Colonel John H. Van Eaton was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 27 September 1945, class number 493. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, 16th Regiment, Replacement Training Center, Camp Roberts, California. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Company Training Officer, 16th Regiment, replacement Training Center, Camp Roberts, California; Company Executive Officer, 246th QM Depot company, Manila, Philippine Islands; Company Executive Officer and Division Headquarters Mess Officer, Headquarters Company, 12th Infantry Division, Camp O'Donnel, Luzon, Philippine Islands; company commander and Post Stockade Commander, Company G, 2d Battalion, 45th Infantry, Headquarters Philry COM, Manila, Philippine; Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer, Company B, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington; Platoon Leader and Company Commander, Company B and Company K, 9th Infantry Regiment, Fort Lewis, Washington and Korea; Aide-de-Camp to Asst Division Commander, Headquarters, 2d Infantry Division, Korea; Inst Squad and Platoon Tactics, Staff and Faculty, Tactics Department, Fort Benning, Georgia; Assistant  G-3 for Operations, 4th Armor Group, Frankfurt, Germany; Chief Military Assistant Pact Orientations, Office Assistant Chief of Staff of Intel, Foreign Liaison Office, Washington, D.C.; Chief Plans and Programs Division, ACS, G-1, Headquarters, 8th U.S. Army, Seoul, Korea; Battalion Commander, Basic Training Center, 2d Battalion, 2d Training Brigade, Fort Polk, Louisiana; Plans Division Staff Officer, Headquarters USAREUR and 7th Army, Heidelberg, Germany; Army Liaison Officer to US Air Forces, Europe, Headquarters 17th Air Force, Ramstein, Germany; Inspector General, Headquarters U.S. Army Electronics Command, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. | His awards and decorations include: Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Infantryman Badge, Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star with V Device.