On 10 August 1944, Lt. John “Jumping Jack” Singlaub parachuted behind German lines with Jedburgh teams to work with the French Resistance Maquis groups that had swelled the resistance ranks after the D-Day invasion. His loadout of a folding M1A1, Denison smock, and S&W Victory is often shown.
Not shown are his cyanide pills.
Major General Singlaub died over the weekend, aged 100, just a decade after he was named a recipient of the Bull Simons Award, SOCOM’s highest honor.
His induction as a Distinguished Member of the Special Force Regiment contains the “acknowledged” parts of his jacket:
Major General John Singlaub was born July 10, 1921, in Independence, California. He attended the University of California at Los Angeles, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. During his studies, he completed Reserve Officer Training Corps and was commissioned as an Infantry officer in the U.S. Army in 1943.
He served in World War II with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) as a member of Jedburgh team JAMES inserted into southern France as part of the landings in Southern France (Dragoon) and the subsequent push across France into Germany. He then went to China to join OSS Detachment 404 to train and lead Chinese guerrillas against the Japanese. Just before the Japanese surrender, he led a parachute rescue mission behind enemy lines to Hainan Island which resulted in the surrender of an enemy Prisoner of War camp and the subsequent release of 400 Allied prisoners.
MG Singlaub’s assignments include commanding officer, 1st Battle Group, 16th Infantry, 8th Infantry Division, Europe; chief, Training Division and later deputy assistant chief of staff, G-3, Headquarters, 7th Army, Europe; assistant chief, Force Development Plans Division, Plans and Operations Directorate, Washington, D.C.; chief of the Special Operations Group, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam; assistant division commander, 8th Infantry Division, Europe; chief of staff, Project MASSTER, Fort Hood, Texas; deputy chief of staff for personnel, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.; deputy assistant secretary of defense, Washington D.C.; commanding general, U.S. Army Readiness Region IX, Denver, Colo.; chief of staff, 8th U.S. Army, United Nations Command, U.S. Forces, Korea; commanding general, U.S. Army Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Ga.
MG Singlaub’s military education includes the Infantry officer basic and advanced courses, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Air War College.
MG Singlaub’s decorations and awards include two Distinguished Service Medals, the Silver Star, two Legion of Merits, two Bronze Stars, the Soldier’s Medal, two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Star Medals, the Air Medal, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge and the Army Aviation Badge.
MG Singlaub retired after 35 years of active uniformed service on June 1, 1978, but, remained very active in more clandestine affairs throughout the 1980s, just ask the Contras.
Here is a great two-hour interview with MG Singlaub from 2013.