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18th Commander
White Sands Missile Range
Page 18 of 26
Major General Thomas Jones
Commander
Oct 16, 1987-Aug 10, 1990
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Major General Thomas J. P. Jones, the 18th Commander of
White Sands Proving Ground/Missile Range, was born in Marlow, Oklahoma, on
January 24, 1933. He served honorably as an enlisted man for five years, and
upon completion of Officer Candidate Course as a Distinguished Military
Graduate, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Field Artillery. He
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Cameron University and a
Master of Science degree in Communication Science from Shippensburg State
College. His military education includes completion of the Field Artillery and
Advanced Course, the US Army Command and General Staff College, and the US
Army War College.
He held a wide variety of important command and staff
positions, prior to his assignment as Commanding General White Sands Missile
Range, New Mexico. Key assignments included Director of Personnel, J-l, Forces
Command, Fort McPherson, Georgia; Deputy Director for Operations (J-3, Current
Operations), J-3, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Deputy Director
for Operations, National Military Command Center, J-3, Organization of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, DC. Assistant Commandant of the US Army
Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Commander of the Southwest
Region, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas; and Commander
of Division Artillery, 2nd Infantry Division, Korea.
General Jones served in a variety of career building
assignments prior to his assignment as Commanding General, White Sands Missile
Range. After serving in company grade Field Artillery positions he was
assigned as the S-3 (Operations) of the 7th Field Artillery Battalion in
Vietnam. He next became the Operations Officer of Fifth US Army at Fort
Sheridan, Illinois, following which he returned to Vietnam for his third
combat tour, this time serving as S-3 (Operations) of Division Artillery, 1st
Cavalry Division (Airmobile), following which he commanded the 1st Battalion
of the 77th Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).
Returning to the United States, General Jones next
assignment was to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he served as Executive Officer of
the Personnel and Community Affairs Directorate, US Army Field Artillery
Center, Fort Sill. He was next assigned to Washington, DC where he served as a
Staff Officer in the Material Coordination Branch, Budget and Five Year
Defense Plan Coordination Division, Manpower and Forces Directorate, Office of
the Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development, US Army. He subsequently
became the Chief of the Assignment Section of the Field Artillery Branch,
Officer Personnel Directorate, US Army Military Personnel Center. Returning to
Fort Sill, General Jones served consecutively as the Deputy Director, Target
Acquisition Department, Chief Division Restructure Task Force; Deputy Director
and Director of Course Development and Training; US Army Field Artillery
School.
Awards and decorations which General Jones
received include the Defense Superior Service Medal; The Legion of Merit with
throe Oak Leaf Clusters; The Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device and five Oak:
Leaf Clusters; the Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf Cluster; several Air Medals;
the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters; the Combat Infantryman
Badge; and the Aircraft Crewman Badge.
He was married to the former Rachel Radel. They had
four children: Thomas, Sandra, Sheryl, and Shelly.
General Jones died on 20 Mar 1998.
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