Army Pacific’s next
leader gets 3rd star

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By Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.com

James Campbell, who has spent nearly a year in Hawaii waiting to assume command of U.S. Army forces in the Pacific, was recently given his third star as a lieutenant general.

U.S. ARMY James Campbell: Will get colors of U.S. Army Pacific from retiring Lt. Gen. E.P. Smith

He is expected to finally assume his duties at Fort Shafter during the first week in November when he gets the colors of U.S. Army Pacific from Lt. Gen. E.P. Smith, who is retiring. From his headquarters at Fort Shafter, Campbell will be in charge of active duty soldiers and Army reservists in Hawaii, Japan, Alaska, Johnston Atoll and the rest of the Pacific.

Campbell was selected to relieve Smith in July 2001 and arrived in the islands in December to assume the post. However, his elevation was placed on hold for nearly nine months while there were attempts to find another job for Smith.

Lt. Col. Mark Samisch said Campbell received his third star on Sept. 12 and now holds the title of acting commanding general because Smith will be on the mainland until his November change of command.

Campbell's first public appearance as the Pacific Army's new leader will be Sunday when he will address the 57th annual memorial service of the 100th Infantry Battalion, which was composed mainly of Japanese Americans and is one of the most decorated Army units in World War II. The service will be held at Punchbowl cemetery.

The service marks the date the first Japanese-American soldier was killed in action in Italy on Sept. 29, 1943. It will begin at 9 a.m.

Boy Scouts from Troops 216 and 117 will decorate the graves of the 166 soldiers who were killed in action as well as the gravesites of other 100th Battalion members who died after the war. More than 500 veterans of the 100th Battalion are buried at Punchbowl.

More than 3,000 second-generation Japanese Americans served in the unit, which earned 1,703 Purple Hearts, 17 Distinguished Service Cross medals and eight Medals of Honor.

Campbell's last assignment before returning to the islands last year was commanding the 10th Mountain Division (Light) at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Campbell's first Hawaii assignment was in June 1984, when he was the executive officer of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry at Schofield Barracks. A year later, he became assistant chief of staff for the 25th Infantry Division and in July 1987 was promoted to command the division's 4th Battalion, 27th Infantry.

Campbell left in June 1989 to attend the Naval War College. After command positions in Somalia in April 1993 and Haiti in September 1994, Campbell returned to Hawaii in July 1996 to head Joint Task Force-Full Accounting at Camp Smith.

In September 1997, Campbell was assigned as assistant division commander for the 25th until he was promoted to command the 10th Division in March 1999.