Major General (MG) Eldon A. Bargewell

Major General (MG) Eldon A. Bargewell, 71, of Eufaula, Alabama, died Monday, April 29, 2019, at his home. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 9, 2019, at 11 A.M., at the First United Methodist Church of Eufaula with Dr. Alan Cassady officiating and Chapman Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow at Ft. Mitchell National Cemetery with military honors. The visitation will be held Wednesday, May 8, 2019 from 5 P.M. until 7 P.M. at the First United Methodist Church. Born August 13, 1947, in Hoquiam, Washington, MG Bargewell was the son of the late Arthur E. and Lillian Audrey Konizeski Bargewell. MG Bargewell's long and very distinguished military career began in 1967 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. MG Bargewell has served in several Special Forces and Special Operations units, which included; command of special operations units operating in the Middle East, El Salvador, Operation JUST CAUSE (Panama), DESERT STORM (Iraq), RESTORE DEMOCRACY and ALLIED FORCE (Bosnia/Kosovo); and as Director of Operations for Operations Restore Hope (Haiti), Enduring Freedom-NATO (Afghanistan) and Iraqi Freedom (Iraq). Other assignments included Commander of 1st Special Operations Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (SFOD-D) and key positions within Special Operations Command-Europe (SOCEUR); Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC); and US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). During the Vietnam War, MG Bargewell attained the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG) and was accepted into MACV-SOG where he served at the "Command and Control North (CCN)" launch site at Da Nang and served as Non-Commissioned Officer Team Leader for Reconnaissance Team "Viper". During his two tours in SOG as a Non-Commissioned Officer Team Leader, SSG Bargewell conducted over 25 recon, direct action and team recovery missions into Laos and North Viet Nam. During a cross-border mission on September 27, 1971, where his team was ambushed by a greater enemy force, his actions in saving his team and getting them to safety even though he was gravely wounded, earned him the Distinguished Service Cross. Shortly after returning from Vietnam in 1972, SSG Bargewell attended the U.S. Army Officers' Candidate School (OCS) from which he graduated as the Leadership Honor Graduate of OCS class 3-73 in April 1973. In 1981, Captain Bargewell was selected for assignment to Delta Force where he served as Operations Officer, Squadron Executive Officer, Troop and Squadron Commander (twice), Deputy Commander, and finally, unit Commander. Upon selection to Brigadier General in 1998, he was assigned as the Commanding General, Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) in Stuttgart, Germany with the mission to provide trained and equipped Special Operations units for employment in Africa and Europe; with focus on Bosnia, and Kosovo. While commanding the Joint Special Operations Task Force (JSOTF) Noble Anvil during Operation ALLIED FORCE in Serbia, MG Bargewell provided Combat Search and Rescue forces and is credited with several operations, to include the rescues of two shot down USAF pilots. From 2000 to 2001, MG Bargewell served as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, Stabilization Force Headquarters (SFOR), Sarajevo, Bosnia, responsible for operational actions against Persons Indicted for War Crimes. Following his JSOTF Noble Anvil command, MG Bargewell served as the Director of the Center for Special Operations, Plans, and Policy, USSOCOM, Florida before being assigned as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at Allied Joint Force Command (NATO) Brunssum, Netherlands. During this assignment, he also served as the Commanding General for the NATO RESPONSE FORCE and was the senior US Military Representative to the US Ambassador in the Netherlands. MG Bargewell's final assignment on active duty was as the Director of Strategic Operations at HQ's Multi-National Force-Iraq in Baghdad (2005-2006). MG Bargewell retired January 1, 2007, after serving more than 39 years in the U.S. Army with more than 29 years in Special Operations. At the time of his retirement, he was believed to be the most highly decorated Soldier on active duty. Survivors include his wife: Marian Bargewell of Eufaula, Alabama; his children: Brant (Patricia) Bargewell of Pueblo West, Colorado, Jason Bargewell of St. Petersburg, Florida, Logan (Vanessa) Bargewell of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Lauren Bargewell (Josh) Phillips of Eufaula, Alabama, Audrey (Rob Moye) Bargewell of Eufaula, Alabama; 8 grandchildren: Eloise Bargewell, Evan Bargewell, Doug Rentz, Lillian (Carson) Mittino, Ashlyn Bargewell, Caanan Bargewell, MacKenzie Platte, Addison Phillips; 2 great grand-children: Christian Rentz and Avery Mittino; his mother-in-law: Louise Britt of Eufaula, Alabama. The family requests that instead of flowers, donations be made to the Unit Scholarship Fund P.O. Box 73338, Fort Bragg, North Carolina 28307; TF Dagger 12655 North Central Expressway, Suite 330, Dallas, Texas 75243; or to the Special Operations Association Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 335461, N. Las Vegas, NV 89033.