Harold Robert Aaron
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

Harold Robert Aaron was born in Indiana on 21 June 1921.

He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY, in 1943 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. During 1944-45 he was a Company Commander in the 259th Infantry in the European Theater of Operations.

After the war he served in the Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense from 1961-63; as Aide-de-Camp to Commanding General, 8th Army, 1964-65; Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1965-67.

Aaron was Commander, 1st Special Forces Group, 1967-68; Commander, 5th Special Forces Group, Republic of Vietnam, 1968-69; and Assistant Division Commander, 8th Division, 1969-71.

He was Chief of Staff, V Corps, Germany, 1971-72 ; Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, US Army, Europe, 1972-73; Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Army, 1973-77; and Deputy Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, 1977-79.

Lieutenant General Aaron retired from the Army in 1979.

Medals, Awards & Badges

Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal (2 Awards)
Legion of Merit with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze Star Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Purple Heart
Air Medal with Numeral 2
Army Commendation Medal
American Theater Campaign Medal
European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge with 1 Star (2 Awards: WWII and Vietnam)
Parachutist Badge

Education

Command and General Staff College, 1953
MA Degree Georgetown University, 1960
National War College, 1964
Ph.D. Georgetown University, 1964

In Retirement

After retiring from the Army, Aaron served as a Senior Staff Scientist with TRW in 1979.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant General Harold Robert Aaron died on 30 April 1980 at Fort Belvoir, VA. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.