The Jumping General: Lieutenant General James M. Gavin

James Maurice "Jumpin' Jim" Gavin (March 22, 1907 – February 23, 1990) was a senior officer of the United States Army, with the rank of lieutenant general, who was the third commander of the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II. During the war, he was often referred to as "The Jumping General" because of his practice of taking part in combat jumps with the paratroopers under his command; he was the only American general to make four combat jumps in the war.

Gavin was the youngest major general to command an American division in World War II, being only 37 upon promotion,[1] and the youngest lieutenant general after the war, in March 1955. He was awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses and several other decorations for his service in the war. During combat, he was known for his habit of carrying an M1 Garand rifle typically carried by enlisted U.S. infantry soldiers, as opposed to the M1 carbine rifles traditionally carried by officers besides the Colt Model M1911, .45 caliber pistols. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_M._Gavin