Jonathan Owen Seaman
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

Jonathan Owen Seaman was born on 11 December 1911 in Manila, Philippines, the son of U.S. Army Brigadier General Albert Owen Seaman and Florence Thompson Look Seaman.

Seaman was appointed to the U.S. Military Academy and graduated with the class of 1934. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery and was initially assigned to the 16th Field Artillery at Fort Myer, VA. From December 1935-38, Seaman served as a White House military aide. After a teaching assignment at West Point in 1939, he was promoted to Captain with the 4th Field Artillery at Fort Bragg, NC.

Major Seaman was a battalion commander with the 4th Field Artillery Regiment in 1942. He served in World War II in both the European and Pacific Theaters. From 1953-54, he commanded the 30th Field Artillery Group at Yorkhof Kasserne, Germany.

In 1965, Major General Seaman was named commander of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, KS, the first Army combat division to be called up for service during the Vietnam War, arriving in theater in July 1965. Seaman was the first of six combat commanders of the 1st Division during the war. In March 1966, Seaman was promoted to Commander, U.S. II Field Force, a 100,000-man fighting force that included the 1st Division, along with two other divisions and several independent brigades.

He returned to the U.S. in 1967 and assumed command of First U.S. Army at Fort Meade, MD. LTG Seaman was the deciding official in cases of 13 officers involved in the failure to investigate, or in covering up, the 1968 My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War.

In 1971, LTG Seaman retired to Beaufort, SC, after 37 years of active duty.

Medals and Awards

Army Distinguished Service Medal with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific 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
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation

Honors

In 1999, LTG Seaman was honored by the 30th Field Artillery when the 3rd Battalion headquarters at Fort Sill, OK, was named "Seaman Hall."

Family

Seaman was married to Mary Grunert, daughter of U.S. Army General George Grunert, a former commander of First U.S. Army.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant General Jonathan Owen Seaman died on 18 February 1986 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Charleston, SC, at age 74. He i buried at the Beaufort National Cemetery.