On Wednesday 29 October at 11:00 hrs General William Livsey will have the Fayette County section of HWY 314 dedicated to him.
The ceremony will be held at Fayetteville First United Methodist Church’s Family Life Center, 175 East Lanier Ave – across the street from the old Fayette County Court House … the same location where the Honor Flight attendees depart.
All veterans are encouraged to attend …
General Livsey is a Korea War veteran … served in the Army from 1952 thru 1987. He is an outstand “trooper.”
The program coordinator/manager is Jack Wheeler – he estimated 200 plus veterans and community officials attending the dedication.
BIOGRAPHY OF GENERAL WILLIAM LIVSEY
General Livsey is a native of Clarkston, Georgia. He is a 1952 graduate of North Georgia College & State University. Years later he served as a trustee for the university foundation. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army. He has a Masters degree in Psychology from Vanderbilt University. His military schooling includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College where he graduated first in his class, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the Army War College.
In 1953, Livsey served his first combat tour as platoon leader with the 3rd Infantry Division in Korea. He commanded his first company with the 30th Infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1954. From 1958 to 1961, he served in Germany as a company commander in the 2nd Armored Rifle Battalion, 36th Infantry, 3rd Armored Division. He served his second combat tour in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968 with the 4th Infantry Division as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (Operations), and as the Commander, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry of the 3rd Brigade Task Force.
In May 1971, Livsey took command of the 2nd Brigade 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) at Fort Carson. He later returned to Fort Carson in 1974 to serve as the Assistant Division Commander (Support) and as the Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver) for the 4th ID (M) until June 1976. From July 1977 to May 1979, he was the Commanding General of the Infantry Center and Commandant of the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia.
In May 1979, Livsey became the Commanding General of the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized), United States Army Europe where he served until June 1981. He then assumed the position of Commanding General, VII Corps, USAREUR, and served there until July 1983. From July 1983 until April 1984 he served as the Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Forces Command as well as Commanding General of the Third United States Army, Fort McPherson, Georgia.
Other notable assignments include, I Corps Chief of Staff in Korea, Executive to the Army Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C. and Southeast Asia, staff officer in the Office of Research and Development, and leadership instructor at West Point.
In May, 1984, and until his retirement on June 30, 1987, Livsey served as Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command/Commander-in-Chief Combined Forces Command/ Commander, United States Forces, Korea/Commanding General Eighth United States Army.
Livsey's awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Silver Star, Legion of Merit (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star with "V" Device, Air Medals, Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd Award), Army Staff Identification Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.
Livsey and his wife, the former Bena Sue Burns, currently reside in Fayetteville, Georgia.
They have four sons.
Senate Resolution 980
By: Senators Chance of the 16th, Douglas of the 17th, Harp of the 29th and Staton of the
18th
A RESOLUTION
1 Dedicating the General Bill Livsey Highway; and for other purposes.
2 WHEREAS, William J. Livsey was born June 8, 1931, at Clarkston, Georgia, where he
3 attended the public schools and there distinguished himself in scholastics and athletics; and
4 WHEREAS, after graduating from Clarkston High School he attended North Georgia
5 College where he further excelled scholastically and athletically, and he completed the
6 Reserve Officer Training Corps curriculum, graduating in June 1952, whereupon he was
7 commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army; and
8 WHEREAS, shortly thereafter, he served as a platoon leader in the Korean War, earning the
9 Silver Star for gallantry in action; and
10 WHEREAS, he continued to distinguish himself in his military career seeing further combat
11 duty in Viet Nam as Commander of an infantry battalion; rising through every level of
12 command position while serving in the United States and in four subsequent overseas tours,
13 and culminating his career with assignment as Commander in Chief, United Nations
14 Command/Commander in Chief, Combined Forces Command/Commander, United States
15 Forces, Korea/Commanding General, Eighth United States Army; and
16 WHEREAS, his military education included completion of the Army´s Command and
17 General Staff College (where he was first in his class), the Armed Forces Staff College, and
18 the Army War College; and
19 WHEREAS, awards and decorations received by him also include the Defense Distinguished
20 Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Service
21 Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with
22 "V" Device, and the Army Commendation Medal with "V" Device (with two Oak Leaf
23 Clusters); and
08 LC 34 1566
S. R. 980
- 2 -
1 WHEREAS, General Livsey retired in 1987 after attaining the rank of four-star General, one
2 of only four Georgians ever to be so recognized by the United States Army; and
3 WHEREAS, after his retirement General Livsey served the people of our state as a member
4 of the Board of Trustees of North Georgia College and State University, his alma mater; and
5 WHEREAS, throughout his career of service around the world, General Livsey continually
6 maintained his home in our State of Georgia, residing today at his residence in Fayette
7 County with his wife Bena Sue Burns Livsey, originally of East Point; and
8 WHEREAS, General Livsey is credited with being among the first, if not the first, to remind
9 us that "Freedom is not Free"; and
10 WHEREAS, the life of unselfish service of General William J. Livsey has been dedicated to
11 securing and preserving the blessing of freedom to the people of the United States of
12 America, bringing honor and pride to his native State of Georgia.
13 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
14 GEORGIA that the portion of SR 314 North running from its intersection with SR 85 and
15 running northerly to the Fayette County line shall be dedicated as the General Bill Livsey
16 Highway and the Department of Transportation is authorized and directed to place and
17 maintain appropriate markers so dedicating said highway.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
19 to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to General Bill Livsey and to the
20 Department of Transportation.
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