Gavin, James M. (James Maurice), 1907-1990

James Maurice Gavin (b. Mar. 22, 1907-d. Feb. 23, 1990) was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received his commission in the infantry from West Point in 1929, and later served as an instructor at the Academy in 1940 and 1941. He advanced to the rank of brigadier general in September 1943 and served as Assistant Division Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, parachuting with troops during the Normandy D-Day Invasion on June 6, 1944. He then served as the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division from August 1944 to March 1948. From 1954 to 1958, he was Deputy Chief of staff of the U.S. Army.

From the description of Gavin, James M. (James Maurice), 1907-1990 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10571509

Army officer.

From the description of Reminiscences of James M. Gavin : oral history, 1967. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122608537

James Maurice Gavin enlisted in the regular Army in April 1924, and served with the 16th and Second (2nd) Artillery Regiments until June 1925. In July 1925, he entered the United States Military Academy (USMA) from which he graduated and was commissioned second lieutenant of infantry (13 June 1929). During his military career, he attended Infantry School, Officer's Course, Command and General Staff School; and Parachute School. General Gavin went to Europe in September 1942 in command of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Following the assault on Sicily (July 1943) and on Salerno Bay (September 1943), he became assistant commander of the 82nd Airborne Division in Naples (October 1943). He served on temporary duty as airborne advisor to the Supreme Commander in London (November 1943 - February 1944). After the Normandy invasion (June 1944), General Gavin assummed command of the 82nd Airborne Division (August 1944) and commanded it until the surrender of the German Army. In July 1945, he moved with the Division of Berlin where he was also United States representative on the City Kommandatura. General Gavin returned to the United States (U.S.) in December 1945 with the 82nd Airborne Division, which he commanded at Fort Bragg until March 1948 when he became Chief of Staff (CoS) of the Fifth (5th) Army, Chicago, Illinois. In April 1949, he was named Army member of the Weapons Systems Evaluation Group in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The following June, he assumed an additional duty as Chief of the Military Studies and Liaison Division of the Weapons Systems Evaluation Group.

From the description of James M. Gavin photograph collection. 1927-1961. (US Army, Mil Hist Institute). WorldCat record id: 52606282