James George Kalergis
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

James George Kalergis was born on 13 January 1917 in Lowell, MA. His father and mother, George Demetrios and Nicoletta Vasilakos Kalergis, were immigrants from Greece.

Kalergis enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 1941, prior to the start of World War II. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant after attending the Field Artillery Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, OK, in 1942. He served as an artillery officer with the 882nd Field Artillery Battalion. By November 1943, he was a Captain and Battalion Adjutant; He was promoted to Major shortly after his unit arrived in France in February 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Star while with the 882nd, which generally supported the 274th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division, during the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns.

From 1949 to 1952, Major Kalergis was Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Saint Bonaventure College, a Franciscan school in St. Bonaventure, NY. As a Lieutenant Colonel in 1954, Kalergis commanded the 597th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 36th Field Artillery Group in Hanau, Germany.

In the in 1960s, Kalergis served tours in South Korea and as Commander, 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, TX. During the Vietnam War from 1967-68, he commanded the artillery for the corps-level organization I Field Force, Vietnam (United States). The next year, he served as First Field Force's Chief of Staff. In Vietnam, he was recognized for his efforts to quantify and reduce "harassment and interdiction fire," artillery fire intended to reduce enemy morale and movement. Yet in practice, it was rarely observed or checked for results and generally proved useless in countering enemy activities in a war without fronts. Kalergis developed systems to quantify and significantly reduce its use due to ineffectiveness, collateral damage to civilians and its high cost.

As a Major General, Kalergis was Deputy Commanding General for Logistical Support of the U.S. Army Materiel Command from 1970-72. In early 1972, Kalergis was recognized for his organizational abilities and tasked with drawing up the 1973 reorganization of the U.S. Army, the most extensive reorganization of the Army in the continental United States since 1942. Operation STEADFAST resulted in the establishment of U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). It was followed by subsequent reorganizations in Army Staff Headquarters and of units in the field. The effort to accomplish internal reorganization was initiated with the Army, forestalling efforts by the executive or legislative branch in the post-Vietnam era. Kalergis then served as Assistant Vice Chief for the Army Chief of Staff.

From 1974 until his retirement from active duty in 1975, Lieutenant General Kalerigis was Commanding General. First U.S. Army at Fort Meade, MD.

Education

Kalergis graduated from Boston University. His education continued during his military career when he earned a Masters degree in International Relations at George Washington University and attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. He also attended U.S. Army officer training at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, KS, and the Army War College.

Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Medal
Bronze Star Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Army Valorous Unit Award
Army Staff Identification Badge

Post-Military Life

In retirement in 1976, Kalerigis chaired a task force that drafted an action plan Tank Weapon System Management. A Program for Maximum Effectiveness to improve armored forces management. His retirement activities also included serving as a Pentagon consultant, and from 1979 to 1982 as Chairman of Vinnell Corporation, which trained the Saudi National Guard.

Personal

He was married to Norma Butler Kalerigis (1919-1996) for 50 years and they resided in Alexandria, VA, at the time of his death.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant General James George Kalergis died of cancer on 13 April 1991 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, at age 74. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 7A, Grave 61, next to his wife.