Lieutenant Colonel Edward F. Lilley

Lieutenant Colonel Edward F. Lilley

Regimental Commander 102nd Armored Cavalry Regiment 1961 – 1965

Colonel Lilley enlisted in the Regiment on 13 January 1937 in Newark, NJ. He was a Sergeant when the Regiment reported for federal active duty on 6 January 1941. Sergeant Lilley was assigned to Troop C 102nd Cavalry. While at Ft. Jackson, SC Sergeant Lilley was promoted to First Sergeant of Troop C in April 1941. In December 1942, he was transferred to 2nd Squadron and assigned to Company F, later in 1942 he was reassigned to Troop C as the First Sergeant. Lilley deployed with the 2nd Squadron to North Africa in December 1942, he received a battlefield commission to Second Lieutenant on 18 May 1943, and was assigned to Troop E.

Lilley was promoted to First Lieutenant while in Italy and attached to Headquarters 2nd Corps. He returned to the 117th Cavalry Squadron in time for the landing in Southern France, where he assumed temporary command of Troop E. He remained in command of Troop E until the end of World War II. After VE-Day, Captain Lilley was transferred to American Forces Headquarters, Frankfurt, Germany and finally discharged in December 1945.

In 1946 Captain Lilley was appointed as Adjutant for the 102nd Cavalry, promoted to Major in 1950 and assigned as Executive Officer 102nd Cavalry Squadron in Newark. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1961 and assumed command of the Regiment. After his command with the Regiment, he was transferred and assigned to the General Staff, NJ Department of Defense in Lawrenceville, NJ.

Colonel Lilley retired as the Executive Administrator – Assistant to the Chief of Staff, NJ Department of Defense in 1973.

Lieutenant Colonel Lilley passed away in 1994 and is buried at Harbourton Cemetery, Harbourton, NJ.