Frederick F. Woerner Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederick F. Woerner Jr.
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| Born | August 12, 1933 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | March 29, 2023 (aged 89) Gilbert, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Buried |
West Point Cemetery
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| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1955–1989 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | United States Southern Command Sixth United States Army 193rd Infantry Brigade 3rd Basic Combat Brigade 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star Medal (2) |
| Other work | Professor, Boston University Chairman, American Battle Monuments Commission |
Frederick Frank Woerner Jr. (born August 12, 1933 – died March 29, 2023) was a very important general in the United States Army. He reached the rank of four-star general. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Southern Command, which is a big military group. After his military career, he became a professor at Boston University and helped manage important war memorials.
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His Education and Training
Frederick Woerner Jr. went to several schools to prepare for his military and later civilian life.
- 1955: He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. This is a famous school for training Army officers.
- 1959: He studied languages at the Defense Language Institute.
- 1964: He attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College, a school for military leaders.
- 1965: He earned a master's degree in Latin American History from the University of Arizona.
- 1969: He studied at a military institute in Uruguay, a country in South America.
- 1973: He attended the United States Army War College, another top military school.
His Military Career
General Woerner served in the United States Army for 34 years, from 1955 to 1989. After graduating from West Point, he became an officer in the infantry. He also became a qualified parachutist and a Ranger, which means he was trained for tough missions.
Leading Soldiers
His military career included two main parts: leading infantry soldiers and working with countries in Latin America. He commanded different groups of soldiers, from small platoons to large brigades. He also worked on important military staffs.
Focus on Latin America
General Woerner spent a year studying and traveling in northern South America. He advised the government of Guatemala on how to use its military to help with social and economic growth. He also directed studies about Latin America at the U.S. Army War College.
From 1986 to 1987, he was the commanding general of the Sixth United States Army. This role meant he was in charge of preparing all Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve units in 12 western states for action.
Commander of U.S. Southern Command
His last military job was as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Southern Command from 1987 to 1989. In this role, he was responsible for all Army personnel in Central America, Panama, and South America. He led over 30,000 military and civilian workers in 17 countries. He also looked after their 40,000 family members. He retired from the Army as a general.
After the Army
After leaving the Army, General Woerner continued to serve his country in different ways.
Teaching at Boston University
From 1990 to 2003, he was a professor at Boston University. He taught courses about United States national security and Latin America.
Honoring Veterans
He also worked on a very important project: building the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. This memorial honors those who served in World War II. He helped with the design, raising money, construction, and dedication of the memorial. He was also in charge of managing 24 military burial grounds and 28 monuments around the world. These places help remember the service of armed forces members.
Awards and Honors
General Woerner received many awards and decorations for his service. Some of his top awards include:
- Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- Army Distinguished Service Medal (received twice)
- Legion of Merit (received three times)
- Bronze Star Medal (received twice)
- Combat Infantryman Badge
- Master Parachutist Badge
- Ranger Tab
He also received awards from other countries, like Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Venezuela.
Post-Retirement Activities
Even after retiring, General Woerner remained active in important groups:
- He was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, which discusses international issues.
- He was an associate of the Inter-American Dialogue, a group focused on relations in the Americas.
- He was a Distinguished Fellow of the U.S. Army War College.
- He received the Order of Saint Maurice, a special honor for infantry soldiers.
