly identified in the original press release as the Medal of Freedom. Goodpaster was actually awarded the Distinguished Service Medal at this ceremony—the press release is in error. Goodpaster's copy of the press release has the words "Medal of Freedom" lined out, and "Distinguished Service Medal" written over it. As a serving US Army officer at the time, Goodpaster could not have received the Medal of Freedom, a civilian award. Eisenhower mentioned that he was amazed that the award had been kept a surprise; Goodpaster later joked that if he had known about it, the paperwork would have been correct.
• At General Goodpaster's first retirement in 1974,PresidentGerald Fordawarded him theDefense Distinguished Service Medal.
• In 1984, PresidentRonald Reaganawarded Goodpaster thePresidential Medal of Freedom“for his contributions in the field of international affairs.” This was the first and only award of this medal to Goodpaster.
• In 1985, he received the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievementpresented by Awards Council member and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, GeneralBernard W. Rogers,USA.
• In 1992, he received the United States Military Academy Association of Graduates’ Distinguished Graduate Award.

Dates of rank

• Cadet, United States Military Academy - 1 July 1935
• 2nd Lieutenant, Regular Army (RA) - 12 June 1939
• 1st Lieutenant, Army of the United States (AUS) - 9 September 1940
• Captain, AUS - 1 February 1942
• 1st Lieutenant, Regular Army - 12 June 1942
• Major, AUS - 29 October 1942
• Lieutenant Colonel, AUS - 23 June 1943
• Captain, RA - 1 July 1948
• Major, RA - 14 May 1951
• Colonel, AUS - 10 September 1952
• Brigadier General, AUS - 1 January 1957
• Lieutenant Colonel, RA - 22 March 1957
• Major General, AUS - 1 August 1956
• Lieutenant General, AUS - 27 January 1964
• Colonel, RA - 12 June 1964
• Brigadier General, RA - 30 January 1966
• General, AUS - c. June 1968
• General, Retired List - c. December 1974

Note - During and after World War II officers with temporary commissions were commissioned in theArmy of the United States(AUS) whereas permanent commissions were in the United States Army (i.e. theRegular Army).

Works

Listed in reverse chronological order of date published:

• Goodpaster, Andrew J. and Rossides, Eugene.Greece's Pivotal Role in World War II and Its Importance to the U.S. Today.Washington, D.C.: American Hellenic Institute Foundation, 2001.
• Goodpaster, Andrew J.When Diplomacy Is Not Enough: Managing Multinational Military Interventions: A Report To The Carnegie Commission On Preventing Deadly Conflict.New York: Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict, 1996.
• Goodpaster, Andrew J.Gorbachev and the Future of East-West Security: A Response for the Mid-Term. Atlantic Council of the United States Occasional paper,April 1989.
• Goodpaster, Andrew J. et al.U. S. Policy Toward the Soviet Union. A Long-Term Western Perspective,1987–2000. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, Lanham, MD, 1988.
• National Security and Détente.Foreword by General Andrew J. Goodpaster with contributions by faculty members of the U.S. Army War College. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, Apollo Editions, 1987.
• Goodpaster, Andrew J.Strengthening Conventional Deterrence in Europe: A Program for the 1980s.Westview Special Studies in International Security (ISBN0813370787). Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1985.
• Goodpaster, Andrew J. and Elliot, Lloyd.Toward a Consensus on Military Service – Report of the Atlantic Council's Working Group on Military Service.Tarrytown, New York: Pergamon Press, 1982.
• Goodpaster, Andrew J.For the Common Defense.Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 1977.
• Goodpaster, Andrew J.Civil-Military Relations: Studies in defense policy.Washington, D.C.:American Enterprise Institutefor Public Policy Research, 1977.
• Goodpaster, Andrew J. and Huntington, Samuel P.Civil-Military Relations.University of Nebraska Press, Omaha:American Enterprise Institutefor Public Policy Research, Washington D.C., 1977.
• Goodpaster, General Andrew J.SHAPE and Allied Command Europe In the Service of Peace and Security.1973.

See also

• List of Supreme Allied Commanders Europe (SACEUR)

Further reading

• Jordan, Robert S.An Unsung Soldier: The Life of Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster.Naval Institute Press, 2013.ISBN978-1-61251-278-5;Chris Booth. H-NET review
• Nelson, C. Richard.The Life and Work of General Andrew J. Goodpaster: Best Practices in National Security Affairs.Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.ISBN978-1442272286.
• Pickett, William B.(2003). "General Andrew Jackson Goodpaster: Managing National Security". In Anderson, David L. (ed.).The Human Tradition in America Since 1945.Wilmington, Del.: SR Books. pp. 25–46.ISBN978-0842029438.

External links

• General Goodpaster's NATO tribute
• Interview about President Eisenhowerfor the WGBH series,War and Peace in the Nuclear Age
• White House Office of the Staff Secretary Records, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential LibraryArchived2012-09-29 at theWayback Machine
• AppearancesonC-SPAN
• Andrew GoodpasteratIMDb