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2010 SESSION
WHEREAS, General John Reiley Guthrie, United States Army, Retired, of Springfield, died on May 25, 2009; and
WHEREAS, a native of New Jersey, John Guthrie earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and received his commission as a 2nd lieutenant out of Princeton’s ROTC program, ultimately becoming the program’s first four-star general; and
WHEREAS, General Guthrie served on the War Department General Staff during World War II and was then stationed in London, England; and
WHEREAS, it was in London that General Guthrie met his wife of 58 years, Rebecca Jeffers Guthrie, who died on April 11, 2005; together they raised a wonderful family of six children; and
WHEREAS, during the Korean War, General Guthrie was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division Artillery, where he participated in operations against guerrillas, the evacuation of Hungnam, the reoccupation of Seoul, the Chinese spring offensive, and United Nations counteroffensive; and
WHEREAS, during a long and illustrious career, General Guthrie served as the Army staff project officer for the launching of the United States’ first artificial earth satellite, Explorer I; was chief of staff of the 25th Infantry Division; assistant commanding general of the 2nd Division; commanding general of United States Army Japan; and finally, commanding general of the United States Army Materiel Command (AMC), from which he retired in 1981; and
WHEREAS, General Guthrie’s command at AMC included a workforce of over 116,000; he was responsible for research and development, test and evaluation, procurement and production, storage and distribution, inventory management, and maintenance and disposal of all Army materiel; and
WHEREAS, General Guthrie worked unceasingly on behalf of civilian and military personnel quality of life programs, including the fair distribution of awards, recognition, and training opportunities; federal upward mobility; equal employment opportunity; and women’s programs; and
WHEREAS, General Guthrie was decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Command Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal; and
WHEREAS, General Guthrie devoted himself in retirement to his beloved alma mater, Princeton University, where he served as trustee from 1981 to 1985; in 2000, he was recognized with the Harold H. Helm Award and in 2007, the Alumni and Friends of Princeton University ROTC established the General John R. Guthrie ’42 ROTC Scholarship Fund; and
WHEREAS, General Guthrie served as founding chairman of the St. John’s Community Services (SJCS) Foundation and as a trustee, along with his wife, of SJCS; in 2002, SJCS established the John R. and Rebecca J. Guthrie Endowment Fund to support the Guthrie Home, an SJCS residence for people with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, during a long and rewarding life, General Guthrie devoted his time to the service of the nation, his alma mater, and his family, serving all with an unswerving and unbounded passion; and
WHEREAS, “The General” will be greatly missed by his loving children, Claire, Michael, John, Peter, Margaret, and Kevin, and their families; and his numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of a courageous and patriotic soldier, General John Reiley Guthrie, USA Ret.; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of General John Reiley Guthrie, USA Ret., as an expression of the high regard in which his memory is held by the members of the General Assembly and the citizens of Virginia.