Joseph C. McDonough

McDonough was born into an Irish American family in New York City on September 30, 1924, and grew up in Chatham Borough, New Jersey. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June 1945 with a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infantry. He earned a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Georgetown University in 1957. ==Military career==

Early service After graduating from West Point in June 1945, he attended the Basic Course at Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia and was sent to the Philippines for two and half years and served as a company commander in both U.S. and Philippine Scout Infantry Units. In 1947 he returned to the United States for duty with the 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Upon the completion of parachute training in 1948, McDonough joined the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he served for three years as a company grade commander and staff officer. In 1951-1952 he attended the Advanced Course, Infantry School at Fort Benning and from there he was deployed to Korea. McDonough spent a year in combat with the 1st Battalion, 223rd Infantry Regiment as a rifle company commander, battalion operations officer and battalion executive officer and was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for his service. Vietnam War In May 1967, McDonough joined the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam as the Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry. During this period the battalion participated in Operation Pershing I and II which was a battle against enemy forces and an effort to assist the Vietnamese in establishing a pacification program in Bình Định province. McDonough completed his tour in Vietnam in May 1968 and departed for the United States. For his service in Vietnam, he was decorated with Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, two Legion of Merit, second Bronze Star Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with 33 Oak Leaf Clusters. He also received several decorations from the Government of South Vietnam. ==Late career==

Upon his return, McDonough was promoted to brigadier general and from May 1968 until May 1970 served as a member of the European Branch, J-3, Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon and then in May 1970 he was assigned as the deputy director of the Operations, National Military Command Center with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In April 1971, McDonough returned to Vietnam and served as the Assistant Division Commander, 23rd Infantry Division and was then assigned Commanding General, 196th Infantry Brigade which he commanded until June 1972. His brigade assisted in port security duties in Da Nang and was the last combat brigade to leave Vietnam by the end of June 1972. He held that assignment until July 1975, when he was transferred to Berlin for duty as the United States Commander. He remained in that capacity until June 1978, when he returned to the United States and retired, completing 33 years on active service. McDonough received his second Distinguished Service Medal for his service in Germany. General McDonough's soldiers regarded him as a tough, but fair and compassionate commander. The safety and welfare of his troops was always his priority. ==Retirement==

After his retirement from the Army, McDonough served as the Executive Vice President of Operations for Butler Aviation in Montvale, New Jersey 1980 – 1992. He died on June 22, 2005, at the age of 80 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia with full military honors. His wife of 60 years Mary Patricia Aaron McDonough (March 11, 1925 – May 18, 2018) was later interred with him. ==Decorations==

Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Joseph C. McDonough: ==References==