COMMANDING GENERALS OF THE RYUKYU ISLANDS
AND
CHANGES IN THE COMMAND STRUCTURE

 

1.  BucknerLtGen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., USA, CG, Xth U.S. Army,
1 Apr. - 18 June 1945. 
 
2.  Geiger LtGen. Roy S. Geiger, Jr., USMC, CG, IIId Amphibious Corps,
1 Apr. - 18 June 1945.
CG, Xth U.S. Army, 18 June - 22 June 1945. 
 
3.  Stilwell Gen. Joseph W. Stilwell, USA, CG, Xth U.S. Army, 23 June - 30 July 1945.
CG, Army Service Command I (ASCOM I), 31 July - 16 Oct. 1945. 
Note: Established as; Army Service Command I (ASCOM I), Ref: U.S. Army Forces, Middle Pacific, General Orders #12, 28 July 1945.  
 
4.  Lawson BGen. Lawrence A. Lawson, USAAC, CG, ASCOM I, 17 Oct. - 15 Oct. 1945
CG, Army Okinawa Base Command I, ABSCOM I,16 Oct. - 29 Dec. 1945. 
Note: Redesignation; Army Service Command I (ASCOM I), as Army Okinawa Base Command (ABSCOM I)
15 Oct. 1945. Ref: 1st Indorsement from GHQ, U.S. Army Forces, Pacific, 25 Oct. 1945.  
 
5.  Hodson BGen. Fremond B. Hodson, USA, CG, Army Okinawa Base Command I, ABSCOM I,30 Dec. 1945 - 26 Feb. 1946. 
 
6.  Donovan MGen. Leo Donovan, USA, CG, Army Okinawa Base Command I,
ABSCOM I, 27 Feb. - 21 May 1946. 
 
7.  Hayden BGen. Frederic L. Hayden, USA, CG, Army Okinawa Base Command I, ABSCOM I, 24 May - 18 June 1946.
CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM), 18 June 1946 - 11 May 1948. 
Note: U.S. Navy relinquishes control, transfers Military Government and Civil Affairs Teams to U.S. Army, 1 July 1946.  
Note: Redesignation, ABSCOM I, redesignated Ryukyu Command (RYCOM). Ref: USAFWESPAC GO, #162. Dated 18 June 1946.  
Note: Redesignation, Ryukyu Command Assigned to Philippine Ryukyu Command (PHILRYCOM), per GHQ Far East Command Pacific Station List, 28 Feb. 1947. 
 
8.  Eagles MGen. William W. Eagles, USA, CG, Army Okinawa Base Command, ABSCOM II, 12 May - 30 July 1948.  
MGen. William W. Eagles, USA, CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM), 1 Aug. 1948 - 30 Sep. 1949.  
Note: Redesignation, 1 Aug. 1948, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM) was established as a separate command. Ref: SCAP, GHQ, General Order #18, 9 July 1948. The Philippine-Ryukyu Command was redesignated the Philippines-Command (PHILCOM).  
 
9.  Sheetz MGen. Joseph R. Sheetz, USA, CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM),
1 Oct. 1949 - 21 July 1950. 
 
10.  McClure MGen. Robert McClure, USA, CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM),
28 July - 6 Dec. 1950. 
 
11-A.  BeightlerMGen. Robert S. Beightler, USA, CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM),
9 Dec. 1950 - 10 May 1951. 
 
11B. MGen. Robert S. Beightler, USA, CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM)
8 Aug. 1951-16 Dec. 1952. 
Note: There is a gap of three and a half months in the Command period of MGen. Beightler, USA. The general was medically evacuated to CONUS at which time BGen. Harry B. Sherman USA, assumed the Acting Command of RYCOM .  
Note: MGen. Beightler, USA, returned from sick leave in CONUS and assumed his Command of RYCOM on 8 Aug. 1951.  
 
12.  Sherman BGen. Harry B. Sherman, USA, Acting CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM),
10 May - 7 Aug. 1951. 
 
13.  Lewis BGen. James Malcolm Lewis, USA, CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM),
18 Dec. 1952 - 2 Jan. 1953. 
 
14.  Ogden MGen. David Ayers DePue Ogden, USA, CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM),
3 Jan. 1953 - 4 Mar. 1955. 
 
Note: The Secretary of Defense, Mr. C.E. Wilson, in a Memorandum for the Secretary of the Army, on 29 Oct. 1954, recommended that: "consideration be given to placing a civilian in the Civil Administrator, or Deputy Civil Administrator position, or both; thus assuring a greater degree of continuity in the directorship of administration." 
Note: The IX Corps HQs and HQs Company ceased operations at 1200 hours, 2 Feb. 1956. The two organizations were out-loaded to Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, less troops and equipment. An Executive Order promulgated on 4 July 1957, appointed MGen. James E. Moore USA, CG, RYCOM, as the Commanding General of the newly formed U.S. Army Ryukyu Islands/IX Corps (USARYIS/IX) and High Commissioner of the Ryukyu Islands (HICOM). On the same day, the general was promoted to Lieutenant General, with the arrival of the IX Corps Colors and the Three Star flag. On that date the office of Governor (held by SCAP) and Office of Deputy Governor, held by CG, RYCOM, were abolished. 
 
15.  Moore MGen. James Edward Moore, USA CG, Ryukyu Command (RYCOM),
5 Mar. 1955 - 2 Feb. 1956. 
Note: Redesignation, RYCOM and IX Corps were merged as RYCOM/IX Corps
 
Ref: AFEC/8A GO #14, 2 Feb. 1956. CG, RYCOM/IX Corps and Deputy Governor Ryukyu Islands. 2 Feb. 1956 - 1 Jan. 1957. 
Note: Redesignation, RYCOM/IX Corps, 1 Jan. 1957, USARYIS/IX Corps. 
Ref: Army Forces Far East/8A GO, #144, 29 Dec. 1956. CG, RYCOM/IX Corps and Deputy Governor Ryukyu Islands, 1 Jan. - 3 July 1957. 
 
LtGen. Edward Moore, USA, High Commissioner of the Ryukyu Islands, HICOM, CG, USARYIS/IX Corps, 4 July 1957 - 30 Apr. 1958.  
 
16.  Booth LtGen. Donald P. Booth, USA, HICOM, CG, USARYIS/IX Corps,
1 May 1958 - 12 Feb. 1961. 
 
17.  Caraway LtGen. Paul Wyatt Caraway, USA, HICOM, CG, USARYIS/IX Corps,
16 Feb. 1961 - 31 July 1964. Note: BGen. John C. Ondrick USA, as the last Military Civil Administrator of USCAR, departed for CONUS on 30 May 1962.  
 
18.  Watson LtGen. Albert Watson II, USA, HICOM, CG, USARYIS/IX Corps,
1 Aug. 1964 - 31 Oct. 1966. 
 
19.  Unger LtGen. Ferdinand Thomas Unger, USA, HICOM, CG, USARYIS/IX Corps,
2 Nov. 1966 - 17 Jan. 1969.  
 
20.  Lampert LtGen. James B. Lampert, USA, HICOM, CG, USARYIS/IX Corps,
28 Jan. 1969 - 15 May 1972. 
 
CIVILIAN CIVIL ADMINISTRATORS OF THE UNITED STATES CIVIL ADMINISTRATION OF THE RYUKYU ISLANDS  
 
Mr. Shannon B.B. McCune (Appointed University Professor), 18 July 1962 - 8 Feb. 1964. 
 
Mr. Gerald Warner (Foreign Service Officer, Dept. of State), 11 Feb. 1964 - 10 July 1967. 
 
Mr. Stanley Carpenter (Foreign Service Officer, Dept. of State), 15 July 1967 - 15 Aug. 1969. 
 
Mr. Robert Fearey (Foreign Service Officer, Dept. of State), 21 Aug. 1969 - 12 May 1972. 
 
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