Original Items: Only One Lot of 2 Available. Now this is a lovely little grouping attributed to a US Army Major General who served from 1948 to 1985, having fought in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The items in this grouping:

- Major General Rank Flag (52” x 36”): In the U.S. military, a "flag officer", is any officer of high enough rank to fly a flag from the location of their command. In the U.S. Army, this applies to Officers of the Brigadier General (1 Star) rank and higher. Flags such as these were often attached to the outside of tents or other locations outside, while a more ornate fringed version would be used inside.

This flag has 2 stars, for a Major General rank officer. It is made from red wool fabric, with cotton or linen stars sewn onto the center of both sides. One end is folded over into a header, with small pockets on either end with leather hanging tabs inside.

- Sunmy Korea Zippo Style Lighter: This lovely little lighter is a Korean made flip top lighter which retains lovely engraving and colors. The front features the iconic Green Beret on the top portion with the SF “De Oppresso Liber” insignia. The insignia is the crossed arrow collar insignia (insignia of the branch) of the First Special Service Force, World War II combined with the fighting knife which is of a distinctive shape and pattern only issued to the First Special Service Force. The motto is translated as "From Oppression We Will Liberate Them."

The reverse is inscribed with:

MG Robert C. Kingston
Commander
JFKCENMA
Ft. Bragg, N.C.

This was given to him when he was Commander of the John F. Kennedy Center For Military Assistance.

This lovely pair comes more than ready for further research and display.

Robert Charles Kingston

Kingston was born in Brookline, Massachusetts on July 16, 1928, and graduated from Brookline High School in 1947. He entered the Army as an enlisted soldier in November 1948. The following year he attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Riley, Kansas and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry on December 20, 1949. Kingston later completed a B.A. degree in education at the University of Omaha in 1965 and earned an M.S. degree in international relations from George Washington University. He graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College in 1960.

As a second lieutenant, Kingston commanded Task Force Kingston in the early phase of the Korean War, driving his unit all the way to the Yalu River. He was awarded two Silver Stars for his actions.

Kingston commanded troops at each level from platoon to brigade. In 1970 he was assigned as the Deputy Secretary of the General Staff, Office of the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army. In June 1972 General Kingston returned to Vietnam where he was promoted to Brigadier General in December and served as Deputy Commanding General, Second Regional Assistance Command and as Deputy Senior Advisor, II Corps and Military Region 2.

In January 1973, Kingston assumed command of the Joint Casualty Resolution Center in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. Upon his return to the United States in 1974, he assumed duties as Assistant Division Commander of the First Infantry Division and was promoted to Major General in September 1975. He assumed command of the US Army John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance and the U.S. Army Institute for Military Assistance at Fort Bragg in 1975. Leaving Fort Bragg, General Kingston assumed command of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division in Dongducheon, Korea and served as Commanding General from June 1979 – June 1981.

Following his promotion to Lieutenant General in 1981, he assumed command of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force, MacDill Air Force Base Florida. The Rapid Deployment Force was reorganized as the United States Central Command on January 1, 1983. On November 6, 1984, he was promoted to general, and a year later he retired from active duty.

Distinguished Service Cross Citation:

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division
Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 22 November 1966 to 24 November 1966
Entered service at: Brookline, Massachusetts
Born: July 16, 1928, Brookline, Massachusetts
G.O. No.: 7024, December 25, 1966

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) Robert Charles Kingston (ASN: 0-71534), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Kingston distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions during the period 22 November 1966 to 24 November 1966 while commanding elements of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Division on a search and destroy mission. When two of his companies made contact with the forward positions of a Viet Cong battalion, Colonel Kingston landed by helicopter and assumed control of ground operations. In the evening of 22 November 1966 when the lead company was pinned down by intense automatic weapons fire, Colonel Kingston, with complete disregard for his safety, charged a wounded Viet Cong and wrestled a weapon from him. While firing the captured weapon, he then led an assault on the hostile positions and forced the insurgents to flee. Throughout the three day period, Colonel Kingston repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire, to encourage his troops and direct air strikes and artillery against the Viet Cong emplacements. His aggressive leadership and personal courage inspired his men to fight with renewed vigor and defeat the numerically superior hostile force. Colonel Kingston's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

Kingston died on February 28, 2007, at the age of 78, due to complications from a fall. On March 23, 2007, he was interred at Arlington National Cemetery next to his wife Josephine R. "Jo" (Rae) Kingston (January 5, 1924 – July 11, 1992).