William R. Schmidt

William Richard Schmidt
Born	October 14, 1889 Verdigre, Nebraska
Died	July 18, 1966 (aged 76) Washington, D.C.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1913-1951
Rank	Major general
Commands held	76th Infantry Division 3rd Infantry Division 101st Airborne Division
Battles/wars	Pancho Villa Expedition World War I World War II Cold War
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit

William Richard Schmidt (October 14, 1889 – July 18, 1966) was a highly decorated United States Army officer with the rank of Major General. He spent the most of World War II as a Commanding officer of the 76th Infantry Division.^[1]

Early years

William Richard Schmidt was born on October 14, 1889, son of Joseph Karl and his wife Anna (néé Haman). He entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and graduated from on June 12, 1913 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Many of his classmates became a general officers during the World War II, including Alexander Patch, Geoffrey Keyes, Willis D. Crittenberger, Douglass T. Greene, Charles H. Corlett, Paul Newgarden, Robert L. Spragins, Louis A. Craig, Lunsford E. Oliver, Henry B. Lewis, John E. McMahon, Jr., Carlos Brewer, Richard U. Nicholas, Robert H. Van Volkenburgh, Robert M. Perkins, William A. McCulloch, Selby H. Frank and Henry B. Cheadle.

Between the years 1913–1917, Schmidt served on the Mexico–United States border during the Pancho Villa Expedition. During this campaign, he was promoted to first lieutenant. Schmidt did not see combat in France during World War I and instead performed stateside duty at Schofield Barracks in Pearl Harbor, at Presidio of San Francisco and at Camp Fremont, California.^[2]

In 1921, now with the rank of major, Schmidt was transferred back to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he was an instructor. He stayed in this position until 1923, when he was transferred back to Hawaii.^[3]

Schmidt attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1928.

In 1933, he was appointed Executive Officer of the Civilian Conservation Corps at Camp Dix, New Jersey and served there for one year. Then he was transferred to Washington, D.C., where he was assigned to the Supply branch (G-4 Division) of the War Department General Staff on March 21, 1934.^[4]

World War II

In 1940, Schmidt was appointed commander of the 39th Infantry Regiment and stayed in this capacity until the end of 1941. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of brigadier general in April 1942 and transferred to the newly activated 81st Infantry Division, where he became the Assistant Division Commander for Gustav H. Franke for a short time.^[5]

Schmidt was transferred to the 76th Infantry Division on December 13, 1942, where he succeeded Major General Emil F. Reinhardt as a Division Commander. He was also promoted to the temporary rank of major general in December 1942.^[6]

Major General Schmidt stayed with the 76th Infantry Division throughout the rest of World War II and participated with it in the Rhineland Campaign, Ardennes-Alsace Campaign and Central Europe Campaign for which he received the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit and others.^[7]

Postwar Career and Later life

In August 1945, Major General Schmidt assumed command of the 3rd Infantry Division, as a part of the occupational forces in Germany. Schmidt was then transferred to the U.S. Third Army under command of Lieutenant General Geoffrey Keyes, where he became the Chief of Staff on May 20, 1946.

Major General William R. Schmidt retired in 1951 and died at the age of 76 years on July 18, 1966 in Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery together with his wife Helen Munn Goodier, with whom he had two daughters.^[8]

Decorations

Here is Major general Schmidt´s ribbon bar:

1st Row	Army Distinguished Service Medal								Silver Star
2nd Row	Legion of Merit				Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster				Mexican Service Medal				World War I Victory Medal
3rd Row	American Defense Service Medal				American Campaign Medal				European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four service stars				World War II Victory Medal
4th Row	Army of Occupation Medal				National Defense Service Medal				Officer of the Legion of Honor (France)				French Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with Palm
5th Row	Belgian Croix de guerre 1940-1945 with Palm				Grand Officer of the Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords				Czechoslovak War Cross 1939-1945				Ecuadorian Order of Abdon Calderón, 2nd Class

See also

• 76th Infantry Division
• Battle of the Bulge

References

1. "Biography of Major general William Richard Schmidt (1889 - 1966)". generals.dk. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
2. "World War II Unit Histories & Officers". unithistories.com. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
3. "World War II Unit Histories & Officers". unithistories.com. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
4. "Biography of Major general William Richard Schmidt (1889 - 1966)". generals.dk. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
5. "Biography of Major general William Richard Schmidt (1889 - 1966)". generals.dk. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
6. "World War II Unit Histories & Officers". unithistories.com. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
7. "Valor awards for William R. Schmidt". militarytimes.com. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
8. "Gen William R. Schmidt (1889 - 1966) - Find a Grave Memorial". findagrave.com. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-01-26.