James Maurice Jumpin' Jim Gavin (born as James Nally Ryan; March 22, 1907 February 23, 1990) rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the United States Army. He was also referred to as The Jumping General , because of his practice of taking part in combat drops with the paratroopers he commanded. Gavin was the youngest U.S. Major General commanding a division during World War Two.[1] During combat, he was known for his habit of carrying an M1 Garand rifle, as opposed to the pistols traditionally carried by officers.His men, who respected him a great deal, affectionately referred to him as Slim Jim due to his athletic figure. Gavin fought against segregation in the U.S. Army, which gained him some notoriety.Among his decorations, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. He was also awarded the British Distinguished Service Order. Show less «