Frederick S. Strong (November 12, 1855 – March 9, 1935) 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 ...

. 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 was a veteran of the American Indian Wars,

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 ...

, and

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 ...

. Strong was best known for his command of the

Hawaiian Department Hawaiian may refer to: * Native Hawaiians, the current term for the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants * Hawaii state residents, regardless of ancestry (only used outside of Hawaii) * Hawaiian language Historic uses ...

from 1916 to 1917 and the 40th Division during

. A native of

Paw Paw, Michigan Paw Paw is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,534 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County. Overview The village is located at the confluence of the east and south branches of the Paw Paw River ...

, Strong graduated from Kalamazoo High School in 1876 and 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 in 1880. Commissioned 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 ...

in the

4th Field Artillery Regiment The 4th Field Artillery Regiment is a Field Artillery Branch regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1907. History The 4th Field Artillery Regiment was first activated in 1907 from numbered companies of artillery. It was first orga ...

, Strong served on the West Point faculty, in

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 ...

postings throughout the western United States, and on the faculty of

Michigan Military Academy The Michigan Military Academy, also known as M.M.A., was an all-boys military prep school in Orchard Lake Village, Oakland County, Michigan. It was founded in 1877 by J. Sumner Rogers and closed in 1908 due to bankruptcy. Some journalists hav ...

. During the

he was assigned as assistant adjutant of 1st Division, Second Army Corps and served at Camp Mackenzie near

Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...

. After the war, Strong served as superintendent of Michigan Military Academy and performed duty in 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 ...

. He later commanded the Coast Defenses of Eastern New York, followed by command of the Coast Artillery School at Fort Monroe, Virginia and the Coast Defenses of Chesapeake Bay. In the years immediately prior to

, he commanded the South Atlantic Coast Artillery District in

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

, Schofield Barracks,

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

, and the Hawaiian Department. During World War I, Strong commanded the 40th Division in France, where it served as a depot division and provided replacement soldiers to units in combat. After the war, he commanded Camp Jackson, South Carolina,

Camp Kearny Camp Kearny was a U.S. military base (first Army, later Navy) in San Diego County, California, on the site of the current Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. It operated from 1917 to 1946. The base was named in honor of Brigadier General Stephen W ...

, California, and the South Pacific Coast Artillery District. Strong retired in August 1919. In retirement, he resided in

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

. He died on March 9, 1935, 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 ...

Early life

Frederick Smith Strong was born in

, on November 12, 1855, the son of Samuel Filer Strong and Anna Maria Fish. He graduated from Kalamazoo High School in 1876 and then began attendance at the

. He graduated in 1880 ranked 11th of 51. He received his commission as a

in the

Start of career

After graduating from West Point, Strong remained on the school's faculty during the summer and fall of 1880 as an assistant instructor of tactics. In December 1880 he joined his regiment in California, and performed duty at Fort Point and Fort Alcatraz. In June 1881, Strong was transferred to Fort Canby in

Washington state Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...

. In September 1881, he was assigned to duty at

Fort Stevens, Oregon A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

, and he transferred to Madison Barracks,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

in October 1881. In April 1882, Strong was assigned to Fort Monroe,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, for attendance at the

Artillery School Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

. He graduated in April 1884 and was assigned as professor of military science and tactics at

, where he remained until September 1888. In September 1887, he was promoted 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 ...

. After an extended leave, in July 1889 he was assigned to duty at

Fort McPherson Fort McPherson was a U.S. Army military base located in Atlanta, Georgia, bordering the northern edge of the city of East Point, Georgia. It was the headquarters for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Southeast Region; the U.S. Ar ...

, Georgia. He remained there until September 1889, when he transferred to Fort Riley,

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

. While at Fort Riley, Strong served with the 4th Field Artillery's Light Battery B until October 1891. He took part in an American Indian Wars campaign in 1890–1891 as the commander of a mounted artillery battery that performed duty with the 1st Cavalry Regiment. From October 1891 to May 1892, Strong was again on duty at

. He was then assigned to a second tour of duty as a professor of military science at Michigan Military Academy, where he remained until September 1895. From October 1895 to May 1898, Strong was assigned as

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

of the 4th Field Artillery at Washington Barracks, in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Continued career

In May 1898, Strong 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 ...

United States Volunteers United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U.S. Volunteer Army, or other variations of these, were military volunteers called upon during wartime to assist the United States Army but who were separate from both the Regular Army and the ...

for the

. He was assigned as assistant adjutant of 1st Division, Second Army Corps. He performed duty at Camp Mackenzie near

, and remained in the Volunteers until being discharged on March 31, 1899. On March 2, 1899, he was promoted to the permanent rank of

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 ...

. From 1899 to 1902, Strong was stationed at Fort Monroe as adjutant of the 4th Artillery, the Artillery School and Artillery District of the Chesapeake. From January 1902 to September 1904 Strong served as superintendent of Michigan Military Academy. Strong served as acting inspector general of the Field Artillery branch and school from September 1904 to July 1907, first in Washington, D.C. and then at Fort Monroe. He was promoted to

in November 1904. Strong was promoted to

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 ...

of Coast Artillery in July 1907 and assigned as adjutant of the

Department of the Lakes The Department of the Lakes was a military department of the United States Army that existed from 1866 to 1873 and again from 1898 to 1913. It was subordinate to the Military Division of the Atlantic and comprised posts in the Midwestern United Sta ...

, where he served until May 1, 1909. From May 1909 to March 1911, Strong served in the

as adjutant of the Department of

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...

. He was promoted to

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 ...

in March 1911 and assigned to Fort Totten, New York as commander of the Coast Defenses of Eastern New York. In August, 1911 he was assigned to command of the Coast Artillery School and the Coast Defenses of Chesapeake Bay. From September 1911 to November 1915, Strong was posted to

, as commander of the South Atlantic Coast Artillery District. He 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 ...

in May 1915. From December 1915 to November 1916, Strong commanded Schofield Barracks,

. He was commander of the

from November 1916 to July 1917.

World War I

Major General Frederick Smith Strong in 1917

In August 1917, Strong was promoted to temporary

and assigned to command of the 40th Division during its organization and training at

, California. By the time the division arrived in France in August 1918, the War Department had decided to use newly-arrived divisions to provide replacement troops for units already in combat, and Strong commanded the 40th Division as a depot division based in Revigny-sur-Ornain. After the armistice ended the war in November 1918, Strong remained in command while the division moved to

Castres-Gironde Castres-Gironde (; oc, Castra) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Gironde department The following is a list of the 535 communes of the Gironde depart ...

and awaited transportation to the United States. The 40th Division arrived in the United States on March 3, 1919, and proceeded to Camp Kearny, where it was demobilized on April 20, 1919.

Post-World War I

After returning to the United States after World War I, Strong commanded Camp Jackson, South Carolina from March to April 1919. He was commander of the post at Camp Kearny from April to July 1919. In June, he returned to his permanent rank of brigadier general. From July to August 1919, Strong was commander of the South Pacific Coast Artillery District.

Retirement and death

Strong would have reached the mandatory retirement age of 64 in November 1919. In August 1919, he requested early retirement, which was approved, and he settled in

. In June 1930, Congress passed legislation allowing World War I general officers to retire at the highest rank they had held, and Strong was advanced to major general on the retired list. From 1933 to 1934, Strong served on California's Relief Commission, an entity created to administer social welfare programs during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

. Strong died in San Diego on March 9, 1935. He is buried at

with his wife Alice.Burial Detail: Strong, Frederick S (Section 1, Grave 176)
– ANC Explorer

Legacy

Battery Strong, a Coast Artillery firing position at Fort Rosecrans, California was named for Strong. It operated from 1937 until it was deactivated in 1946. The site of Battery Strong is now part of the Naval Supply Center (NSC) San Diego Annex at Naval Base Point Loma. There are some remaining traces of the battery, but the location is not open to the public.

Family

In 1883, Strong married Alice Marion Johnson (1863–1936). They were the parents of Frederick William Strong Jr. (1887–1986).The younger Strong graduated first in the West Point class of 1910 and served in the Army before pursuing a business career in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

. He attained the rank of brigadier general before retiring from the military in 1946.

References

Sources

Internet

* *

Newspapers

Books

* * * *

Magazines

External links

Frederick Smith Strong
at ArlingtonCemetery.net, an unofficial website * {{DEFAULTSORT:Strong, Frederick Smith 1855 births 1935 deaths People from Paw Paw, Michigan Military personnel from San Diego Businesspeople from San Diego United States Military Academy alumni United States Army personnel of the Indian Wars American military personnel of the Spanish–American War United States Army generals of World War I United States Army generals Burials at Arlington National Cemetery United States Military Academy faculty United States Army Coast Artillery Corps personnel United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel Military personnel from Michigan