General Robert W. Sennewald, US Army (Ret)
General Robert W. Sennewald, U.S. Army, 1929-2023
Last Name: Sennewald
First Name: Robert
Middle Name: William
Nickname: Bob
Medals and Honors:
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Army Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with Two Gold Stars
Bronze Star (3)
Rank: General
Service/Department: United States Army
Last or Significant Assignment: Commander, US Forces Korea; Commander, Eighth Army
Areas of Experience:
INDOPACOM
Korea
General Robert William “Bob” Sennewald, U.S. Army (Retired) was a friend of the American College of National Security Leaders and a great American leaders. He passed away on March 17, 2023 at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Over a 35 year career, General Sennewald rose from Second Lt. to Four-Star General, holding two four-star commands: Commanding General, US Army Forces Command and Commander in Chief, UN Command/Commander in Chief, Combined Forces Command/Commander, US Forces Korea/Commander, Eighth US Army.
In his earlier career, he served in numerous troop assignments including combat in Korea and command of artillery batteries in Europe and the United States. In Vietnam, he commanded the 6th Battalion, 15th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division from March 1968 to April 1969. He then served in staff assignments within Headquarters, Department of the Army and the Joint Staff.
From May 1974 to February 1976, General Sennewald commanded the 4th Infantry Division Artillery at Ft. Carson, Colorado. In May 1976, he was promoted to Brigadier General, then serving as the Deputy Director, Politico/Military Affairs, Joint Staff J-5. He was promoted to Major General in September 1978 and assigned as Commanding General of the US Army Training Center and Ft. Dix, New Jersey. In 1980, he began a tour of over four years in the Pacific, starting as the Assistant Chief of Staff, C3/J3 (Operations), for the Eighth US Army/UN Command/US Forces Korea/Combined Forces Command Korea.
He was promoted to Lieutenant General in July 1981 and assigned to Camp Smith, Hawaii, at the joint headquarters of US Forces in the Pacific, where he served as Deputy Commander in Chief, US Pacific Command. After promotion to General in May 1982, he returned to Korea as the Commander in Chief, UN Command/Commander in Chief, Combined Forces Command/Commander, US Forces Korea/Commander, Eighth US Army. Two years later, he became the Commanding General for US Forces Command headquartered at Ft. McPherson, Georgia. He retired from active duty in June 1986.
General Sennewald was born on November 21, 1929 in St. Louis, Missouri, was raised there, and went on to graduate from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was named a distinguished military graduate and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army in 1951. He went almost immediately to join the conflict in Korea. He was a graduate of the National Defense University and held a Master's degree from George Washington University.
In retirement, General Sennewald continued his life of service to his country, the community and the Army. He served as a Senior Mentor to the National Defense University’s Capstone Military Leadership Program. He served on the board of the Armed Services YMCA, served on and chaired the Board of the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association from 1995 to 2006, acted as the trustee of his church, the Old Presbyterian Meeting House. General Senewald and other senior colleagues were founders of MPRI. He also served on several city of Alexandria commissions focused on children and preservation of Alexandria's history as well as the Board of the Campagna Center.
General Sennewald was preceded in death by his first wife, Nancy Sennewald. He is survived by his second wife, Susan Horne, who lives in the Old Town Alexandria (Virginia) home she and Bob restored. She takes an active interest in ACNSL.