Lt. General Thomas G. Rhame

Lieutenant General Thomas G. Rhame (Retired) Lieutenant General Thomas G. Rhame was born in Winnfield, Louisiana on January 27, 1941. He graduated from Lecompte High School in 1959 and Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Infantry through the ROTC in 1963. He also held a Master of Business Administration degree with a Comptrollership specialty from Syracuse University. General Rhame’s military education included the Infantry Basic and Advance Courses, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the Army War College. He was a member of the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction and the Outstanding Alumni of the Army War College. General Rhame retired from the Army on September 30, 1997. Following his retirement, he served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Association of the US Army from 1998 until 2014. His last active-duty assignment was as the Director of the Defense Security Assistance Agency with the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Prior to that, he was the Chief of the US Military Training Mission to Saudi Arabia. During Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990 and 1991 . He was the Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One). Under his command, the Division successfully conducted the initial attack to penetrate the Iraqi defensive position, conducted the Iraqi Republican Guard, and played a crucial role in the liberation of Kuwait. He also served two tours of combat in Vietnam, his first in 1967 commanding B Company, 1st Battalion of the 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, and his second in 1971, serving as a District Senior Advisor with USAMACV. Prior to his Command of the 1st Infantry Division, he served as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, and Commander of the US Army Community and Family Support Center in Washington, DC. He also served as Commander, of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd ID in Kitzingen, Germany; Chief of Staff, 3rd Armored Division in Frankfurt, Germany and Asst Division Commander, 3rd Armored Division and Community Commander of the Hanau Military Community. General Rhame received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster), Distinguished Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters), Silver Star (with oak leaf cluster), Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V device (with two oak leaf clusters), Meritorious Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters). Air Medal, and Army Commendation Medal with V device. General Rhame is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 62 years, Linda Saunders of Lecompte, Louisiana; his two children, Becca Isakower (Saul) and Gregg Rhame (Pam); three grandchildren, Taylor (Scott), Ashley, and Emily; two brothers Larry Rhame (Barbara) and Ronald Rhame; sisters-in-law Faye Roberts (Ronald) and Shirley Saunders and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents MSgt. Thomas Rhame and Mary Sue Rhame; his brother Maj. Harold Rhame; his sister-in-law Bobbie Rhame (Ronald) and brother-in-law Bobby Saunders (Shirley). The family will receive visitors Saturday, July 8, 2023 from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. at Miller Funeral Home, 3200 Golansky Blvd., Woodbridge, VA 22192. Interment will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of LTG (Ret) Thomas G Rhame to the Society of the First Infantry Division, P.O. Box 2307, Fort Riley, KS 66442, or the Army War College Foundation at donate.usawc.org.

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Lt. General Thomas G. Rhame

June 27, 2023