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Infantryman, scholar, hero

When Bernard William Rogers, 87, died Oct. 27 in Falls Church, Va., the Army lost a leader and hero who did it all. Rogers was a Rhodes Scholar, received the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in Vietnam, served as Army chief of staff and finished his career as supreme allied commander in Europe.

“Bernie” Rogers was “a great American soldier, warrior, scholar, statesman and patriot who served his country in uniform with distinction, dedication and honor for 44 years,” Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, former Army chief of staff, wrote in a news release.

Born in 1921 in Kansas, Rogers served as an enlisted soldier in the Kansas National Guard before entering West Point in 1940. He graduated 13th out of 514 and served as first captain of the Corps of Cadets.

Commissioned as an infantryman, then-2nd Lt. Rogers completed officer training at Fort Benning, Ga., before returning to West Point as an instructor.

While he did not see combat in World War II, then-Capt. Rogers served briefly in the occupation of Austria before going to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar in 1947.

In 1952, then-Maj. Rogers deployed to Korea and commanded a battalion in the 9th Infantry. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge. Rogers later served as aide to the commander in chief, Far East Command.

He returned to the U.S. in 1954, graduated from Command and General Staff College in 1955, and served in several assignments, including command of the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry, from 1955 to 1956 and of a battle group in the 24th Infantry Division from 1960 to 1961.

After serving as the executive officer to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1962 to 1966, then-Brig. Gen. Rogers became the assistant division commander of the 1st Infantry Division. During his tour with that unit in Vietnam, Rogers demonstrated consummate skills as a warrior, as reflected by the award to him of the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism at Cau Song Be, Vietnam, on March 10, 1967, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star Medal with V for valor. Rogers also received three awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross and 36 awards of the Air Medal.

Rogers next served as commandant of cadets at West Point before receiving his second star and taking command of the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) from 1969 to 1970. In November 1972, Rogers received his third star and served as deputy chief of staff for personnel until November 1974, when he pinned on his fourth star and took charge of U.S. Army Forces Command. Rogers served as Army chief of staff from 1976 to 1979.

But it was arguably as supreme allied commander, Europe, and commander in chief, U.S. European Command, that Rogers made his most lasting contribution. From 1979 until his retirement in 1987, he provided statesmanship during the Soviet invasion of Afghan-istan, Iranian hostage crisis and the bombing of Marine barracks in Beirut.

He also weathered the storm generated by President Ronald Reagan’s decision to deploy Pershing II missiles to Europe. America’s victory in the Cold War is due, in no small part, to Rogers’ leadership in Europe in the 1980s.

Rogers will be interred at the West Point cemetery. Ë

Fred L. Borch retired from the Army after 25 years and is the regimental historian for the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. His e-mail address is borchfj@aol.com. Robert F. Dorr, an Air Force veteran, lives in Oakton, Va. His e-mail address is robert.f.dorr@cox.net.