James Patrick Tierney

James P. Tierney was born in New York City, the son of two Irish Immigrants, James Patrick Tierney, Sr. and Mary Patricia Ryan. His father and two uncles worked for the New York City Subway System and were members of the 69th Regiment, New York Guard. Mr. Tierney attended St. Teresa Elementary School in Woodside, Queens, and Rice High School in Manhattan. He attended Iona College in New Rochelle and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of the State of New York. He has a Master of Arts (MA) in Management and Supervision from Central Michigan University, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction, in Marketing from Long Island University.

Mr. Tierney enlisted in the 69th Infantry Battalion, New York Army National Guard in 1966 and served in the National Guard until 1981 when he entered active duty in the Army. He served in the Army Operations Center in the Pentagon during Operation Just Cause (Panama) and Operation Desert Storm (Iraq). He retired from Active Service in September 1996 with the rank of Colonel. Colonel Tierney is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, Air War College, and the Army War College.

Mr. Tierney worked for the New York Telephone Company from 1966 until 1977. After leaving the phone company, he worked as a Stockbroker until he entered the Active Army. After retirement from the Army, Mr. Tierney worked as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Interamerican College of Physicians and Surgeons, Inc., the oldest and largest National Hispanic Medical Society in the U.S., until he retired in 2012.

Colonel Tierney served for ten years as Historian of the 69th Infantry Regiment and appeared in a History Channel TV presentation entitled “On the Frontlines” in 2005. He wrote and published the Complete History of the Fighting 69th - Sixty-Ninth Infantry Regiment from 1849 until 2016. He was appointed the Honorary Colonel of the 69th Regiment in March 2013 and serves in that position today.

Mr. Tierney is an Honorary Life-time Member of the Knights of Columbus (Fourth Degree), Knight Commander of the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem, a Distinguished Member of the Sixty-ninth Infantry, and a member of several veteran organizations. He is the President of the 69th Infantry Officers Club, Inc., a Trustee of the Sixty Ninth Historical Trust and serves as an Honorary Board Member of the Thomas F Meagher Foundation which promotes pride in and respect for the Irish Flag and its meaning for peace. Since his parents were born in Ireland, Mr. Tierney is recognized as an Irish citizen. Due to his uncle’s participation in the Easter Rebellion in 1916, he is a member of the 1916 Relatives Association in Dublin.

Mr. Tierney has been married to his wife Clare for over 50 years. They have four children and nine grandchildren and one great grandchild. He lives in Virginia but travels to New York City frequently due to his duties in the 69th Infantry Regiment.

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