Maxwell R. Thurman

Maxwell R. Thurman
General Maxwell Reid Thurman
Nickname	"Mad Max"[1] "Maxatollah"[1]
Born	February 18, 1931(1931-02-18) High Point, North Carolina
Died	December 1, 1995(1995-12-01) (aged 64) Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Buried at	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1953-1991
Rank	General
Commands held	Training and Doctrine Command Southern Command Recruiting Command
Battles/wars	Cold War *1958 Lebanon crisis *Vietnam War Panama War
Awards	Legion of Merit Bronze Star with "V" device Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Relations	Lieutenant General John R. Thurman III (brother)

Maxwell Reid Thurman (February 18, 1931 - December 1, 1995) was a U.S. Army general, Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, and former commander of United States Army Training and Doctrine Command.

He attended North Carolina State University graduating with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering (ceramics). While in college he was a member of the Professional Engineering Fraternity Theta Tau. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of Ordnance from NCSU's ROTC program in 1953 but branch transferred to Field Artillery. His first assignment was with the 11th Airborne Division and in 1958 deployed his Honest John Rocket platoon to Lebanon. From 1961-63, he served in Vietnam as an Intelligence Officer for I Vietnamese Corps. Following his service in Vietnam, Thurman was selected one of the first non-Academy graduates assigned as a company tactical officer at the United States Military Academy. In 1966 he attended the Command and General Staff College, then returned to Vietnam, in 1967, where he assumed command of the 2d Howitzer Battalion, 35th Artillery Regiment in 1968.

After completing the U.S. Army War College in 1970, Thurman held numerous troop and staff assignments before, eventually, assuming command of U.S. Army Recruiting Command in 1979, where he initiated the highly successful "BE ALL YOU CAN BE" recruiting campaign. From 1981-83 he was Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, Personnel (DCSPER) and from 1983-87 he was the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (VCSA).

In 1989 Thurman applied for retirement while serving as Command General, TRADOC. Instead, he was handpicked by President George H. Bush to be Commander-in-Chief, United States Southern Command. In this position, he planned and executed Operation Just Cause, the 1989 invasion of Panama. He was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia while still commander in chief of U.S. Southern Command shortly after Operation Just Cause. Thurman retired in 1991 after more than thirty-seven years of service, and died in 1995.

Thurman's awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star with "V" device.^[1] In August 2010 Thurman was posthumously inducted into the Theta Tau Alumni Hall of Fame for outstanding contribution to his profession.

An award is given every year by the United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (MRMC) in honor of General Thurman. The award is generally presented at the American Telemedicine Association annual meeting.

Thurman's image as a workaholic - captured by the nickname "Mad Max" - was as widespread as his reputation as a master organizer. His credits include reversing the downward slide of Army recruiting and commanding the 1989 invasion of Panama. Thurman was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia while still commander in chief of US Southern Command shortly after Operation Just Cause, which ousted strongman Manuel Noriega. He conducted SOUTHCOM business from his hospital bed at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after he was admitted for treatment in July 1990.

One of the men most responsible for the Army's positive image and success through the 1980s succumbed to lengthy bout with cancer. Retired General Maxwell Reid Thurman died December 1, 1995 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. He was 64. The funeral service was held on December 7, 1995 at the Fort Myer, Virginia, chapel, followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery. His burial site is located in Section 30, Grave 416-A-LH at Arlington National Cemetery.

Thurman is survived by his brother, retired Army Lieutenant General John R. Thurman III of Alexandria, Virginia.

He retired from active duty in February 1991. But in between returns to the hospital for treatment, he kept a rigorous schedule of travel to conferences and speaking engagements, taking every opportunity to talk with or about soldiers and the Army. That retirement was his second. He had one foot out the door in September 1989, when he was set to retire as commanding general of US Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia. Instead, he was called to the Pentagon and given charge over the US multi-service command in Panama. His elaborate invasion plan involved conventional and special operations forces from units in the United States as well as Panama which overwhelmed Noreiga's forces.

Before serving as vice chief of staff and top personnel officer, Thurman was commanding general of US Army Recruiting Command. When he took command in 1979, enlisting was generally viewed as an option for slackers. Behind the slogan, "Be all you can be," Thurman was able to blot out that perception and begin a trend of attracting high-quality recruits. A graduate of North Carolina State University and commissioned in Field Artillery, Thurman served two tours in Vietnam, including a battalion command. His decorations and awards over his 37-year career include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star for valor. [1]

See also

General Maxwell R. Thurman Award

United States Army portal

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Arlingtoncemetery.net entry

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document "[2]".

External links

• Maxwell R. Thurman at Find a Grave
• NCSU Military Bio
• STATE GRADS DEVELOP ARMY MANPOWER - April 1985 [3]
• NCSU Army ROTC Bio
• NCSU Army ROTC Alumni - 1953

Military offices
Preceded by Gen. John A. Wickham, Jr.	Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army 1983 – 1987	Succeeded by Gen. Arthur E. Brown, Jr.
Preceded by Carl E. Vuono	Commanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command 1987—1989	Succeeded by John W. Foss
Preceded by Gen. Frederick Woerner	United States Southern Command 1990—1991	Succeeded by Gen. George A. Joulwan

Persondata
Name	Thurman, Maxwell
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	February 18, 1931
Place of birth	High Point, North Carolina
Date of death	December 1, 1995
Place of death	Walter Reed Army Medical Center