Gerald S. Rose

Gerald "Jerry" S. Rose passed away peacefully on January 19, 2024, with his wife by his side at his home in Falls Church, Virginia. Jerry was first and foremost a loving husband, father, and civil servant. Jerry was born in Long Beach, California and resided in Falls Church, Virginia since 1993. Jerry will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery.
Jerry grew up during the depression and chose his direction to serve his country. First as an Army Officer and then as a Foreign Service Officer, Gerald S. Rose served his country for 42 years. His Army career was highlighted by leading an inter-agency task force that established the camps for Vietnamese refugees that fled during the fall of Viet Nam in 1975. During his Army career Jerry served as a medical evacuation helicopter pilot and flew in Korea and Viet Nam. He later was the first non-physician to hold the title Staff Surgeon of the Infantry School at Ft. Benning (now Ft. Moore), Georgia. While at Ft. Benning he also served as an Adjunct Professor for the American University teaching graduate classes in Education. He commanded the Medical Battalions of the 4th Infantry Division and the 5th Mechanized Division and served as a senior planner in the Joint Chiefs of Staff before his retirement as a Colonel in 1976 to join the U.S. Foreign Service. Among his awards and decorations earned during his military service were the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal (2), the Army Commendation Medial (4), the Army Aviation Badge, Joint Chiefs of Staff Badge, and The Expert Medical Badge.
His Foreign Service career led him to senior management assignments in Washington and abroad, where he served as Deputy Chief of Mission of our Embassy in Liberia during the darkest days of the Liberian Civil War during which he supervised the evacuation of all American citizens as the rebels closed in on Monrovia. He conducted several negotiations with warlord Charles Taylor, including successful release of Senegalese soldiers held captive by the rebel forces. Following retirement from the Foreign Service, Jerry served as an international consultant, was a member of the Peace Operations Policy Program of George Mason University, was a free-lance writer, and attempted to spur action that would bring to justice the murderers of five American citizen nuns in Liberia during the conflict. During his Foreign Service he was twice presented the Presidents' Meritorious Service award.
He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Peggy Hampton Rose; as well as two daughters, Janice Rose Mullins of Athens, Georgia, and Joyce Rose Cruickshank of Broadlands, Virginia; a granddaughter, Heather C. Wolford of Wellington, Colorado, and a grandson, Wilice G. Mullins of Athens, Georgia.