Levin H. Campbell, Jr.

This article is about the U.S. Army General. For the U.S. Appellate Court Judge, see Levin H. Campbell.
Levin Hicks Campbell, Jr.

Major General Campbell at a press conference in December, 1942
Born (1886-11-23)November 23, 1886
Washington, D.C.
Died November 17, 1976(1976-11-17) (aged 89)
Annapolis, Maryland
Buried at United States Naval Academy Cemetery, Annapolis
Allegiance United States United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1911 – 1946
Rank Lieutenant General
Service number 0-3194
Commands held Chief of Ordnance
Battles/wars
Awards Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Order of the British Empire
Other work Business Executive

Levin Hicks Campbell, Jr. was a Lieutenant General in the United States Army. He was the Army's Chief of Ordnance from 1942 to 1946.

Biography

The son of U.S. Court of Patent Appeals Judge Levin Hicks Campbell, Sr. (1860–1955), Levin Hicks Campbell, Jr. was born on November 23, 1886 in Washington, D.C. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1909, and in 1911 was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army's Coast Artillery.

He later transferred to the Ordnance Corps, and served in the Office of the Chief of Ordnance during World War I.

After the war Campbell continued his service, including assignments at: the Office of the Chief of Ordnance, Washington, D.C.; Stockton Ordnance Depot, Stockton, California; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; and Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois. As a career Ordnance officer, he specialized in the engineering and production of combat vehicles, small arms, artillery, and ammunition.

He was commended for successfully automating the artillery ammunition assembly line at Frankford Arsenal, Pennsylvania while assigned there from 1939 to 1940.

In 1940 Campbell was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed Assistant Chief of Ordnance for Facilities, where he supervised the planning and construction of new munitions factories, and was responsible for overseeing civilian industrial production of small arms, artillery, tanks, and ammunition.

In 1942 General Campbell was promoted to Major General. In 1943 he was assigned as the Chief of Ordnance, where he remained until his 1946 retirement. General Campbell's decorations included two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal. He also authored 1946's The Industry-Ordnance Team, his recounting of the Allied effort to produce and deliver weapons, vehicles and munitions for World War II.

In recognition of his superior service during World War II, General Campbell was promoted to Lieutenant General on the retired list in June, 1948.

After his military retirement, Campbell was involved with several civilian businesses, including appointment as Executive Vice President of the International Harvester company in Chicago, Illinois and serving on the boards of directors of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation and American Steel Foundries. He was also Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Automotive Safety Foundation.

General Campbell died in Annapolis, Maryland on November 17, 1976. He was buried in Section 02, Lot 0336 of the United States Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland.

In 1972 Campbell was inducted into the Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame. The U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Association's Levin Hicks Campbell, Jr. Distinguished Award of Merit is named for him.

Sources

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