Need Information on US General Officer's 1960's ROK Photo Album

[Manchu Warrior]

I found this recently and just could not pass up on the photo album of a US Army General Officer.  He is Brigadier General Robert Hall Stafford and what little information that I have on him is that he was a West Point Graduate as WWII Veteran and he passed away in 1992 at 79 years of age. I believe he was also the Commanding Officer of I Corps in the ROK in 1965-66.  The album has 77 photos in it and I paid $40.00 for it, I feel as if I did well, or should say I hope I did. With that said I cannot find much information on the good General and I hope someone on the forum can fill in the blanks. There ls also a photo in the album that would now be considered politically incorrect, can anyone find it? Thanks!

 

Lto 

 

 

[Manchu Warrior]

With the research I have done I have learned that all the commanding officers of I Corps were in fact 3 star Generals. So I assume that BG Stafford was a Deputy Commander but my knowledge of General Officers is rather lacking and I am learning as I go. With that said I appreciate any and all information.  Thanks!

[bertmedals]

I think the officer you are looking for is BG Robert Hall Safford (not Stafford), West Point Class of 1936.

 

Here is is entry in the West Point Register of Graduates:

 

10592 Robert Hall Safford B-MA: FA: CO 310FABn 79Div T-AE 42-45 [SS-2BSM-PH-2CR]: DCS USFA 50-53: AWC 54: CS ArAlas 60-62: CG Hq1FAMslBde 62-63: ADC 2AD 63-65: CS 1CpsGp Kor 65-66 [LM]: CG ATC FtBliss 66-68 [DSM]: CG 52ADBde 69-70 [DSM]: Ret 70 BG: D - Silver Spring,MD 25Jan90 a-76

 

Please let me know if you need any of that translated into English!

 

Dennis

[Manchu Warrior]

23 hours ago, bertmedals said:

I think the officer you are looking for is BG Robert Hall Safford (not Stafford), West Point Class of 1936.

 

Here is is entry in the West Point Register of Graduates:

 

10592 Robert Hall Safford B-MA: FA: CO 310FABn 79Div T-AE 42-45 [SS-2BSM-PH-2CR]: DCS USFA 50-53: AWC 54: CS ArAlas 60-62: CG Hq1FAMslBde 62-63: ADC 2AD 63-65: CS 1CpsGp Kor 65-66 [LM]: CG ATC FtBliss 66-68 [DSM]: CG 52ADBde 69-70 [DSM]: Ret 70 BG: D - Silver Spring,MD 25Jan90 a-76

 

Please let me know if you need any of that translated into English!

 

Dennis

My goodness I was looking right at his name and still spelled it wrong. As far as understanding the information I was hoping because I spent the better part of ten years in the US Army Infantry I could state that I understood it all, but that would be a lie. So what do I understand? it looks like he was in the 310th  Filed Artillery 79th ID during WWII. He was the recipient of the following, Silver Star, Bronze Star (x2), Purple Heart. Not sure what he would have been doing attached to the United States Air Force 50-53 and not sure what he was doing from 54 to 62. He was then the with the HQ Co1st Field Artillery Missile Something. Then he was in the ROK in 65-66 and then at Fort Bliss doing something and something else after that until he retired in 1970 as a 1 Star General. He passed away in 1970 Silver Spring, Maryland at 76 years old.  Please be gentle when you grade my work.  I also appreciate the information.  Thanks!

[bertmedals]

These are West Point Association of Graduates abbreviations.  It goes like this: He was born in Massachusetts. He was commissioned in the Field Artillery.  He was the commanding officer of the 310th Field Artillery Battalion, 79th Infantry Division from 1942-1945 and served in the European Theater where he was awarded the Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart and 2 Commendation Ribbons.  He was the Deputy Chief of Staff for US Forces Austria from 1950-1953, He attended the Army War College graduating in 1954. He was the Chief of Staff for US Army Alaska from 1960-1962. He was the Commanding General of the 1st Field Artillery Missile Brigade from 1962-1963. He was Assistant Division Commander of the 2nd Armored Division from 1963-1965. He was Chief of Staff of the 1st Corps (I Corps) Support Group in South Korea from 1965-1966 for which he was awarded the Legion of Merit. He was the Commanding General of the Army Training Command, Ft. Bliss, TX from 1966-1968 for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Finally he was the Commanding General of the 52nd Air Defense Brigade from 1969-1970 for which he was awarded a second Distinguished Service Medal. He died in Silver Spring Maryland on January 25, 1990 at the age of 76.

 

The only abbreviation that was not in the Association of Graduates glossary was "ArAlas".  The Army elements in Alaska were called  U.S. Army Alaska, or USARAL from 1947-1979 so I am pretty sure "ArAlas means US Army Alaska in this context. He does not have a memorial article on file with the Association of Graduates so I could not confirm it there (hard to believe, BTW, after such a distinguished career).  I did find his cadet photo.

 

Dennis

[Manchu Warrior]

52 minutes ago, bertmedals said:

These are West Point Association of Graduates abbreviations.  It goes like this: He was born in Massachusetts. He was commissioned in the Field Artillery.  He was the commanding officer of the 310th Field Artillery Battalion, 79th Infantry Division from 1942-1945 and served in the European Theater where he was awarded the Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart and 2 Commendation Ribbons.  He was the Deputy Chief of Staff for US Forces Austria from 1950-1953, He attended the Army War College graduating in 1954. He was the Chief of Staff for US Army Alaska from 1960-1962. He was the Commanding General of the 1st Field Artillery Missile Brigade from 1962-1963. He was Assistant Division Commander of the 2nd Armored Division from 1963-1965. He was Chief of Staff of the 1st Corps (I Corps) Support Group in South Korea from 1965-1966 for which he was awarded the Legion of Merit. He was the Commanding General of the Army Training Command, Ft. Bliss, TX from 1966-1968 for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Finally he was the Commanding General of the 52nd Air Defense Brigade from 1969-1970 for which he was awarded a second Distinguished Service Medal. He died in Silver Spring Maryland on January 25, 1990 at the age of 76.

 

The only abbreviation that was not in the Association of Graduates glossary was "ArAlas".  The Army elements in Alaska were called  U.S. Army Alaska, or USARAL from 1947-1979 so I am pretty sure "ArAlas means US Army Alaska in this context. He does not have a memorial article on file with the Association of Graduates so I could not confirm it there (hard to believe, BTW, after such a distinguished career).  I did find his cadet photo.

 

Dennis

Wow, my eyes really did see USAF and I didn't find any info because I was mistakenly spelling his name with the T. I was going to ask if it states where he is buried but I did find it online that he is buried at the post cemetery at West Point. With that said even with the correct spelling I don't believe that I would found any where near the information that you provided. So, I really do appreciate the information as well as the photo you provided.    Thank you!!

[bertmedals]

My pleasure. Hard to believe they didn't hang a second star on him.

[12thengr]

Looks like he is with the I Corp commander in the uh, urinating contest photo. Anyone know who that might be?

[Manchu Warrior]

4 hours ago, 12thengr said:

Looks like he is with the I Corp commander in the uh, urinating contest photo. Anyone know who that might be?

The one standing to the right of BG Safford in the photo is a Maj Gen Hayes and the one standing to his left is Lt Gen Hentces. But not sure if Hentces is correct because there is a crease in his uniform that goes through the middle of his name tape and i really cannot see the third letter. As far as the urinating soldiers there is actually quite a few photos of different ones. There is a football player there is one with what looks to be a Naval Officer sitting with it. My knowledge of  US Navy rank is rather nil but that sleeve braid doesn't look US to me. There a few more with all the GO's standing with suits on, with West Point Cadet pocket patches, around one of the officers urinating and its kind of hard to see but they are actually putting out a small fire in the photos. Not sure at what it represents but it seems rather important. 

 

 

 

[bertmedals]

The Lieutenant General on BG Safford's left is the I Corps Commanding General at that time -- LTG John A. Heintges.

[Manchu Warrior]

10 hours ago, bertmedals said:

The Lieutenant General on BG Safford's left is the I Corps Commanding General at that time -- LTG John A. Heintges.

Much appreciated. Thanks!

[Allan H.]

The little pissing statue is modeled after the famous "Manneken Pis" which can be found in Brussels, Belgium. There have been a lot of copies of the statue made over the years in various sizes. The famous statue has historically been dressed in different clothes for various holidays and events. I am sure that the command is just following the tradition with the statue in the photo.

 

Allan

 

[sundance]

Great item and a steal at $40. Congrats. How about a hint as to that politically incorrect photo?

[Manchu Warrior]

3 hours ago, Allan H. said:

The little pissing statue is modeled after the famous "Manneken Pis" which can be found in Brussels, Belgium. There have been a lot of copies of the statue made over the years in various sizes. The famous statue has historically been dressed in different clothes for various holidays and events. I am sure that the command is just following the tradition with the statue in the photo.

 

Allan

 

I thought that a likeness of Kim il-Sung might have been on the receiving end of the little soldiers stream but I found no evidence to support that. With that said your explanation makes absolute sense and I also just looked at lots of photos of that little Belgian guy dressed up as just about anything and everybuddy. I appreciate the information.  Thanks!

[Manchu Warrior]

3 hours ago, sundance said:

Great item and a steal at $40. Congrats. How about a hint as to that politically incorrect photo?

I assume, as it was when I was stationed in the ROK, that it was an unaccompanied tour even for GO families. Therefore there are no family members of any of the US officers in any of the photos of the festivities with the urinating little guys. However, there are many Korean women in the photos and I was just thinking  how unlikely those little guys would pass the very politically correct world we now live in. I also appreciate your input. Thanks!

[101STCOLLECTOR]

On 5/16/2022 at 6:21 AM, Manchu Warrior said:

I found this recently and just could not pass up on the photo album of a US Army General Officer.  He is Brigadier General Robert Hall Stafford and what little information that I have on him is that he was a West Point Graduate as WWII Veteran and he passed away in 1992 at 79 years of age. I believe he was also the Commanding Officer of I Corps in the ROK in 1965-66.  The album has 77 photos in it and I paid $40.00 for it, I feel as if I did well, or should say I hope I did. With that said I cannot find much information on the good General and I hope someone on the forum can fill in the blanks. There ls also a photo in the album that would now be considered politically incorrect, can anyone find it? Thanks!

 

Lto 

 

 

 

[101STCOLLECTOR]

Hi Sr

Would you be interested on selling it?  If so, please, let me know.

Thank you in advance

 

 

 

[patches]

On 5/18/2022 at 11:16 PM, bertmedals said:

The Lieutenant General on BG Safford's left is the I Corps Commanding General at that time -- LTG John A. Heintges.

Heintges  as a BGen at Dix 1958.

[Manchu Warrior]

On 6/28/2022 at 12:34 AM, patches said:

Heintges  as a BGen at Dix 1958.

I have not been on for awhile and just wanted to thank you for the information.  Thanks!

[101STCOLLECTOR]

Hi. Would you consider selling it?

Thank you in advance