Olinto M. Barsanti

{{Infobox military person

|name=Olinto M. Barsanti

|birth_date={{birth date|1917|11|11}}

|death_date= {{Dda|1973|5|2|1917|11|11}}

|birth_place=Nevada, US

|death_place=

|placeofburial=Arlington National Cemetery

|placeofburial_label= Place of burial

|image=Portrait of Major General Olinto M. Barsanti (cropped).jpg

|caption=

|nickname=

|allegiance=

|branch= United States Army

|serviceyears=1938–1971

|rank= Major General

|commands=101st Airborne Division
9th Infantry Regiment

|unit=

|battles=World War II
Korean War
Cold War
Vietnam War

|awards= Army Distinguished Service Cross
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star (5)
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal (8) with "V"
Air Medal (7) with "V"
Purple Heart (7)
Croix de Guerre with palms

|relations=

|laterwork=

}}

Olinto Mark Barsanti (November 11, 1917 – May 2, 1973) was commander of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, commanding during the Tet Offensive and during subsequent operations around Bien Hoa and Huế. He commanded the 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division during World War II (in Normandy, Brittany, and Belgium). He served in the Korean War from the beginning of the conflict in July 1950 until August 1951. During his tour in Korea his assignments included staff officer with X Corps and commander of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He is one of the most highly decorated American soldiers in history, receiving approximately 60 decorations, including the DSC, DSM, 5 Silver Stars, 2 Legions of Merit, 8 Bronze Stars, 7 Air Medals, 7 Purple Hearts, and the French Croix de guerre (WWII) with bronze palm.

Barsanti died of stomach cancer in 1973. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CghiYXJzYW50aRIGb2xpbnRv/ Burial Detail: Barsanti, Olinto M] – ANC Explorer

World War II

In 1944, Barsanti arrived on the coast of France, the day after D-Day, as commander of the 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment. At 26 years old, he was one of the youngest battalion commanders in the Army. During his eight months serving in the war, Barsanti was awarded five Purple Hearts and four Bronze Star Medals. Barsanti personally assisted each of his regiments during a successful defense against a German counter-attack, and helped take a German stronghold. These two acts earned him two Silver Star Medals.{{cite web |url=https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1609278/ |title=Confidential letter to Major Olinto M. Barsanti |author=Leslie V. Dix |date=August 2, 1944 |publisher=University of North Texas Special Collections |accessdate=March 29, 2020}}

During the Battle of Elsenborn Ridge his unit, part of the 2nd Infantry Division, defended the twin villages of Rocherath-Krinkelt.{{cite book|last=Beevor|first=Antony|title=Ardennes 1944: Hitler's Last Gamble|publisher=Viking|year=2015|isbn=978-0-670-91864-5|page=160}}

Korean War

In June 1950, two days after North Korea invaded South Korea, Barsanti and a few other officers arrived to establish a command post for General of the Army Douglas MacArthur in Suwon, South Korea. His efforts in setting up facilities, transportation, and necessary systems, unassisted except for indigenous personnel, earned him a Legion of Merit.{{cite web |url=https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1609439/ |title=Citation for Legion of Merit| author=United States Army Far East Command |year=1952 |publisher=University of North Texas Special Collections |accessdate=March 29, 2020}} He went on to command the 9th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War, and was the youngest Regimental Commander in Korea at the age of 33. His successful completion of a lone mission to deliver secret orders to two South Korean infantry divisions 190 miles behind enemy lines earned him a Distinguished Service Cross.

Vietnam War

In 1967, Barsanti was assigned command of the 101st Airborne Division which was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. His orders were to prepare the division for combat in South Vietnam. In August 1967, Barsanti received orders to prepare for Operation Eagle Thrust, the largest air-flight transfer of men and equipment from the U.S. to Southeast Asia. Barsanti arrived in Vietnam on December 13, 1967, to report for duty. During Barsanti's seven months commanding the 101st Airborne in Vietnam, the unit had over 8,000 enemy kills, more than 350 detainees taken, and more than 2,650 weapons captured.{{cite web |url=https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1600078/ |title=The Screaming Eagle, Volume 1, Number 5 |date=July 15, 1968 |publisher=University of North Texas Special Collections |accessdate=March 29, 2020}}

Chronological List of Assignments

Source:{{cite book |title=Biographical Data and Military Service Resume, Major General Olinto Mark Barsanti |publisher=Located in the United States Army Major General Olinto Mark Barsanti Papers, Box 2096, Folder 1, Held by University of North Texas Special Collections}}

Jul 1940 – Sep 1940

|The Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia

Oct 1940 – Nov 1942

|38th Infantry, Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Dec 1942 – Apr 1943

|The Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia

May 1945 – Jan 1946

|38th Infantry, Camp McCoy, Wisconsin

Oct 1943 – Apr 1945

|Commanding Officer, 3d Battalion, 38th Infantry, ETO, Europe

May 1945 – Oct 1945

|S-3, 25th Special Troops, Camp Gruber, Oklahoma

Nov 1945 – Jan 1946

|Commanding Officer, 3d Battalion, 38th Infantry, Camp Swift, Texas

Feb 1946 – May 1946

|Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

June 1946 – Jul 1946

|Executive Officer, 38th Infantry Regiment, Camp Carson, Colorado

Jul 1946 – Jul 1949

|Faculty Member, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Sep 1949 – May 1950

|Staff Officer, G-1, General, Far East Command, Tokyo, Japan

Jun 1950 – Jul 1950

|Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, General Headquarters, ADCOM, Korea

Aug 1950 – Feb 1951

|Assistant G-1, X Corps, Korea

Mar 1951 – Aug 1951

|Executive Officer and Commanding Officer, 9th Infantry Regiment, Korea

Sep 1951 – Dec 1951

|Operation and Training Officer, G-3, General Headquarters, Far East Command

Jan 1952 – Jun 1953

|Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, VI Corps, Camp Atterbury, Indiana

Jul 1953 – Jan 1954

|Student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia

Feb 1954 – May 1955

|Chief, Survey and Organization Branch, Comptroller, US Army, Europe

Jun 1955 – Jan 1957

|Chief of Staff, Berlin Command

Feb 1957 – Jul 1957

|Member, Regular Officer Augmentation Detachment Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.

Aug 1957 – Jun 1958

|Student, National War College, Washington, D.C.

Jul 1958 – Jun 1961

|Chief, Requirements Division, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.

Jul 1961 – Jul 1963

|Chief, Manpower Division, JI, Joint Staff Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.

Jul 1963 – Aug 1964

|Assistant Division Commander for Combat Operations, 7th Infantry Division, Korea

Sep 1964 – May 1966

|Comptroller, US Army, Europe

May 1966 – Sep 1966

|Chief of Staff, V Corps, USAREUR

Oct 1966 – Jun 1967

|Comptroller and Director of Programs, US Army Materiel Command, Washington, D.C.

Jul 1967 – Jun 1968

|Commanding General, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky (deployed to Vietnam Dec 13, 67)

Jul 1968 – Aug 1968

|Commanding General, 101st Air Cavalry Division

Aug 1968 – Sep 1971

|Chief of Staff, Fifth US Army, Fort Sheridan, Illinois

Awards and decorations

Source:

120px Combat Infantryman Badge with star

80px Ranger Tab

80px Basic Parachutist Badge

90px Army Staff Identification Badge

100px Vietnam Master Parachutist Badge

95px 101st Airborne Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia

50px 7 Overseas Service Bars

60px Army Distinguished Service Cross

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} Army Distinguished Service Medal

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Silver Star ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px14px14px Silver Star with four bronze oak leaf clusters

{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=60}} Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|width=60}} Distinguished Flying Cross

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px14px14px Bronze Star Medal with Valor device and seven oak leaf clusters

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Purple Heart ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px Purple Heart with six oak leaf clusters

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px14px Air Medal with Valor device and six oak leaf clusters

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-oak|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} Army Commendation Medal

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|width=60}}14px14px Army Presidential Unit Citation with two oak leaf clusters

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} American Defense Service Medal

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American_Campaign_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=60}} American Campaign Medal

{{Ribbon devices|number=5|type=service-star|ribbon=European-African-Middle_Eastern_Campaign_ribbon.svg|width=60}} European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one silver service star

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} World War II Victory Medal

60px Army of Occupation Medal

{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National_Defense_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=60}} National Defense Service Medal with service star

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}11px11px Korean Service Medal with six service stars

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}11px11px Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with palm France - ribbon bar.svg|width=60}} French WWII War Cross with bronze palm

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=VPD National Order of Vietnam - Knight BAR.svg|width=60}} National Order of Vietnam, Knight

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnamese Gallantry Cross, with palm.svg|width=60}} Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm

60px Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation

60px Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation

60px Vietnam Civil Actions Medal Unit Citation

60px United Nations Korea Medal

{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg|width=60}} Vietnam Campaign Medal

Honors

In his memory, the University of North Texas established the Barsanti Military History Center. The current director of the Barsanti program is Geoffrey Wawro.

Fort Campbell held a dedication ceremony for the Olinto M. Barsanti Elementary School, a Department of the Defense Education Activity school. The new school is located in the southern portion of the Fort Campbell Army Post. The 93,000 square-foot, $18 million building was built to accommodate the growing availability of on-post-housing, and serves the Gardner Hills and The Woodlands housing areas. It opened its doors to approximately 550 Pre-K through 5th grade students on January 3, 2011.

References

External links

[http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ombarsanti.htm Olinro M. Barsanti] at ArlingtonCemetery.net, an unofficial website
[https://findingaids.library.unt.edu/?p=collections/findingaid&id=360 Barsanti Papers at UNT Special Collections Finding Aid]
[https://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/collections/MGOMB/ Digitized Barsanti Papers from UNT Special Collections]

{{succession box|

title=Chief of Staff 5th US Army|

before=|

years=August 1968 – June 1971|

after=

}}

{{succession box|

title=Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division|

before=Ben Sternberg|

years=June 1967 – June 1968|

after=Melvin Zais

}}