George M. Jones

George Madison Jones
George M. Jones as a Colonel during the Philippines Campaign (1944–45).
Born	(1911-02-22)February 22, 1911
Died	December 16, 1996(1996-12-16) (aged 85)
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1935 – 1968
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands held	503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Cold War
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star

George Madison Jones (February 22, 1911 - December 16, 1996) was a United States Army Brigadier General most notable for leading the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment in World War II.

Jones graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1935 (graduate #10439) and was commissioned into the Infantry. After a number of Infantry assignments he volunteered for parachute training just after the establishment of the Parachute School at Fort Benning, Georgia. After graduation, he was assigned to the Canal Zone where he commanded the 501st Parachute Battalion, one of the original parachute units.

At the outbreak of World War II the battalion joined the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, the only independent airborne regiment in the Pacific Thetatre, to act as a strategic reserve for General MacArthur. The 503rd was sent to Australia, where Lieutenant Colonel Jones served as the Regimental Executive Officer to Colonel Kinsler, the Regimental Commanding Officer. From Australia, Jones and the 503rd went to New Guinea, where they made the first successful U.S. combat parachute assault in the war at Markham Valley in September 1943. (The 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 11th Airborne Division was also in New Guinea and made combat jumps in the Philippines during the war.) Upon Kinsler's suicide, Jones became Regimental Commander and was promoted to Colonel.

After making a second combat jump on Noemfoor Island in July 1944 and leaving New Guinea, the 503rd participated in the invasion of the Philippine Islands and conducted an amphibious landing on Mindoro in December 1944. Jones was put in charge of the "Rock Force" (503rd PRCT plus 3rd Battalion, 34th U.S. Infantry) which liberated Corregidor Island by a combined parachute assault and amphibious landing in February 1945. Jones and his Regimental Combat Team moved on to Negros Island, where they fought Imperial Marines and other Japanese forces until well after October, 1945, as a core of Japanese commanders refused to surrender. After the last Japanese units surrendered, the 503rd was disbanded and he took the Headquarters back to California where the unit was officially deactivated and the colors cased.