Fay B. Prickett (April 29, 1893 - December 18, 1982) was a career officer in the

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 ...

. A veteran of the

Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the p ...

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 ...

, and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he was most notable for his Second World War command of the 75th Infantry Division, and his post-war command of the 10th Armored Division, 4th Armored Division, and 1st Constabulary Brigade. He attained 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 ...

, and his awards included the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

with

Oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a speci ...

and

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

Early life

Fay Brink Prickett was born in

Hutchinson, Kansas Hutchinson is the largest city and county seat in Reno County, Kansas, United States, and located on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch". As of the 2020 cen ...

on April 29, 1893, the son of Darius Prickett, a carpenter, and Rosa Lee (Dickerson) Prickett. He was raised and educated in Hutchinson, and attended Hutchinson High School. In high school, Prickett was known for his athletic prowess, and was a member of the basketball, football, and track and field teams. In 1911, he was elected president of the junior class. Fay Brink Prickett (1893–1982) at West Point in 1916

Fay Brink Prickett (1893–1982) at West Point in 1916

At age 14, Prickett joined the

Kansas Army National Guard The Kansas Army National Guard is a component of the Army National Guard and the Kansas National Guard. Kansas Army National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Army. The same ranks and insignia are used and Nation ...

as the bugler for Company E, 2nd Kansas Infantry Regiment. He served for four years and during training exercises was frequently called upon to serve as the regimental commander's mounted trumpeter. In April 1912, Prickett was appointed to 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 ...

at West Point by Congressman

George A. Neeley George Arthur Neeley (August 1, 1879January 1, 1919) was a U.S. Representative from Kansas. Born in Detroit, Illinois, Neeley attended public schools in Joplin, Missouri and Wellston, Oklahoma. He earned a B.S. from Southwestern Baptist Univ ...

. He then withdrew from high school so he could study with private tutors prior to taking the West Point entrance exam. Prickett passed the May 1912 entrance exam and he began attending the military academy in the fall of 1912. He graduated in June 1916 ranked 57th of 125. Prickett received his commission as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

and was assigned to the

10th Cavalry Regiment The 10th Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army. Formed as a segregated African-American unit, the 10th Cavalry was one of the original "Buffalo Soldier" regiments in the post–Civil War Regular Army. It served in combat during t ...

Start of career

After joining the 10th Cavalry at

Fort Huachuca Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation, established on 3 March 1877 as Camp Huachuca. The garrison is now under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is in Cochise County in southeast Arizona, appr ...

, Arizona, Prickett took part in the

on the U.S.-Mexico border. In July 1916, he received promotion to

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

. At the start of

, he transferred to the Field Artillery Branch. He was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in May 1917 and completed the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark ...

, Oklahoma in December 1917. In February 1918, Prickett was transferred to the

16th Field Artillery Regiment The 16th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army. The regiment served with the 4th Division in World War II and with the 4th and 8th Divisions between the World Wars. As the 16th Armored Field Artillery ...

, which arrived in France in May 1918. Prickett was promoted to temporary

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

in July, and was assigned to command a battalion. He led his unit during the Battle of Château-Thierry,

Battle of Saint-Mihiel The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a major World War I battle fought from 12–15 September 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) and 110,000 French troops under the command of General John J. Pershing of the United States against ...

, and Meuse-Argonne offensive, and remained in command until the end of the war. After the

Armistice of November 11, 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices h ...

ended the war, Prickett remained in Germany as part of the Army of Occupation.

Continued career

After the war, Prickett reverted to his permanent rank of captain and continued to serve in staff and command positions of increasing responsibility. He was a 1920 graduate of the Field Artillery Battery Officers Course, and he completed the Field Artillery Officers Advanced Course in 1923. In 1924, he was assigned as an instructor at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

. The Army prioritized

polo Polo is a ball game played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports. The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small hard ...

playing in the 1920s and 1920s, believing that the game enabled officers to learn to make quick decisions under stress. Prickett played on Army teams, and also coached Princeton's team in the mid-1920s. In 1929, he completed the course at the

United States Army Command and General Staff College The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...

. In 1932, Prickett graduated 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 1937, he was appointed to command West Point's Field Artillery Detachment.

World War II

At the start of

, Prickett was promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

as commander of the 4th Infantry Division Artillery. He was subsequently promoted to

as commander of the 75th Infantry Division, which he trained in the United States and led to France. Prickett led the division during combat in Europe, including the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive (military), offensive military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted fr ...

. In January 1945, he was assigned as deputy commander of the XXI Corps.

Post-World War II

After the war, Prickett remained in Europe, where he led in succession the 10th Armored Division, 4th Armored Division, and 1st Constabulary Brigade. As part of his occupation duties, Prickett led the

military tribunal Military justice (also military law) is the legal system (bodies of law and procedure) that governs the conduct of the active-duty personnel of the armed forces of a country. In some nation-states, civil law and military law are distinct bodie ...

Dachau , , commandant = List of commandants , known for = , location = Upper Bavaria, Southern Germany , built by = Germany , operated by = ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) , original use = Political prison , construction ...

which tried Germans who were accused of committing crimes at the

Mauthausen concentration camp Mauthausen was a Nazi concentration camp on a hill above the market town of Mauthausen, Upper Austria, Mauthausen (roughly east of Linz), Upper Austria. It was the main camp of a group with List of subcamps of Mauthausen, nearly 100 further ...

. After his return to the United States, Prickett commanded the Second U.S. Army's Pennsylvania Military District. His terminal assignment was deputy inspector general of the U.S. Army, which he held until retiring in April 1953.

Retirement and death

In retirement, Prickett resided in

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in the northern region of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Downto ...

. In addition to teaching military history at the

University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of Mary ...

, Prickett golfed almost daily at Alexandria's Army Navy Country Club, often playing alongside longtime friend

Jacob L. Devers Jacob Loucks Devers (; 8 September 1887 – 15 October 1979) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the 6th Army Group in the European Theater during World War II. He was involved in the development and adoption of numerous w ...

. Prickett died at

Walter Reed Army Medical Center The Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC)known as Walter Reed General Hospital (WRGH) until 1951was the U.S. Army's flagship medical center from 1909 to 2011. Located on in the District of Columbia, it served more than 150,000 active and ret ...

on December 18, 1982. He 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 ...

Family

In March 1917, Prickett married Margaret Murray McGregor (1898-2003) of Denver, Colorado. They were the parents of three daughters: Margaret (Peggy); Mary (Polly); and Virginia (Ginger). Peggy was the wife of Major General Frank Dickson Miller. Polly was the wife of Brigadier General Francis Joseph Roberts. Ginger was the wife of Colonel Lee E. Cage Sr.

Awards

Prickett's military awards included the

with

and the

. In addition, his World War II service was recognized with award of the French

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

and

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

with palm.

Dates of promotion

Prickett's effective dates of promotion were: *

Second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

, June 14, 1912 *

First lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

, July 1, 1916 *

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

, May 19, 1917 *

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

(temporary), July 3, 1918 *

, February 3, 1920 *

(temporary), May 9, 1921 *

, November 4, 1922 *

, December 28, 1926 *

Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

, September 1, 1937 *

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

(temporary), June 26, 1941 *

Brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

(temporary), March 12, 1942 *

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 ...

(temporary), January 14, 1944 *

(temporary), July 1, 1946 *

(retired), April 30, 1953

References

External links

* *
Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prickett, Fay B. 1893 births 1982 deaths United States Army Cavalry Branch personnel United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel People from Hutchinson, Kansas Military personnel from Alexandria, Virginia United States Military Academy alumni United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army generals of World War II United States Army generals Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Legion of Honour Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Burials at Arlington National Cemetery