69th Regiment of the United States of America
Colonel James P. Tierney was appointed by the Adjutant General of the State of New York as the Honorary Colonel in March 2013, of the 69th regiment or the Fighting 69th, the same regiment that Thomas F. Meagher belonged to. He is a part of Meagher’s lasting legacy and carries on the traditions and history of the regiment. The Honorary Colonel is the symbolic head of the regiment and the custodian of regimental heritage and traditions. The Honorary Colonel provides the link between all elements of the regimental family (including regimental veterans’ organizations) to promote esprit de corps throughout the regiment.
Colonel Tierney enlisted in the 2nd battalion, 69th infantry, 42nd infantry division, New York Army National Guard in 1966. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1972, Captain in 1974, and Major in 1979. He entered active duty in 1981 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1986 and Colonel in 1991. He served in the army operations centre in the Pentagon during operation just cause (Panama) and operation desert storm (Iraq). He retired from active service in September 1996.
After retirement from active service Colonel Tierney became the chief operating officer of a National Medical Society and served in that position until 2012 when he retired.
Colonel Tierney was appointed to the 69th regiment staff as regimental historian in 2004 and remained as regimental historian until 2013. Working with other members of the regimental staff he updated the historical displays in the armoury. Colonel Tierney formed the 69th regiment historical roundtable in 2008 composed of historians throughout the country interested in the history of the 69th regiment. He appeared in a history channel tv presentation entitled “on the frontlines” in 2005. Colonel Tierney is a distinguished member of the 69th regiment and a life member of the national infantry association. He was awarded the order of St. Maurice and is a knight commander in the sovereign military order of the temple of Jerusalem and a fourth-degree knight of Columbus.
He has represented the 69th regiment at numerous events including the 1848 tricolour celebration in Waterford Ireland since 2011.
