Private Collection
Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP pistol serial
number 567426 - Model M .32 pistol issued to
General Ferdinand J. Chesarek, USA - In 1961, he was
promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and was presented
his Colt 1903 .32 ACP caliber sidearm, serial number
567426 on March 23, 1961.
Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP pistol serial
number 567426 - Right side, pictured with his dog tags
and four star shoulder board.
Original black belt and holster for Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP pistol serial
number 567426
Second Lieutenant F.J. Chesarek, USA, U.S. Military
Academy Class of 1938
Brigadier General James A. Pickering (left) and Lieutenant
Colonel Ferdinand J. Chesarek. Both BG Pickering and Lt.
Col. Chesarek received the Award of Silver Star on 6 May
1945.
Lieutenant Colonel Ferdinand J. Chesarek, Germany, 1945.
Colonel Chesarek in Korea, 1954
Colonel Chesarek in Korea, August, 1954
Brig. Gen. Chesarek giving a
speech at the 4th Logistical Command "Dining in Night" 20
February 1962.
USAPA 66 A-1347-2 (1 August 1966) - Lt. General F.J.
Chesarek was sworn in as the Comptroller of the Army. Shown
LtoR: Brig General L.H. Walker, administering the oath; Lt
General Chesarek; General Creighton W. Abrams, Vice Chief of
Staff and Mrs. F.J. Chesarek. Ceremony followed the
promotion of Major General Chesarek to Lt General at the
Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Photo by: Wayne C. O'Neill,
U.S. Army Photographic Agency, Washington, D.C.
General William Westmoreland presents General Ferdinand
Chesarek with his second Distinguished Service Medal (note
the oak leaf cluster on the ribbon.)
General Ferdinand J. Chesarek, USA
(February 18, 1914 - November 20, 1993)
Gen. F.J.
Chesarek or Ches as he was known to friends and family was
born on 18 Feb. 1914 in Calumet, MI. He graduated from West
Point in 1938. After assignments to the 9th Field Artillery
Reg. at Ft. Lewis, WA and the 9th Field Artillery Reg. at
Ft. Ord, CA and the 81st Field Artillery Bat. at Ft.
Richardson, AK Ches went on to the Alaska Defense Command
also at Ft Richardson, AK in 1941. Several more assignments
included S-3, 177th Field Artillery Reg. at Ft. Leonard
Wood, MO, Student at Field Artillery School, Ft. Sill, OK
and Executive Officer, 177th Field Artillery Group at Camp
McCoy, WI.
Ches was later
promoted to Commanding Officer, 28th Field Artillery
Battalion, 8th Infantry Division, European Theater of
Operations, Nov. 1943 to Nov. 1945. Commanding Officer, 5th
Artillery Group, Korea, May 1954 to Jan. 1955. Chief of
Staff, U.S. Army Communications Zone, Europe, Orleans,
France, Aug. 1959 to July 1960. Chief of Staff, U.S. Army
Southern European Task Force, Verona, Italy, July 1960 to
March 1961. Commanding General, 4th Logistical Command,
Verdun, France, March 1961 to Aug. 1962. Comptroller of the
Army, Aug. 1966 to Aug. 1967. Commanding General, U.S. Army
Materiel Command, Pentagon, Washington D.C., March 1969
until his retirement in Nov. 1970.
His decorations
and service medals include the Distinguished Service Medal
w/OLC 1970, Silver Star 1944, Legion of Merit 1954, Bronze
Star w/ V device & OLC 1944, Purple Heart 1944, Air Medal
1945, Army Com. Medal 1946, Am. Def. Service Medal w/ Bronze
Star, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Medal, EAME Medal w/4 Bronze Stars, WW II Victory Medal,
Army of Occupation Medal-Germany, National Defense Service
Medal, Korean Service Medal, Croix de Guerre w/ Palm &
Star, France 1946, Croix de Guerre, Luxembourg 1946, Order
of the Ulchi w/ Silver Star Korea 1954, Order of the
Republic, Officer, Italy 1961, Legion of Honor, Chevalier,
France 1962, United Nations Service Medal Korea, Order of
Military Merit, Korea 1969, Order of the Cloud and Banner,
China 1969. Ches died from complications of open heart
surgery at the age of 79 on 20 Nov. 1993, Nashville, TN.
He is interred
at Arlington National Cemetery.
Photo of General Chesarek's
Dress Mess Blues uniform is taken in front of his original
silk 48 star American flag.
General Chesarek's rank insignias.
General Chesarek's Medals
General Chesarek at his home
office in Los Altos Hills, CA in the mid 1980s.
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