Francis J. Wiercinski
Lieutenant General Francis J. (Frank) Wiercinski is a retired United States Army officer who was the Commander United States Army Pacific (USARPAC). Wiercinski joined the US Army in 1979.
Francis J. Wiercinski | |
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Lieutenant General Francis J. Wiercinski in May 2011 | |
Allegiance | |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1979–2013 |
Rank | |
Commands held | United States Army Pacific United States Army, Japan 187th Infantry Regiment 6th Ranger Training Battalion |
Battles/wars | United States invasion of Panama War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
Awards | Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) |
On December 20, 1989, then Captain Wiercinski, Company Commander of Bravo Company, 3/75 Ranger Regiment, led his rangers during a night-time combat jump into Rio Hato, Panama during Operation Just Cause, assisting in the Regiment's successful seizure of the airfield.
He was previously the Deputy Commander for Support, of the Multinational Division North, Iraq.[1] The troops under his command were responsible for a large part of Iraq, stretching from Baghdad to the Turkish border, and east and west to the borders of Iran and Syria.
During Operation Anaconda (2002), in Afghanistan, Wiercinski (then a colonel) was commander of the 187th Infantry Regiment (a. k. a. "The Rakkasans"), 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).[2]
Awards and decorations
Combat Infantryman Badge (2 awards) | |
Master Parachutist Badge with one bronze Combat Jump Device | |
Ranger tab | |
Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge | |
Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | |
101st Airborne Division Combat Service Identification Badge | |
187th Infantry Regiment Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
4 Overseas Service Bars |
Army Distinguished Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster | |
Defense Superior Service Medal | |
Legion of Merit with three bronze oak leaf clusters | |
Bronze Star with "V" Device and oak leaf cluster | |
Defense Meritorious Service Medal | |
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster | |
Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster | |
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster | |
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters | |
Valorous Unit Award | |
Meritorious Unit Commendation | |
Superior Unit Award | |
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star | |
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with Arrowhead device | |
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Arrowhead device and service star | |
Iraq Campaign Medal with service star | |
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | |
Humanitarian Service Medal | |
Army Service Ribbon | |
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 4 | |
Order of the Rising Sun (Japan) 2nd Class, Gold and Silver Star | |
Meritorious Service Medal (Canada, military version) | |
Montana Distinguished Service Medal | |
Unidentified award | |
Hawaiian Medal of Honor |
References
- Beaumont, Peter (15 July 2007). "Violence ebbing. Wealth returning. Can this be Iraq?: The clamour is growing in America and Britain for troops to be brought home. Violence grips large parts of the country. But elsewhere the green shoots of recovery are showing through the rubble". The Observer.
- "Operation Anaconda, Shah-i-Khot Valley, Afghanistan, 2-10 March 2002". www.armyupress.army.mil. Retrieved 2019-10-03.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Francis J. Wiercinski. |
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by LTG Benjamin R. Mixon |
Commander, United States Army Pacific 2010–2013 |
Succeeded by GEN Vincent K. Brooks |