Rank Insignia Previous Honoree ID Next Honoree ID


   
honoree image
First Name: James

Last Name: Peay

Birthplace: Richmond, VA, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Middle Name: Henry Binford



Date of Birth: 10 May 1940



Rank: General

Years Served: 1962-1997
James Henry Binford Peay III
'Binnie'

   
Engagements:
•  Vietnam War (1960 - 1973)
•  Gulf War (1990 - 1991)

Biography:

James Henry Binford Peay III
General, U.S. Army

James Henry Binford Peay III was born on 10 May 1940 in Richmond, VA. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America in 1954 and, as an adult, is a recipient of the BSA's Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. His father, Peay Jr. and both of his sons, Jim and Ryan, are also Eagle Scouts.

Peay graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He also has a Master of Arts degree from George Washington University and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College.

Military Service

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery in 1962. Peay's initial troop assignments were in Germany and Fort Carson, CO. From December 1964 to September 1966, he served as Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, 5th Infantry Division. He went on to serve in other assignments, including two tours in the Republic of Vietnam. In his first tour from May 1967 to July 1968, he commanded both Headquarters Company, I Field Force, Vietnam, and a firing battery (Battery B, 4th Battalion, 42d Artillery) with the 4th Infantry Division in the central highlands. During his second tour from August 1971 to June 1972, he served as the Assistant Operations Officer for the 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, and as Operations Officer for the same division's 1st Battalion, 21st Artillery.

After serving with the Army Military Personnel Center in Washington, DC, as a Field Artillery Branch Assignments Officer, Peay was sent to Hawaii in 1975 to command the 2d Battalion, 11th Field Artillery, 25th Infantry Division. Following completion of the Army War College, he returned to Washington as Senior Aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and later as Chief of the Army Initiatives Group in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operation and Plans.

He then moved to Fort Lewis, WA, to serve as the I Corps' Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3/Director of Plans and Training, and later became Commander, 9th Infantry Division Artillery. In 1985, he returned to Washington as Executive to the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army. He became a "Screaming Eagle" in July 1987, when he became the Assistant Division Commander (Operations), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, KY. In July 1988, he began serving a one year assignment as Deputy Commandant, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS.

On 3 August 1989, Peay returned to Fort Campbell to assume command of the 101st Airborne Division and led the division through Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, he was the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, and Senior Army Member, U.S. Military Committee from June 1991 until March 1993. He was promoted to General on 26 March 1993 and appointed as the Army's 24th Vice Chief of Staff. His last active duty position was as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Central Command (USCENCOM), at MacDill Air Force Base, FL, from 5 August 1994 until 13 August 1997.

General James Henry Binford Peay III retired from active Army service in 1997.

Medals and Awards

Army Distinguished Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Silver Star Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Bronze Star with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medals
Army Commendation Medal

Badges and Tabs

Air Assault Badge
Parachutist Badge
Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Army General Staff Identification Badge
Ranger Tab

In Retirement

After retirement from the Army, he become a director at United Defense Industries (UDI) in 1997. In 2005 BAE Systems purchased UDI and appointed Peay to the board of its North American subsidiary, BAE Systems Inc.

He joined Allied Research Corporation in March 2000 as member of its board of directors. Allied is a diversified defense and security firm, providing conventional medium caliber ammunition and sophisticated security systems. In January 2001, he was made chairman, president and CEO. In 2003, the company was renamed Allied Defense Group.

Peay resigned in June 2003 to assume the position of the 14th Superintendent of Virginia Military Institute, but remained the non-executive chairman at Allied.

He is a trustee of the George C. Marshall Foundation, the National Defense University, and the VMI Foundation.



Origin of Nickname/Handle:
Binnie is an altered version of his middle name.

Honoree ID: 303   Created by: MHOH

Ribbons


Medals


Badges


Honoree Photos

honoree imagehonoree imagehonoree image

honoree imagehonoree image

honoree image

Remembrances


Tributes