Alva Revista Fitch (September 10, 1907 – November 25, 1989) was a lieutenant general in the United States Army and was deputy director of Defense Intelligence Agency from 1964 to 1966. He commanded an artillery battalion during the Battle of Bataan and was a prisoner of war from 1942 to 1945. From October 16, 1961, to January 5, 1964, Fitch served as the assistant chief of staff for intelligence, Headquarters, Department of the Army.

Early life

Born in Amherst, Nebraska, on September 10, 1907, son of Gertrude De La Barre and John Albert Fitch. Fitch was the first

Eagle Scout Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Sc ...

in Nebraska, and one of the very earliest west of the Mississippi River. He graduated from Kearney High School and received an appointment to West Point, having been nominated by Nebraska senator Robert B. Howell.

Junior officer

Fitch graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June 1930 and became a second lieutenant in the

Field Artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the early 20t ...

. He was promoted to first lieutenant in September 1935 and served as aide-de-camp to Gen. Lesley J. McNair from 1937 to 1939.

World War II

Fitch was sent to Fort Stotsenburg in the Philippines in February 1940 and He commanded Battery A of the 23rd Field Artillery Regiment, which was armed with horse and mule drawn

QF 2.95-inch Mountain Gun The QF 2.95-inch mountain gun was the designation given by the British to a Vickers 75 mm calibre gun. It was originally produced for the Egyptian Army. It was taken into British service in the late 19th century to provide the 'movable a ...

s. He was promoted to captain in June 1940. After the

invasion of the Philippines Philippines campaign may refer to various military campaigns that have been fought in the Philippine Islands, including: Spanish colonial period (1565–1898) *Numerous revolts against Spain during the Spanish colonial period; see Philippine revo ...

began on 8 December 1941, the 23rd Field Artillery was attached to the

26th Cavalry Regiment The 26th Cavalry Regiment (Philippine Scouts) (26th CAV (PS)) was part of U.S. Army Forces Far East's Philippine Department, during World War II. The 26th engaged in the last cavalry charge in the history of the U.S. cavalry. The American Batt ...

on December 13 and retreated with other units of I Corps to Bataan. Fitch was promoted to major in January 1942 and was put in command of the 71st Field Artillery when Colonel

Halstead C. Fowler Halstead Clotworthy Fowler (19 April 18897 September 1950) was a colonel in the United States Army. He commanded the 71st Field Artillery during the Philippines campaign (1941–1942) and was multiply decorated. He was a survivor of the Bataan Dea ...

was wounded. Fitch received the Distinguished Service Cross for leading a battalion of artillery cut off by Japanese encirclement to remaining I Corp units south of Mauban. He was captured in May 1942 a few days after surrender and taken prisoner. A survivor of the Bataan Death March, he was held at Luzon at Camp O'Donnell. In December 1944 he was transferred with other Bataan survivors aboard the

Ōryoku Maru was a Japanese passenger cargo ship which was commissioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II as a troop transport and prisoner of war (POW) transport ship. Japanese POW transport ships are often referred to as hell ships, due to t ...

to the Fukuoka prison camps. He was released in September 1945. He was awarded the

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

and the

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

for heroism and courage in combat and while a captive of the Japanese.

Post-war

From February to July 1946, he attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and remained as an instructor until August 1947. In the Korean War, Fitch was an artillery commander and then commanded the 3rd Armored Division. He later served as Chief of Staff of Army Intelligence before being named to the Defense Intelligence Agency post in 1964.

Military intelligence

He served on the Army Aircraft Requirements Review Board, also known as the Rogers Board, which was established on January 15, 1960, by the Army Chief of Staff to review the Army Aircraft Development Plan and the related industry proposals. The Rogers Board's members included Major Generals

Hamilton H. Howze Hamilton Hawkins Howze (December 21, 1908 – December 8, 1998) was a general in the United States Army. He was a developer and advocate of helicopter-borne air mobility warfare. Early life Howze was born on December 21, 1908 in West Point, New ...

, Thomas F. Van Natta,

Robert J. Wood Robert Jefferson Wood (June 9, 1905 – July 8, 1986) was a United States Army four-star general who helped organize the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military organization in the early 1950s and later served as d ...

, Richard D. Meyer, Ernest F. Easterbrook, and chairman Lieutenant General Gordon B. Rogers; and its results prefigured the more influential Howze Board on airmobility.

Retirement and death

Fitch retired from active duty in 1966 and was military editor of the

Kiplinger Kiplinger ( ) is an American publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice which is a subsidiary of Future plc. Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc., was a closely held company managed for more than nine decades by three generations ...

Newsletter from 1966 to 1975. He died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C., on November 25, 1989, and was buried in Section 30 of Arlington National Cemetery. General Fitch is a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame.

Notable subordinates

General Fitch was Elvis Presley's commanding officer during the singer's stint in the army from 1958 to 1960. Future U.S. Secretary of State

Colin Powell Colin Luther Powell ( ; April 5, 1937 – October 18, 2021) was an American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African ...

was a lieutenant with the 3rd Armored Division under General Fitch.

Gallery

File:ARFitch Arlington Front.jpg , Grave site of Alva R. Fitch at Arlington National Cemetery File:Alva Fitch 3rd Armored.jpg , Brigadier General Alva R. Fitch, Division Artillery Commander of the 3rd Armored Division. File: AR Fitch 1961.JPG , Fitch being sworn in as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence by Maj. Gen. Joe C. Lambert at The Pentagon in 1961

References

Bibliography

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External links

Fitch's headstone at Arlington National Cemetery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitch, Alva R. 1907 births 1989 deaths People from Buffalo County, Nebraska Military personnel from Nebraska United States Military Academy alumni United States Army personnel of World War II Bataan Death March prisoners United States Army personnel of the Korean War United States Army generals Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit American prisoners of war in World War II World War II prisoners of war held by Japan People of the Defense Intelligence Agency American torture victims