Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Yancey, Army retired, 82, St. Joseph, died Tuesday, July 16, 1991, at his residence following a lengthy illness. Gen. Yancey was born in Malta Bend, Mo., and had been a resident of St. Joseph since 1972.

He attended Kemper Military School, Boonville, Mo., and Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Mo. He was graduated from Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, with a bachelor of science degree in education and from the University of Missouri at Columbia,with a master's degree in American history and political science, in 1937. He also was graduated from the National War College, Washington, D.C., in 1952.

Gen. Yancey was commissioned in 1938 as a second lieutenant in the Missouri National Guard. He retired on August 1, 1967, as commanding general II U.S. Army Corps at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, N.Y. During World War II, he served in the Pacific Theatre with the Marine Corps as assistant chief of staff of the V Amphibious Corps. He participated in the battles of Kiska, Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Iow Jima and Okinawa. After the surrender of Japan, he was a member of the original occupying force there.

He served in Korea with the 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, beginning in August of 1950. He was involved in the Chinese Communist Invasion of 1950, the first U.S. counter-offensive and the Chinese Communist spring offensive of 1951.

He was promoted to brigadier general and assigned to the headquarters of the Allied Forces of Southern Europe in Naples, Italy. After three years of duty in Italy, he returned to the States as commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Brigade at Fort Devens, Mass. He was promoted to major general in 1961 and assigned to command the VIII United States Army Corps in Austin, Texas.

From July of 1963 to August of 1965, Gen. Yancey served as chief of the United States Military Advisory Group to Korea. At the conclusion of his service there, he was personally cited by the prime minister of Korea and the American ambassador to Korea, and was awarded the Third Oak Leaf Cluster to the Legion of Merit by the commanding general of the 8th United States Army. Pusan National University conferred upon him the honorary degree of doctorate of law for his contribution to the improvement of the Republic of the Korea Army and the welfare of the Korean people.

Among his additional citations and decorations were the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit with Gold Star Two Oak Leaf Clusters and V Device, Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge.

He was a 60-year member of the Union Baptist Church at Malta Bend. He also was a member of American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Sons of the American Revolution. He married the former Betty J. Williams in 1941 at Sedalia, Mo. She survives of the home.

Gen. Yancey was preceded in death by a twin brother, John R., in 1967; and a sister, Mary Yancey Biswell, in 1979.

Additional survivors: a sister, Frances Meidinger of Hiawatha, Kan.; and a brother, Dr. Daniel L. Yancey of Springfield, Mo.

Service: 9 a.m. Thursday, Meierhoffer-Fleeman Funeral Home, St. Joseph. Graveside service and burial: 1 p.m. Thursday, Ridge Park Cemetery, Marshall, Mo., with military rites by members of the Army from Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Family visitation: 7 to 8:30 tonight, at the funeral home.