Jonathan O. Seaman

Jonathan Owen Seaman
Major General Jonathan Seaman, commanding 1st Infantry Division, Vietnam c. 1966
Born	(1911-12-11)December 11, 1911 Manila, Philippines
Died	February 18, 1986(1986-02-18) (aged 74) Charleston, South Carolina
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1934–1971
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	30th Field Artillery Regiment U.S. 1st Infantry Division U.S. II Field Force First United States Army
Battles/wars	World War II Vietnam War
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star

Lieutenant General Jonathan Owen Seaman (December 11, 1911 – February 18, 1986) was a 1934 graduate of the United States Military Academy, a career U.S. Army officer and combat commander between World War II and the Vietnam War.

Seaman was born in Manila, Philippines, the son of a U.S. Army officer, B/Gen Albert Owen Seaman and his wife, Florence Thompson (Look) Seaman, 11 Dec 1911. He was appointed to United States Military Academy, graduating with the class of 1934 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 16th Field Artillery at Fort Myer, Virginia. In December 1935 to 1938, Seaman served as a White House military aide. After a teaching assignment at West Point in 1939, he was promoted to captain with the 4th Field Artillery at Fort Bragg.

By 1942, as a major and battalion commander of the 4th Field Artillery regiment. He served in World War II in both European and Pacific theaters.

From 1953 to 1954, he commanded the 30th Field Artillery Group at Yorkhof Kasserne, Germany. Seaman was later honored in 1999 by the 30th Field Artillery when the 3rd Battalion headquarters at Fort Sill, Oklahoma was named "Seaman Hall".

As a major general in 1965, Seaman was named commander of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. The 1st Division was the first Army combat division to be called up for service during the Vietnam War, arriving in theater in July 1965, with Seaman being the first of six combat commanders during the war. In March 1966, Seaman was promoted to commander of U.S. II Field Force, a 100,000 man fighting force that included the 1st Division, along with two other divisions and several independent brigades.

In 1967, he returned stateside and assumed command of First United States Army at Fort Meade, Maryland. Seaman was the deciding official in cases of 13 officers involved in the failure to investigate or cover up the 1968 My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War.