Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Eli Alva Helmick (September 23, 1863 – January 13, 1945) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, among other conflicts, and received the

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...

Military career

Helmick was born in Quaker, Indiana on September 23, 1863. He graduated from the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

(USMA) at

West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...

, in June 1888. Among his classmates there were several men who would, like Helmick himself, eventually attain the rank of

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...

, such as

James W. McAndrew James William McAndrew (June 29, 1862 – April 30, 1922) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of major general, and was most notable for his service as chief of staff of the American Expeditionary Forces during Wo ...

William M. Morrow William M. Morrow (September 6, 1866 – July 21, 1944) was an American football player and soldier. He played college football at the University of Michigan in 1885 and 1886 and was the starting quarterback for the 1886 Michigan Wolverines ...

William Robert Dashiell Brigadier General William Robert Dashiell (3 April 1863 – 16 March 1939) was a United States Army officer. He notably participated in the Philippine–American War and World War I. Early life and education Dashiell was born Mecklenburg Coun ...

Robert Lee Howze Robert Lee Howze (August 22, 1864 – September 19, 1926) was a United States Army major general who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Indian Wars. Howze graduated from the United States Military Academy i ...

Peter Charles Harris Major General Peter Charles Harris (November 10, 1865 – March 18, 1951) was an officer in the United States Army who served as Adjutant General of the U.S. Army from 1918 to 1922. Early life and education Harris was born on November 10, 18 ...

Peyton C. March General Peyton Conway March (December 27, 1864April 13, 1955) was a senior officer of the United States Army. He served in the Philippines, on the Mexican border, and World War I. March was the ninth Chief of Staff from 1918 to 1921, accomplish ...

Henry Jervey Jr. Henry Jervey (June 5, 1866 – September 30, 1942) was an officer in the United States Army who served as director, Operations Division, General Staff, during World War I. In 1917, he wrote the book ''Warfare of the Future''. At the outbreak of ...

William Voorhees Judson William Voorhees Judson (16 February 1865 – 29 March 1923) was an American Brigadier general, who served as a military aide with the Root Mission to the Russian Provisional Government. Early life and education William Voorhees Judson was born ...

John Louis Hayden John Louis Hayden (November 2, 1866 – February 22, 1936) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in several conflicts, including World War I. Biography Hayden was born in Chicago in 1866. His fathe ...

, Edward Anderson, William H. Hart,

Charles Aloysius Hedekin Charles Aloysius Hedekin (December 9, 1865 – January 30, 1944) was a United States Army Cavalry officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He served in numerous locations and incidents. Military career Hedekin was born on December 9, 18 ...

and William S. Peirce. Helmick was commissioned into the 11th Infantry Regiment on June 11, 1888, and he did frontier duty from 1888 to 1892. He was serving in

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

when the labor union riots in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, occurred from September to November 1892. He served on duty at the

World's Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordi ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, and he then worked as a Professor of Military Science and Tactics at

Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is a Private university, private Conservatism in the United States, conservative Christian liberal arts college in Hillsdale, Michigan. It was founded in 1844 by Abolitionism, abolitionists known as Free Will Baptists. Its missio ...

from 1894 through 1896. Helmick commanded Fort Reno from 1898 to 1899. Helmick participated in the

Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (clock ...

, serving from 1899 to 1901 as a provost marshal and inspector of the Rural Guard of Cuba, and receiving a

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 his efforts. He then went to the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, commanding a battalion on

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

in 1902 against the Moros during the

Moro Rebellion The Moro Rebellion (1899–1913) was an armed conflict between the Moro people and the United States military during the Philippine–American War. The word "Moro" – the Spanish word for "Moor" – is a term for Muslim people who li ...

. After returning to the U.S., Helmick did recruiting duty in

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...

from 1903 to 1906, and he commanded

Fort Liscum Fort Liscum was a United States Army post in the Alaska Territory on the south shore of Valdez Bay, across from the modern site of Valdez, Alaska. It operated from 1900 to 1922. History In 1899, Captain William R. Abercrombie designated a site f ...

from 1906 to 1907. He graduated from the School of the Line in 1909, from the

United States Army War College The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army educational institution in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instruction to senior military offic ...

in 1910, and later from Kansas State Agricultural College with an LL.D. Helmick then served along the border with Mexico from 1915 to 1916. On August 8, 1918, during

, Helmick was promoted to the rank of

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

. He commanded the 8th Division from September to November 1918 and afterward commanded Base Section Number Five Service of Supply in

Brest, France Brest (; ) is a port city in the Finistère department, Brittany. Located in a sheltered bay not far from the western tip of the peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French mi ...

, receiving the

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...

for his service in the latter position. Helmick joined the General Staff on August 24, 1919, and he served as the Chief of Staff of the Central Department from August 23, 1919 to May 10, 1921. He subsequently became inspector general and was reappointed to the position on November 7, 1925. Helmick retired on September 27, 1927. Helmick lived in

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

in retirement. He died on January 13, 1945, and was buried at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

Personal life

Helmick married Elizabeth Allen Clarke on November 20, 1889, and they had three children together.

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Helmick, Eli Alva 1863 births 1945 deaths Military personnel from Indiana People from Vermillion County, Indiana People from Honolulu Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) United States Army generals of World War I United States Military Academy alumni United States Army War College alumni Kansas State University alumni Hillsdale College faculty Burials at Arlington National Cemetery United States Army generals United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni American military personnel of the Spanish–American War