Edward Michael Flanagan, Jr. is a decorated World War II combat veteran with the 11th Airborne Division in the Philippines, commanding troops at all levels up from company to field army during a ca...view moreEdward Michael Flanagan, Jr. is a decorated World War II combat veteran with the 11th Airborne Division in the Philippines, commanding troops at all levels up from company to field army during a career that spanned thirty-six years.
Born in 1921, he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of January 1943, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from Boston University.
He attended the Artillery Basic Officers’ course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the Armed Forces Staff College, the Army War College, the Air Command and Staff School and the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Flanagan is a former secretary to the general staff of United States Army Europe Headquarters and in 1967 was assigned as the new assistant division commander for the 25th Infantry “Tropic Lightning” Division.
His past assignments include serving as commanding officer of the 674th Airborne Field Battalion in Korea and Japan, commanding officer of the 3rd Armored Division Artillery, and intelligence officer for the Central Army Group. He retired from active duty as a U.S. Army Lieutenant General in 1978.
He was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.
He is widely considered a leading U.S. expert on airborne history and has published number of books on the subject, including Rakassans: The Combat History of the 187th Airborne Infantry and Corregidor: The Rock Force Assault.
He resides in Beaufort, South Carolina.view less