Brigadier General James Melvin Wroth passed away peacefully November 3, 2011 at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. General Wroth loved his God and Country and was deeply devoted to his family. He was born in Lincoln, Nebraska February 2, 1929, grew up in Lincoln, and graduated from the University of Nebraska with a BS in Business Administration in 1951. It was there he joined the ROTC and rose to become the National Commander of the Pershing Rifles. He received a Masters degree in Business Administration from Syracuse University in 1963, and was a graduate of Harvard University's Advanced Management Program in 1972.
General Wroth served in the Army for more than 31 years, including combat commands in both Korea and Vietnam. He served in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army and held commands at every level of Field Artillery, from Battery to Seventh Corps Artillery. When General Wroth commanded the Corps Artillery, it was stationed in Germany and was the largest and most powerful artillery force in the U.S. Army, with three missile battalions, twelve cannon battalions, and three brigade headquarters.
His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, eight awards of the Air Medal, including one with Valor, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (three awards), Vietnam Service Medal (two awards) Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, First Class, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.
During his years at the Pentagon, he developed a mathematical programming model that saved the Army more than $200 million annually. For this work he was a recipient of an international prize for advancements in management science.
In 1977, he was sent to Fort Knox, Kentucky to command the Second ROTC Region, consisting of 13,000 cadets at 168 colleges and universities, as well as high schools in eight states. After retiring from the Army in 1979, he worked in the Washington area, specializing in operation research and computer systems. One of his projects was automating the 38 immigration courts which resulted in eliminating their 3 to 4 month backlog.
Since moving to the Northern Neck in 1994, Jim Wroth was recruited by Norm Heller to join the Coast Guard Auxiliary. He quickly became qualified as Coxswain and served several years as a boat crew Qualification Examiner. He filled staff positions in Operations and Member Training, and served as Vice Flotilla Commander and Flotilla Commander of Flotilla 33 Kilmarnock. He was an outstanding instructor and mentor. Jim also served as a player in the National Coast Guard Center School at Training Center Yorktown, Virginia. In 13 years of Coast Guard service, he received the following awards: Auxiliary Membership Service Award; Flotilla Meritorious Achievement Award; Presidential Unit Citation; CG Meritorious Team Commendation (two); Auxiliary Operations Service Award (three); CG Unit Commendation (three); and the Sustained Auxiliary Service Award (nine).
Jim was a member of Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club where he served on the Board of Directors and several committees. He is past President of the Yacht Club, and loved being the Captain of his boat, the Miz Molly. He also enjoyed playing golf at the club, and had many golfing buddies.
Jim loved his God and was an active member of White Stone Baptist Church, where he was a past church moderator and also served on several committees, when called.
He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Molly Mullan Wroth; daughter Mary Elisabeth Wroth; sons, Mark Benson Wroth, and wife Ercil, David Stuart Wroth and wife Lisa and Philip Carl Mullan; also grandchildren Kristen, Elisabeth and Nathan and his faithful dog Duke. Jim loved his family and spent many hours helping with homework, music, and sports. He instilled in them kindness, love, honor and duty to country, respect and love of God.
He was preceded in death by parents Charles Wroth and Reba Sharp of Lincoln, Nebraska, wife Donna Mae Benson, son Edward Henry Mullan, and sister Phyllis Arlene Wroth of Pueblo, Colorado.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 PM to 8 PM at Currie Funeral Home, 116 East Church St., Kilmarnock. Services will be held at 11 AM On Thursday, November 10, at White Stone Baptist Church, 517 Chesapeake Drive, White Stone. Burial with full military honors is scheduled for February 22, 2012 at Arlington National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Soldiers' Angels, 1792 Washington Blvd, Pasadena, California 91104 or http://www.soldiersangels.org.