Fillmore K. Mearns
{{short description|United States Army general}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= Fillmore K. Mearns
|image= Fillmore K. Mearns (2).jpg
|image_size=
|alt=
|caption=
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1915|09|20}}
|birth_place= Utah, U.S.
|death_date= {{death date and age|1997|11|18|1915|09|20}}
|death_place= South Carolina, U.S.
|placeofburial=
|allegiance= United States of America
|branch= United States Army
|serviceyears= 1938–1973
|rank= Lieutenant General
|unit=
|commands= VII Corps
25th Infantry Division
77th Artillery Group
75th Artillery Battalion, 17th Artillery Group
3rd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment
|battles= World War II
Vietnam War
|awards= Silver Star
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart (3)
|relations= BG Robert W. Mearns (father)
|laterwork=
}}
Fillmore Kennady "Ken" Mearns (September 20, 1915 – November 18, 1997) was a United States Army lieutenant general who served as commander of the 25th Infantry Division during the Vietnam War and later as commander of VII Corps in West Germany.
Early life
Born into a military family in Utah and raised in Berkeley, California, Mearns started at West Point in July 1934 graduating with a B.S. degree and a second lieutenant's commission in June 1938.{{cite book |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/howitzers/id/5371/rec/6 |title=The Howitzer |date=1938 |page=203 |access-date=10 October 2022}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rIhHAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA382 |title=U.S. Army Register: United States Army Active and Retired List |date=1 January 1966 |volume=I |page=382 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=10 October 2022}}
Military career
=World War II=
Following the United States entry into World War II, Mearns graduated from the Command and General Staff School in 1942 and transferred to III Corps where he served as assistant Operations officer (G-3). He then served in the same capacity with VI Corps. In November 1943, he was appointed commander of the 3rd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment and led this unit in the invasion of Sicily and the invasion of Italy.{{cite web|url=https://www.25thida.org/TLN/tln2-32.htm|title=Tropic Lightning News|publisher=25th Infantry Divisions Association|date=14 August 1967|accessdate=4 April 2018}}
Mearns was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on 16/17 January 1944 when his unit was trying to cross the Rapido River during the Battle of Monte Cassino.
=Postwar=
Mearns attended Columbia University studying Russian language and Soviet studies. He then served as G-3 of United States forces in Austria and as United States representative on the four-party Military Committee in Vienna.
In 1950 he graduated from the Artillery and Guided Missile School and then took command of the 75th Artillery Battalion, 17th Artillery Group and then the 77th Artillery Group.
In 1952 he attended the Armed Forces Staff College and was then appointed director, Special Forces Department of the Unconventional Warfare School at Fort Bragg. In 1954 he graduated from the Strategic Intelligence School.
In 1954 he was appointed United States Army Attaché to the Soviet Union and served in Moscow until 1957. On returning to the United States he attended the Army War College, graduating in 1958. He then served as G-3, Sixth United States Army.
In 1960 he was assigned to command the divisional artillery of the 82nd Airborne Division and then as Division chief of staff from 1961 to 1962.
In November 1962, he was appointed artillery commander, XVIII Airborne Corps. In June 1963 he was appointed artillery commander, 3rd Armored Division. In June 1964 he was appointed artillery commander, V Corps.
=Vietnam War=
On 6 August 1967 Major General Mearns assumed command of the 25th Infantry Division at Củ Chi Base Camp.
During his time in command of the 25th Infantry Division, Mearns led his command in the United States response to the Tet Offensive and the May Offensive.{{cite book|last=Villard|first=Erik|title=United States Army in Vietnam Combat Operations Staying the Course October 1967 to September 1968|publisher=Center of Military History United States Army|year=2017|isbn=9780160942808|url=https://history.army.mil/html/books/091/91-15-1/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206190325/https://history.army.mil/html/books/091/91-15-1/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 6, 2018|pages=73–80}}
On 3 August 1968 he handed over command of the 25th Infantry Division to Major General Ellis W. Williamson and became Deputy Commander, II Field Force, Vietnam and Commanding General, Capital Military Assistance Command.
He served as commander of VII Corps in West Germany{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wC-oDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA80 |title=An Army in Crisis: Social Conflict and the U.S. Army in Germany, 1968–1975 |first=Alexander |last=Vazansky |date=1 October 2019 |page=80 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |isbn=978-1496215192 |access-date=10 October 2022}}{{cite web |title=September 15, 1972 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/european-stars-and-stripes-sep-15-1972-p-10/ |website=Newspaper Archive.com |date=15 September 1972 |publisher=European Stars and Stripes |accessdate=29 October 2018}} from February 1971 to March 1973.
Personal life
Mearns married Elizabeth Mary "Betty" Boles and they had three children, two daughters and one son.
After his retirement, Mearns and his wife settled in South Carolina. Betty Mearns died in December 1974.{{cite news |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/assembly/id/16235/rec/1 |title=Report . . . from the classes: '38 |date=March 1975 |volume=XXXIII |issue=4 |page=58 |magazine=Assembly |access-date=10 October 2022}} He remarried with Virginia "Jidge" (McConnell) Torcom after the death of her first husband and lived with her at Fripp Island.{{cite news |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/assembly/id/19303/rec/1 |title=Report . . . from the classes: '38 |date=September 1980 |volume=XXXIX |issue=2 |page=68 |magazine=Assembly |access-date=10 October 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mainlinemedianews/name/virginia-mearns-obituary?id=12724887 |title=Virginia McConnell "Jidge" Mearns |date=8 September 2014 |newspaper=Main Line Media News |access-date=10 October 2022}}
References
{{ACMH}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mearns, Fillmore K.}}
Category:Military personnel from Berkeley, California
Category:United States Military Academy alumni
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
Category:Recipients of the Silver Star
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni
Category:Joint Forces Staff College alumni
Category:United States military attachés
Category:United States Army War College alumni
Category:United States Army generals
Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal