<div>
<p>
<em>John Hersey Michaelis</em> was born at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, on 21 August 1912, the son of Opho E. and Louise Haas Michaelis. He attended grammar school and high school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and enlisted in the Army, where he served for a year before being appointed to the Military Academy from Pennsylvania.</p>
<p>
At West Point Mike had a well-rounded four years. In plebe year he won soccer numerals and played on the soccer team for three years. A member of the Cadet Chapel Choir, he was also in the Glee Club and the 100th Night Show. He was a yearling corporal, a second class sergeant and a first class lieutenant and battalion adjutant.</p>
<p>
On graduation, Mike was commissioned in the Infantry and assigned to Fort Thomas, Kentucky where he met and married Mary Wadsworth, whose father was the post commander. </p>
<p>
After tours in the Philippines and at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he became one of the early paratroopers in the Army, Mike distinguished himself in World War II as commander of the 502d Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in the invasions of Normandy and Holland.</p>
<p>
After World War II Mike served in the Pentagon, where he became senior aide to General Eisenhower, then Chief of Staff of the Army, and in SHAPE.</p>
<p>
Early in the Korean War Mike became regimental commander of the 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Under his courageous and dashing leadership, Mike’s regiment became known as Eighth Army’s “Fire Brigade,” stopping the on rushing North Korean attacks in one precarious situation after another.</p>
<p>
Before leaving Korea, Mike was promoted to brigadier general, the youngest in the Army, as assistant division commander, 25th Infantry Division.</p>
<p>
Following the Korean War, Mike’s command assignments were of increasing importance and responsibility— Commandant of Cadets at West Point, and Commanding General of US Army Alaska; US V Corps; Allied Land Forces, Southeast Europe; and Fifth US Army.</p>
<p>
Mike’s last assignment, before retirement in 1972 was Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Command, United States Forces, Korea and US Eighth Army, in the land where he had so distinguished himself more than twenty years earlier.</p>
<p>
After thirteen happy years of retirement in St. Petersburg, Florida, Mike’s heart failed him and he died at his summer home in Dillard, Georgia.</p>
<p>
Mike is survived by his wife, Mary; two daughters, Maurene Louise and Marie Ann; and one granddaughter, Antasia.</p>
<p>
<em>John H. Chiles</em>, classmate</p>
</div>
<p>
</p>