Brigadier General John Tupper Cole, retired, died in Saint Clare’s Hospital, Denville, New Jersey, on 24 April 1975. He was graduated from the Military Academy in April of 1917 and immediately entered the Cavalry. Tupper was born at West Point on 23 July 1895, the son of James A. Cole of the Class of 1884 who retired as a colonel in the Cavalry, and of Mary Tupper, daughter of Major Tullius Tupper, also a Cavalryman and West Point graduate.
As a cadet Tupper Cole captained the baskctball team and won his “A” at football. He served in World War I with the 3d Cavalry in France, and in 1919 became an instructor in the Tank School at Bourses. In 1923, after rejoining the 3d Cavalry, he was sent back to the United States Military Academy as tactical officer and Instructor in equitation,
A long association with equestrian events began shortly after that. Topper became a member and later captain of the United States Shore Team competing in file Olympic Games in 1932. The team was ready for competition in the 1940 Helsinki Olympics when other circumstances intervened. He was also an outstanding polo player both indoors and out. Alter World War II he was for many years a member of the United States Equestrian Team, also serving as its captain and chef d'equipe.
On 6 January 1927, Tupper was married to Janet French MacKay, also a leading rider whom he met at the Brooklyn Horse Show. When their days of competition were over, both Janet and Tupper spent many years as judges and officials at horse events al! over the Western Hemisphere including a stint for Tupper as the American delegate to the Federacion Internationale Equestrien.
After service at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, and at Riley and Bliss, Lieutenant Colonel Cole became Executive Officer and later Commander of the 2d Cavalry. At the urging of his old and admired friend, Genera! George F. Patton Jr., he transferred to the 5th Armored Division and led Combat Command B on the long offensive through France and Germany. His command was less than thirty miles from Berlin when the still inscrutable decision was made to allow the Russians to go in first. His American decorations include the Legion of Merit, Silver Star, Bronze Star with four clusters, and the Purple Heart. Among foreign decorations are the French Legion d'honneur, and Croix de Guerre avec palme; from Luxembourg the Order of Adolph and Croix de Guerre, from Belgium the Order of Leopold and Croix de Guerre and from the Netherlands the Royal Order of Orange-Nassau.
In 1946 Tupper returned to the United States of America and became Chief of Staff, later Commanding Officer of the Military District of Washington. Four years later he was attached to the Security Council of the United Nations.
In 1951 Tupper organized the United States Military Assistance Advisory Group in Thailand and was decorated with the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, second class, Knight Commander, by the Thai Government. At the same time Tupper served in his third war as an observer of Thai troops in Korea.
After retirement in 1953 as commander of the 3d Armored at Knox, the Coles built a house in Huntington Bay, Long Island, where they lived for more than twenty years. Tupper was nominated for Supervisor of Huntington Township by the United Citizens Party, a reform gronp. Until his last years, Tupper rode and trained Olympic prospects regularly and greatly enjoyed his golf.
He was buried with full military honors on 28 April 1975 at Arlington. Besides his wife, he leaves a daughter, Mrs. Robert Gascoigne of Boonton, New Jersey; a son, Frederick MacKay Cole of McLean, Virginia; five grandchildren; and a brother, James Marshall Cole of New Hope, Pennsylvania.