Withers A. Burress
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| Withers Alexander Burress | |
|---|---|
| November 24, 1894 – June 13, 1977 | |
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| Nickname | "Pinky" |
| Place of birth | Richmond, Virginia |
| Place of death | Arlington, Virginia |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1916-1954 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | Virginia Military Institute 100th Infantry Division U.S. Constabulary U.S. Army Infantry School VI Corps VII Corps - NATO US First Army |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster Silver Star Croix de Guerre Legion of Merit Distinguished Service Medal |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Withers Alexander Burress |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Lieutenant General, U.S. Army |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 24, 1894 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Richmond, Virginia |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 13, 1977 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Arlington, Virginia |
Withers A. Burress, was a graduate and commandant of the Virginia Military Institute as well as a career U.S. Army officer and combat commander in World War I and World War II.
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[edit] Education and Early Career
Born in Richmond, Virginia in 1894, he attended and graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1914. In November 1916, he was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. In World War I, he saw combat with the 23rd Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division.
He attended the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth and the Army War College at Washington Barracks in Washington, D.C.
From 1935 to 1940, Burress was a professor of military science and served as commandant of the Virginia Military Institute. In 1940, he was assigned to the War Department General Staff in Washington, D.C.
[edit] World War II and Cold War
In 1941, with the outbreak of World War II, Burress had returned to Fort Benning as Assistant Commandant of the Infantry School. He then he assigned to the Puerto Rican Department. He was given command of the 100th Infantry Division upon its mobilization at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in November 1942. Burress continued in his command, taking the division to France in October 1944. As part of U.S. Seventh Army's VI Corps, the division went into combat in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France then through the Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central European campaigns until November, 1945, making Burress one of eleven generals to command one of the U.S. Army's 90 divisions from mobilization to the end of the war. After the war, he was promoted to command of the 100th Division's corps, the VI Corps (United States) then served as Inspector General for European Command [EURCOM].
In May 1947, he became one of three men to command the U.S. Constabulary, the post-war occupation police force in West Germany. In 1949, he returned to EURCOM as its intelligence director, then later took command of VII Corps (United States) .
In 1952, his final posting was as commander of U.S. First Army at Fort Jay at Governors Island in New York, New York. In November 1954, he retired from the U.S. Army after 38 years of active duty.
He died in an Arlington, Virginia nursing home at age 83 on June 13, 1977.
[edit] References
Hofmann, George F., “Cold War Mounted Warriors: U.S. Constabulary in Occupied Germany”, Armor: Professional Journal of Mounted Warfare, September-October 2007, <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PAB/is_5_116/ai_n21041574/pg_1>. Retrieved on 24 February 2008.
“Maj. Gen. W. A. Burress to Succeed Crittenberger as First Army Chief”, New York Times (New York): 1, October 11, 1952, <http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F60E11FF3558107A93C3A8178BD95F468585F9>. Retrieved on 24 February 2008.
“Gen. Withers A. Burress, Head Of First Army During 1950s”, The Washington Post (Washington, D.C.): C6, June 14, 1977.
[edit] External links
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