Jack B. Farris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack B. Farris
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LtGen Jack B. Farris U.S. Army
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| Born | December 5, 1935 Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Died | December 14, 2019 (aged 84) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1958–1991 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant general |
| Commands held | 2nd Infantry Division U.S. Army Infantry Training Center 1st Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War United States invasion of Grenada |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart Legion of Merit |
Jack Brodie Farris (born December 5, 1935 – died December 14, 2019) was a very important leader in the United States Army. He was a lieutenant general, which is a high rank. General Farris led ground forces during a mission called Operation Urgent Fury in 1983. This was when the U.S. military went to the country of Grenada. When he retired in 1991, he was a top commander in Hawaii.
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Early Life and Military Training
Jack Farris grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. He went to Myers Park High School. After that, he studied political science at The Citadel, a military college. He graduated in 1958. He became an infantry officer through the Army ROTC program there.
First Army Jobs
Early in his career, General Farris was a company commander. He worked with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He also served in the Vietnam War. During the war, he was a battalion commander. He was also an executive officer for the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
He worked in Izmir, Turkey, helping a commanding general. He also taught at the United States Army Command and General Staff College. This college is located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Later, he worked at the Pentagon. He also commanded the Infantry Training Center in Fort Benning, Georgia. There, he helped start a new training program for soldiers.
Leading Divisions and Important Missions
As a colonel, he was the chief of staff for the 4th Infantry Division. This was at Fort Carson, Colorado. In 1980, he became a brigadier general. He then became an assistant division commander. His next job was helping to plan military movements. He worked at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.
The Grenada Mission
In 1982, he became a major general. He was then the deputy commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps. In this role, he became the main ground commander. This was for the U.S. military forces that went to Grenada in October 1983. The U.S. went to Grenada because of political problems. There were also concerns about American students there.
Later Commands
In 1985, General Farris moved to South Korea. He was a deputy commander there for combined forces. After that, he became the commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division. He then worked at Fort Monroe, Virginia. Finally, he was promoted to lieutenant general. His last job was as a deputy commander in Hawaii. He retired in 1991 after 33 years of service.
Education and Awards
General Farris earned a master's degree in international affairs. He got this from Florida State University in 1972. He also studied at the United States Army War College. He completed training at the United States Army Ranger School. He also attended the U.S. Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School. He even studied at Harvard University.
He earned special badges for his service. These include the Combat Infantryman Badge. He also earned the Master Parachutist Badge. He received many military awards for his bravery and leadership. These include:
- Distinguished Service Medal
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Bronze Star Medal (with an Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Three Legion of Merit awards
- Purple Heart
General Farris passed away on December 14, 2019, at 84 years old.
