John R. D. Cleland

John R. D. Cleland
John R. D. Cleland
	Cleland, probably as commander of the 8th Infantry Division in 1975
Born	5 July 1925; Washington, DC, US
Died	25 October 2017 (aged 92); Melbourne, Florida, US
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Service	United States Army
Service years	1943–1980
Rank	Major General
Service number	041361
Unit	Infantry Branch
Commands	Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 188th Parachute Infantry Regiment; Company G, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment; 3rd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment; Task Force South, II Field Force; US Military Mission to Cambodia; 8th Infantry Division; United States Army Security Assistance Command;
Wars	World War II; Occupation of Japan; Korean War; Vietnam War
Awards	Army Distinguished Service Medal (2); Silver Star; Legion of Merit (4); Purple Heart (2); Combat Infantryman Badge; Master Parachutist Badge
Alma mater	Municipal University of Omaha; George Washington University; United States Army Command and General Staff College; United States Army War College
Spouse	Clara Kehoe (m. 1952⁠–⁠2017)
Children	5
Relations	John L. Hines Jr. (uncle); John L. Hines (grandfather); William M. Wherry (great-grandfather)
Other work	Strategic planning consultant

John Robin Davis Cleland Jr. (5 July 1925 – 25 October 2017) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, he served from 1943 to 1980 and attained the rank of major general. Cleland's commands included the 8th Infantry Division (1975 to 1977), and his awards included two awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, four awards of the Legion of Merit, and two awards of the Purple Heart.

A native of Washington, D.C., Cleland came from a prominent military family that included his grandfather, General John L. Hines. He was raised and educated in Washington, and enlisted in the military for World War II. He entered the U.S. Army as a private, completed Officer Candidate School and Airborne School, and began a career in the Infantry. He served in the Philippines at the end of the war, and in the post-war Occupation of Japan. He went on to serve as a company commander during the Korean War, during which he was wounded twice.

Cleland's later assignments included completion of United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) as a student, and member of the CGSC faculty; while teaching at the staff college, he completed a bachelor's degree at the Municipal University of Omaha. After deployment to South Vietnam as an advisor to that country's military, he graduated from the United States Army War College and completed a master's degree at George Washington University.

During his second tour in Vietnam, Cleland commanded first a battalion, and later a brigade. Subsequent postings included chief of the US Military Mission to Cambodia, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, and commander of the United States Army Security Assistance Command. He retired from the army in 1980 and became a resident of Melbourne, Florida. Cleland worked as a strategic planning consultant until 1999 and was a noted activist for veteran's and civic causes. He died in Melbourne on 25 October 2017 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.