James F. Hamlet

James F. Hamlet was the second African American United States Army Major General and division commander. Hamlet served as commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War and later commanded the 4th Infantry Division.

James F. Hamlet
Born(1921-12-13)December 13, 1921
Alliance, Ohio
DiedJanuary 5, 2001(2001-01-05) (aged 79)
Trenton, New Jersey
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1942–1981
Rank Major General
Commands held11th Aviation Group
3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division
4th Infantry Division
Battles/warsWorld War II
Vietnam War
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (3)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star (4)
Air Medal (49)

Early life and education

Hamlet was born in Alliance, Ohio in 1921 and attended Tuskegee University until joining the Army. Hamlet later graduated from St. Benedict's College with a degree in business administration.[1]

Military service

Hamlet left Tuskegee to enlist in the United States Army in 1942 and was commissioned as a Second lieutenant of infantry through Officer Candidate School in 1944. He served as a platoon commander in the 366th Infantry Regiment and the 370th Infantry Regiment in the segregated 92nd Infantry Division during the Italian Campaign.[2]

After the war, Hamlet qualified first as a liaison pilot and later graduated from Army Aviation school and qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1951.[2] He was promoted to Lt. Colonel and was assigned to Army Combat Developments Command in Fort Leavenworth in 1963 and served un that position until he deployed to Vietnam in May 1966. He began his tour in Vietnam as the operations officer for the 11th Aviation Group and later commanded the 227th Aviation Battalion. Upon his return to Fort Leavenworth he was promoted to Colonel and assigned as Chief, Air Mobility Branch, Doctrine and Systems Division, United States Army Combat Developments Command Combat Arms Group.[3] Hamlet graduated from the United States Army War College in 1970.[1] After completing his studies he was deployed to Vietnam for a second tour, serving first as the commander of the 11th Aviation Group. He was promoted to brigadier general in June of 1971 and reassigned to serve as the assistant division commander of the 101st Airborne Division.[4] Hamlet was reassigned again in December 1971 to command the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division until his return to the United States in August 1972.[5]

After his second tour ended, Hamlet was named the assistant chief of staff for force development at the Pentagon. He was nominated for promotion to major general in August of 1972 and confirmed by the Senate on June 1, 1973, making him the second African American to achieve two-star rank after Frederic E. Davison.[6] Hamlet assumed command of the Fourth Infantry Division and Fort Carson in 1972, becoming the first African American to command a division stationed in the United States.[7] After two years at Fort Carson, Hamlet was named Deputy Inspector General of the United States Army and held that position until retiring in 1981.[8][2]

Hamlet died on January 5, 2001 in Trenton, New Jersey.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

  1. "Black Armed Forces Brass", The Crisis, p. 344, December 1973, retrieved July 6, 2020
  2. "Army Aviation Liaison Pilot Retires", United States Army Aviation Digest, p. 20, January 1981, retrieved July 6, 2020
  3. "JAMES F. HAMLET, Major General USA" (PDF).
  4. Adams, Dana (May 14, 1971). "3 Negroes Nominated as Army Generals". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  5. Sorley, Lewis (2004). "Appendix I: Meeting Participants". Vietnam Chronicles: The Abrams Tapes, 1968-1972. Texas Tech University Press. p. 884. ISBN 9780896725331.
  6. "Hamlet Nominated For Two Stars; Second Black In History Of Military", Jet, Johnson Publishing Company, p. 44, August 10, 1972, retrieved July 7, 2020
  7. "Black General Named To Command Ft. Carson", Jet, Johnson Publishing Company, p. 26, September 21, 1972, retrieved July 6, 2020
  8. "Top Brass-24 Make Grade", Ebony, Johnson Publishing Company, p. 50, May 1978, retrieved July 7, 2020
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