Lessons in Leadership
AMERICAN WARRIORS
Throughout the nations history, numerous men and women of all ranks and branches of the US military have served their country with honor and distinction. During times of war and peace, there are individuals whose exemplary achievements embody the highest standards of the US armed forces. The aim of the American Warriors series is to examine the unique historical contributions of these individuals, whose legacies serve as enduring examples for soldiers and citizens alike. The series will promote a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the US armed forces.
SERIES EDITOR: Joseph Craig
LESSONS IN
LEADERSHIP
My Life in the US Army from World War II to Vietnam
GENERAL JOHN R. DEANE JR.
Edited by Jack C. Mason
Due to variations in the technical specifications of different electronic reading devices, some elements of this ebook may not appear as they do in the print edition. Readers are encouraged to experiment with user settings for optimum results.
Copyright 2018 by The University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University.
All rights reserved.
Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Deane, John R. (John Russell), 19192013, author. | Mason, Jack C., editor.
Title: Lessons in leadership : my life in the US Army from World War II to Vietnam / General John R. Deane Jr. ; Edited by Jack C. Mason, US Army Reserve (Ret.).
Other titles: My life in the US Army from World War II to Vietnam
Description: The University Press of Kentucky : Lexington, Kentucky, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017044671 | ISBN 9780813174945 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780813174952 (pdf) | ISBN 9780813174969 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Deane, John R. (John Russell), 19192013. | GeneralsUnited StatesBiography. | LeadershipUnited States. | United States. ArmyOfficersBiography. | United States. ArmyMilitary lifeAnecdotes. | History, MilitaryUnited States20th centuryAnecdotes.
Classification: LCC E745.D43 A3 2018 | DDC 355.0092 [B] dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017044671
This book is printed on acid-free paper meeting the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Member of the Association of University Presses
Contents
Foreword
I did try to copy his style and techniques, and they were very helpful to me. I received accolades for my leadership, when I was really only copying what Uncle Jack had taught me.
Lieutenant General Henry E. Hank Emerson
During my thirty-eight years of service in the United States Army and Army Reserve, I have traveled all over the world in many interesting assignments and run across many extraordinary characters. In one of the last tours of my career, I had the great fortune to meet General John R. Jack Deane Jr. while serving as his escort officer during a visit to Army Materiel Command (AMC) at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama.
General Deane had been invited to participate in an AMC Former Commanders Conference and to celebrate the new unveiling of the headquarters building and recent move from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to Redstone Arsenal. As many soldiers will tell you, there is not a whole lot of upside to escort officer duty. Army senior leaders dont get where they are by being unassertive. If the tasking is done correctly and without incident, you have done your job. If something goes awry, there is a good chance you will hear about it later.
It so happened that on the day of his arrival at Huntsville, Deane had endured a series of long delays between connecting flights. He finally landed at 11:00 p.m., with the conference events scheduled to kick off at 7:00 the next morning. All I knew about my assignment was that I was escorting a ninety-two-year-old four-star general officer and thought to myself, Well, should I have a wheelchair waiting at the ramp to whisk him off to his quarters for a much-needed rest before the start of a full day of activities? I was surprised to encounter a distinguished gentleman in suit and tie, wheeling his carry-on luggage behind him as he strolled off the plane. Full of energy and wearing a big smile, he was in excellent shape and happy to have finally arrived. As the duty driver and I drove him to his quarters, he engaged both of us with many questions and concerns over the damage he viewed from recent tornadoes that had passed through the area.
After the short ride to the hotel, I dismissed the driver and got the general settled in his room. I thought, Okay, that went well; at least he will get a couple of hours of rest before the conference starts. But Deane had other ideas. The Boston Red Sox were battling the Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs and the game was in extra innings. He wanted to go down to the lobby bar and watch the game over a nightcap of Stolichnaya vodka. By the time I finally got home it was around 1:00 a.m. and I, a fifty-five-year-old, was beat. The next morning when I arrived to pick him up, Deane had already had breakfast and was mingling with several other former AMC commanders in the lobby.
I relate this story to make a point. Most of us have encountered individuals at some point in our lives who have clearly stood out among the rest. Deane was such a man. In my profession, a uniform, with its rank and awards displayed, demands respect, and the personality of the individual inside it is secondary. I immediately found that Deane, though an elderly gentleman thirty-five years retired from military life and without the trappings of a high-ranking uniform with prestigious awards, was still a commanding presence in a room. He had the personality to draw you in, and with his sharp wit and humor, he knew how to spin a tale. I witnessed his uncanny ability, in a lighthearted manner, to charm men and women alike; my wife, who has an innate ability to discern character, referred to him as a rock star. Here was a man who had mastered the art of leadership and the ability to communicate and relate to anybody. He lived his life to the fullest.
How was Jack Deane able to rise so far and have such a successful career during his lifetime of service to the nation? I believe several factors came together to offer a chance for his leadership ability to be fully displayed and create an opportunity to rise to the very top of his profession. He had a very sharp mind, gifted with intelligence and the drive to succeed. His father, a career officer who served as General George Marshalls senior assistant, was the perfect role model; for as long as he could remember, Jack was surrounded by, and intimate with, men who would rise to become senior leaders in the US Army during World War II and afterward.
