[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 103 (Thursday, June 22, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S8958]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    MAJ. GEN. DAVID P. DE LA VERGNE

 Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I am honored to offer my 
congratulations to Maj. Gen. David P. de la Vergne, who retires on June 
25, 1995, as commanding general and civilian executive officer of Fort 
Lawton, WA.
  The general's career has been exemplary. A native of Meriden, CT, he 
graduated from the Citadel and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 
1961. After attending the infantry officer's basic and 
counterintelligence officers course, he served as special agent in 
charge of the Hartford Resident Office of the 108th Intelligence Corps 
Group. He did tours in Germany as operations officer of the 207th 
Military Intelligence Detachment and as commander of the Columbia Field 
Office of the 111th Military Intelligence Group. Posted to I Corps 
Advisory Group, Military Assistance Command Vietnam, he served as order 
of battle advisor and sector intelligence advisor, and then returned 
from Vietnam to serve as security officer for the Defense Language 
Institute in Monterey, CA.
  After leaving active military duty in 1971, Major General de la 
Vergne was assigned to the 6211th U.S. Army Garrison, Presidio of San 
Francisco, where he served as inspector general, S-1, comptroller, and 
deputy commander before leaving to assume command of the 2d Battalion, 
363d Regiment, 4th Brigade, 91st Division, training; Returning to the 
6211th in 1981, he served as the garrison commander for 3 years before 
leaving for the 124th ARCOM, where he served as deputy chief of staff, 
resource management, as deputy chief of staff, operations, and then as 
chief of staff and deputy commander prior to his current assignment as 
commanding general.
  Major General de la Vergne is a graduate of the Command and General 
Staff College and the Army War College, and he has completed courses at 
the Intelligence School, the Defense Language Institute, the Industrial 
College of the Armed Forces, the Inspector General School, the U.S. 
Army Institute for Administration and the Army Logistics Management 
Center.
  His decorations include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service 
Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal, the Joint Service 
Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf 
Clusters, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star 
and the Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal First Class.
  Time and time again, the general has proven his mettle and displayed 
most excellent leadership. To quote from the citation for his 
Distinguished Service Medal, which will be awarded on the occasion of 
his official change of command ceremony on June 25, 1995:

       . . . for exceptionally meritorious service of great 
     responsibility:
       Major General David P. de la Vergne distinguished himself 
     by exceptionally meritorious service in successive positions 
     of great responsibility from 15 March 1988 to 27 March 1995. 
     In all assignments, General de la Vergne displayed unexcelled 
     leadership and absolute dedication. As Chief of Staff and 
     later Deputy Commander, 124th United States Army Reserve 
     Command (ARCOM), Fort Lawton, Washington, he displayed 
     exceptional vision, skill, and tenacity in the management and 
     direction of major Army activities. Culminating his 
     distinguished service as Commander of the 124th ARCOM, 
     General de la Vergne took immediate steps to provide the 
     ARCOM with a positive image of its leaders and mission. 
     General de la Vergne's energetic approach for improvement in 
     training, logistics, and recruiting resulted in the molding 
     of a mission-capable unit. His dynamic leadership and unique 
     managerial abilities were instrumental in achieving 
     significant improvements in the readiness posture of the 
     124th ARCOM elements. This was most evident during the 
     mobilization of nine units to support Operation DESERT SHIELD 
     and Operation DESERT STORM. Major General de la Vergne's 
     unswerving dedication, outstanding service, professional 
     skill, and superb leadership reflect great credit upon him, 
     the United States Army Reserve and the United States Army.''

  I want to thank Major General de la Vergne for his many years of 
service to this country, and I wish him and his wife, Elinor, all the 
best.


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