| Walter King Wilson, Jr. | |
|---|---|
Lieutenant General Walter K. Wilson, Jr. |
|
| Born | August 26, 1906 Fort Barrancas, Florida |
| Died | December 6, 1985 (aged 79) Mobile, Alabama |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1929–1965 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | Chief of Engineers (1961–1965) |
| Awards | Legion of Merit (2) Soldier's Medal |
Walter King Wilson, Jr. (August 26, 1906 – December 6, 1985), was an American soldier. He was born at Fort Barrancas, Florida, the son of artillery officer and WWII Major General Walter K. Wilson, Sr. (1880–1954). He graduated from West Point in 1929 and was commissioned in the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Before 1942 he served with troops, continued his military and engineering education, and was an instructor at West Point. From 1942 to 1943, he commanded the 79th Engineer Combat Regiment
From 1943 to 1945, Wilson served as Deputy Engineer-in-Chief with the South East Asia Command at New Delhi, India, and Kandy, Ceylon. He became Commanding General, Advance Section, U.S. Forces, India-Burma Theater, and Chief of Staff of the Chinese Army in India. Later, he commanded Intermediate and Base Sections and consolidated all three, commanding all ground forces remaining in the theater.
After the war he was District Engineer in St. Paul, Minnesota (1946–49), and Mobile, Alabama (1949–52), and then South Atlantic (1952–53) and Mediterranean Division Engineer (1953–55).
He assumed command of the 18th Engineer Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in 1955.
He served as Deputy Chief of Engineers for Construction from 1956 to 1960. Wilson was Commanding General of the Army Engineer Center and Fort Belvoir and Commandant of the Army Engineer School in 1960-61.
Wilson's military honors included a Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, a Soldier's Medal and membership in the French Legion of Honor.
He retired as Chief of Engineers on June 30, 1965 and died on December 6, 1985 in Mobile, Alabama.
Wilson was part of a military family. His younger brother John Newton Wilson (1913-1944) was a Lieutenant Colonel who was killed in the Battle of Normandy. His son Walter King Wilson III (1937-2008) also served in the Engineer Corps and reached the rank of Colonel.
| Image | Rank | Temporary | Permanent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second Lieutenant |
N/A
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June 13, 1929 | |
| First Lieutenant |
N/A
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October 1, 1934 | |
| Captain |
N/A
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June 13, 1939 | |
| Major | October 16, 1941 | June 19, 1946 | |
| Lieutenant Colonel | May 7, 1942 | July 15, 1948 | |
| Colonel | March 4, 1943 |
N/A
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| Brigadier General | February 13, 1945 |
N/A
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| Colonel | May 16, 1946 | April 17, 1952 | |
| Brigadier General | March 16, 1953 | April 2, 1957 | |
| Major General | March 25, 1957 | June 22, 1959 | |
| Lieutenant General | May 19, 1961 |
N/A
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This article contains public domain text from "Lieutenant General Walter K. Wilson, Jr.". Portraits and Profiles of Chief Engineers. Archived from the original on June 19, 2005. http://web.archive.org/web/20050619075146/http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/history/coe4.htm#43. Retrieved August 22, 2005.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Emerson C. Itschner |
Chief of Engineers 1961—1965 |
Succeeded by William F. Cassidy |