Francis Webster Honeycutt (May 26, 1883 – September 20, 1940) was an American
fencer and
military officer
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.
Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
. He won a bronze medal in the team
foil
Foil may refer to:
Materials
* Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine
* Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal
* Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food
* Tin foil, metal foil ma ...
event at the
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; nl, Olympische Zomerspelen van 1920; german: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIe olympiade; nl, Spelen van ...
. He rose to the rank of
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 ...
in 1940 and assumed command of
9th Infantry Division, before he was killed during an aircraft accident two weeks later.
Biography
Francis W. Honeycutt was born on May 26, 1883, in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, as the son of John Thomas Honeycutt and Jennie Webster.
His father was a West Point graduate and Captain 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 ...
, who died of typhoid fever as Commander of
Fort Clinch
Fort Clinch is a 19th-century masonry Coastal defence and fortification, coastal fortification, built as part of the Seacoast Defense (US)#Third system, Third System of seacoast defense conceived by the United States. It is located on a peninsula n ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, in October 1898. Following the high school, Francis received an appointment 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, 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 ...
, and was active in
fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
team.
He was a classmate and friend of
Joseph Stilwell
Joseph Warren "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell (March 19, 1883 – October 12, 1946) was a United States Army general who served in the China Burma India Theater during World War II. An early American popular hero of the war for leading a column walking ...
, the future American commanding general in the
China-Burma-India theater of World War II.
Also many of his classmates became general officer later in their careers including
Lesley J. McNair
Lesley James McNair (May 25, 1883 – July 25, 1944) was a senior United States Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He attained the rank of lieutenant general during his life; he was killed in action during World War II, ...
,
Robert C. Richardson, Jr.
Robert Charlwood Richardson Jr. (October 27, 1882 – March 2, 1954) was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 27, 1882, and was admitted as a cadet at the United States Military Academy on June 19, 1900. His military career spanned the ...
,
Jay Leland Benedict
Jay Leland Benedict (April 14, 1882 – September 16, 1953) was a United States Army major general and superintendent of the United States Military Academy (1938–1940).
Career
Benedict received an appointment to West Point as a memb ...
,
Innis P. Swift
Innis Palmer Swift (February 7, 1882 – November 3, 1953) was a Major General in the United States Army. He was the grandson and namesake of Civil War Major General Innis Newton Palmer,''Gen. Swift, A Cavalryman'', San Antonio Light, Augus ...
,
Henry Conger Pratt
Henry Conger Pratt (September 2, 1882 – April 6, 1966), professionally known as H. Conger Pratt, was a major general in the United States Army. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and received awards from I ...
,
Charles F. Thompson
Charles F. Thompson (December 11, 1882 – June 15, 1954) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of World War I and World War II, he attained the rank of Major general (United States), major general and was notable as the firs ...
,
Fulton Q. Gardner
Fulton may refer to:
People
* Robert Fulton (1765–1815), American engineer and inventor who developed the first commercially successful steam-powered ship
* Fulton (surname)
Given name
* Fulton Allem (born 1957), South African golfer
* Fult ...
,
George R. Allin
George R. Allin (January 15, 1880 – June 2, 1956) was an American brigadier general who served during World War I and World War II. He is most noted as commanding general of the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma at the beginning of W ...
,
William Bryden
William Bryden (February 3, 1880 – January 20, 1972) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Philippine–American War, Pancho Villa Expedition, World War I, and World War II, he attained the rank of major general and w ...
,
Walter R. Fulton,
George V. Strong
George Veazey Strong (March 14, 1880 – January 10, 1946) was a U.S. Army general with the rank of major general, who is most famous for his service as commander of the Military Intelligence Corps during World War II.
Early life
Strong was bo ...
,
Pelham D. Glassford
Pelham Davis Glassford (August 8, 1883 – August 9, 1959) was a United States Army officer who attained the rank of brigadier general during World War I. He later served as Superintendent of the District of Columbia Police Department, and was i ...
,
Irving J. Phillipson,
Donald C. Cubbison and
Thomas M. Robins.
Honeycutt graduated with
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree in June 1904 and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Field Artillery branch. He returned to the Military Academy as a mathematics instructor from 1907 to 1911.
Honeycutt served in the various field artillery assignments and commanded 338th Field Artillery Regiment as the part of
88th Division during the
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 ...
, where he trained the replacements at
Camp Dodge
Camp Dodge is a military installation in the city of Johnston, Iowa, Johnston, Iowa. Centrally located near the capital of Iowa, it currently serves as the headquarters of the Iowa National Guard.
History
Original construction of the post began i ...
,
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
, until June 1918.
Following the war, Honeycutt graduated from the
Command and General Staff School
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 1923.
He rose through the ranks and commanded 1st Battalion,
18th Field Artillery Regiment
The 18th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916.
History
The '18th Field Artillery was organized 1 June 1917 in the Regular Army.
Lineage
Distinctive unit insignia
*Description
A ...
in
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
from July 1927 to August 1928 and later served on the faculty of the
Army War College after graduating in 1929.
[
In August 1935, Honeycutt was ordered to ]Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.
"Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview),
US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army.
Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the U.S. Senator from Texas, U.S. Represen ...
, Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, and commanded 15th Field Artillery Regiment until March 1937, when he was ordered 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 ...
for service as Commanding officer, 12th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Stotsenburg
Fort Stotsenburg, during the World War II era, was the location of the Philippine Department's 26th Cavalry Regiment, 86th Field Artillery Battalion, and 88th Field Artillery Regiment; along with the Philippine Division's 23rd and 24th Fiel ...
.
Honeycutt returned to the United States in early September 1940, was promoted to the rank of 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 ...
and assumed command of 13th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...
, North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. Following the reactivation of 9th Infantry Division at Fort Bragg, he assumed additional duty as Commanding general of the division and also held command of Fort Bragg.
On September 20, 1940, General Honeycutt was killed in Army plane crash accident near Woodbine, Georgia
Woodbine is a city in, and the county seat of, Camden County, Georgia, United States, an original county established when the state constitution was adopted in 1777. The population was 1,412 at the 2010 census.
The East Coast Greenway, a 3,000 mi ...
, while returning from Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
, where he was for a conference on military matters. Two other men killed in the crash were: Capt. George F. Kehoe, pilot of the craft, and Corporal Robert J. Schmitz, radioman and mechanic.[ Honeycutt was buried with full military honors at United States Military Academy Cemetery.
He was married to Margaret Harmon (1882–1979), a daughter of Colonel Millard F. Harmon and sister of lieutenant generals Millard F. Harmon Jr. and ]Hubert R. Harmon
Lieutenant General Hubert Reilly Harmon (April 3, 1892 – February 22, 1957), after a distinguished combat career in World War II, was instrumental in developing plans for the establishment of the United States Air Force Academy. He was the ...
. From his marriage with Margaret, Honeycutt had one son, future Major General John T. Honeycutt and two daughters, Jane (1919–2011), a wife of Colonel William W. West, III and Margaret (1913-1972), a wife of Major general Donald P. Graul.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Honeycutt, Francis
1883 births
1940 deaths
People from San Francisco
United States Military Academy alumni
Military personnel from California
United States Military Academy faculty
United States Army personnel of World War I
American male foil fencers
Fencers at the 1920 Summer Olympics
Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in fencing
Fencers from San Francisco
Medalists at the 1920 Summer Olympics
United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
United States Army War College alumni
United States Army War College faculty
United States Army generals
Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States
Burials at West Point Cemetery