John K. Singlaub

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John K. Singlaub
Major General John K. Singlaub
Birth nameJohn Kirk Singlaub
Born(1921-07-10)July 10, 1921
Independence, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 29, 2022(2022-01-29) (aged 100)
Franklin, Tennessee, U.S.
AllegianceUnited StatesUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army seal United States Army
Years of service1943–1977
Rank Major general
Battles/warsWorld War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal (2)
Silver Star
Legion of Merit (3)
Bronze Star (2)
Air Medal (2)
Purple Heart

John Kirk Singlaub (July 10, 1921 – January 29, 2022) was an American OSS officer. He was a founding member of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and a major general in the United States Army.

Early life[change | change source]

Singlaub was born in Independence, California. He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles. He served in the United States Army during World War II and parachuted into Occupied France to fight with the French Resistance.

Criticism of Carter[change | change source]

In 1977, Singlaub was relieved from his position as Chief of Staff of US forces in South Korea after he had criticized President Jimmy Carter's decision to withdraw US troops from the Korean Peninsula in an interview with the Washington Post.[1][2] Less than a year later, Singlaub was forced to retire after he had publicly questioned Carter's national security policies.[3]

Political activity[change | change source]

In 1979 Singlaub founded the Western Goals Foundation, a private intelligence network that was found to have supplied weapons to the contras during the Iran-Contra affair during the Ronald Reagan administration. Singlaub contributed to several books and wrote an autobiography.

Singlaub served as a leading figure in US national security and defense matters under both Democratic and Republican Presidents from Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson to Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.

Death[change | change source]

Singlaub turned 100 in July 2021, and died on January 29, 2022 in Franklin, Tennessee.[4][5]

References[change | change source]

  1. Carter / Singlaub (NBC) from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive
  2. "Time Magazine – General on the Carpet". Archived from the original on 2013-08-23. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
  3. Persico, Joseph E. (August 4, 1991). "His Dog Tags Don't Come Off (Book Review)". New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  4. "John Singlaub, American commando and leader, dies at 100". sandboxx.us. January 29, 2022. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  5. "Maj General John Singlaub OSS, Ranger, Jack, CCRAK, MACV-SOG has died". SOF Magazine. 29 January 2022. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2022.

Other websites[change | change source]