James A. Williams

Infobox Military Person


name=James A. Williams
lived=1932-
|caption=
nickname=
placeofbirth=Paterson, New Jersey
placeofdeath=
branch=U.S. Army
serviceyears=1954-1985?
rank=Lieutenant General
unit=
commands=Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
525th Military Intelligence Group
battles=Vietnam War
awards=
relations=
laterwork=

James A. Williams (March 29, 1932 - ) was a United States Army general. Williams served as Director of the Defense Intelligence in the 1980s. He is a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.

Education

Williams was born in Paterson, New Jersey. In 1954, he graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in Air Defense Artillery. He received a Master of Arts degree in Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico in 1964. His military education includes completion of the Air Defense Basic Officers Course, the United States Army Intelligence School, the Artillery Officers Career Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, the Defense Intelligence School, and the National War College.

Military career

Although General Williams began his career with Air Defense Artillery assignments, and except for a tour with the Field Command of the Defense Atomic Support Agency, his subsequent assignments were in the intelligence field. After assignments with the 470th Counterintelligence Corps Detachment, Fort Amador, Canal Zone and the 471st Counterintelligence Corps Detachment, Fort Brooke, Puerto Rico, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Combat Developments Command at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where he was project intelligence officer for Tactical Area and Surveillance, following which he served as the Assistant Army Attache in Caracas, Venezuela. The commanded the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion (Provisional), 525th Military Intelligence Group, United States Army, Vietnam and then served in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations, Washington, DC.

Remaining in Washington D.C., General Williams was named the Director of Political/Military Affairs, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, State Department and Chief, Counterintelligence and Collection Division, Office of the Assistance Chief of Staff for Intelligence, United States Army. From there he assumed command of the 650th Military Intelligence Group (Counterintelligence) Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. Upon return to the United States, he was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency, he was the Chief, Missile Forces/StrategicArms Limitation Branch, Soviet/Warsaw Pact Division, and later as the Deputy Director for Estimates. Prior to his return to the Defense Intelligence Agency as its director, General Williams served as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Intellignece, United States Army, and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, United States Army, Europe.

:"This entry is based on the biography on page 119 of "Army Executive Biographies", DA Pamphlet 360-10, 15 May 1985."