Lieutenant General Willard Stewart Paul (February 28, 1894 – March 21, 1966) was a senior United States Army officer who commanded the 26th Infantry Division during World War II.

Early life and military career

He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on February 28, 1894. He attended Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, and

American University The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...

in Washington, D.C. In 1916 Paul joined the Colorado Army National Guard 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 Field Artillery Branch to serve on the Mexican border during the Pancho Villa Expedition. He received a commission in the Regular Army in 1917, after the American entry into World War I. During the war he served at Camp Merritt, New Jersey. Like many others who became

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 ...

s in World War II, Paul did not serve overseas.

Between the wars

The war came to an end on November 11, 1918. Paul, remaining in the army during the interwar years, graduated from the Infantry School, Officers Course in 1921. From 1922 to 1924 he was assistant professor of military science for the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Johns Hopkins University, from which he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1924. Paul was a 1930 graduate of the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, and was an instructor at the

U.S. Army Infantry School The United States Army Infantry School is a school located at Fort Benning, Georgia that is dedicated to training infantrymen for service in the United States Army. Organization The school is made up of the following components: * 197th Infant ...

from 1930 to 1933. He graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School in 1935, and the U.S. Army War College in 1937. He was assigned to the staff of the Adjutant General's Department, 1937 to 1941, and in 1942 he received a Master of Arts degree from the American University.

World War II

In 1942, after the American entrance into World War II, Paul was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, as a G-4 staff officer with Headquarters Army Ground Forces, receiving promotion to the one-star

rank of brigadier general on June 24, 1942. He was promoted again, this time to the two-star rank of major general, on March 16, 1943. The following month he was made the first Commanding General (CG) of the 75th Infantry Division, an all- draftee division, during its stateside training. In August he then assumed command of the 26th Infantry Division, nicknamed the "Yankee Division", an

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...

formation recruiting from Massachusetts. He took over command from Major General

Roger W. Eckfeldt Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...

, who had commanded the 26th Division for over three years. Paul led the 26th in numerous training exercises in the United States and was to command the division for the rest of the war. Paul led the 26th Division overseas to the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

in late August 1944, arriving at

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, France in the

European Theater of Operations The European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA) was a Theater of Operations responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the European theatre of World War II, from 1942 to 1945. It commanded Army Ground For ...

(ETO) in early September 1944, three months after the Normandy landings. The 26th Division's first major action of the war was during the Battle of the Bulge towards the end of the year where it played an important role in the counterattack by Lieutenant General

George Patton George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of World War II, and the Third United States Army in France ...

's Third Army that reduced the German salient. Earning praise from Patton, the 26th took part in the Western Allied invasion of Germany in March 1945 until the

end of World War II in Europe The final battle of the European Theatre of World War II continued after the definitive overall surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies, signed by Field marshal Wilhelm Keitel on 8 May 1945 in Karlshorst, Berlin. After German dictator Adolf H ...

in May. For his services during the war Paul was twice awarded 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 ...

, 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 ...

, and 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 ...

. The citation for his Silver Star reads:

Postwar

After the war Paul remained in Europe as Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, G-1, at

Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF; ) was the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the commander in SHAEF th ...

(SHAEF). In 1947 Paul was promoted to lieutenant general and returned to the United States as the army's Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel, G-1, where served until his 1948 retirement. As the army's top personnel officer, he was responsible for its post-war manpower demobilization. Paul's decorations included two awards of the

and the

Civilian career

Following his retirement from the military he was a consultant for the

American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...

, Assistant Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization, and a member of the subcommittee set up by the Hoover Commission to study personnel issues in the Department of Defense. Paul also served as President of the Retired Officers Association. In 1956 he became President of Gettysburg College, where he remained until his 1961 retirement. One of his acts as President of the college was to make space available for former President Dwight D. Eisenhower to maintain an office.

Retirement and death

Lieutenant General Willard Paul died at Walter Reed Army Hospital on March 21, 1966, and was buried in Section 30, Grave 1073 RH of Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.

References

* Army List and Directory, U.S. Army Adjutant General's Office, 1919, page 140 * Johns Hopkins Half-Century Directory, 1926, page 275 * Newspaper article, President Names 23 Major Generals, New York Times, March 26, 1943 * Newspaper article, Paul Commands 26th Division, Hartford Courant, August 26, 1943 * Newspaper article, Heads Demobilization: Maj. Gen. W.S. Paul Is Made Assistant Chief of Staff, New York Times, October 27, 1945 * Newspaper article, General Paul to Retire Dec. 31, New York Times, November 10, 1948 * Military Times, Hall of Valor, Index of Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal, http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/02_awards/index_dsm/00_armyDSM-index.html * Newspaper article, Gen. Paul to Join Red Cross, New York Times, January 16, 1949 * Scope and Content page, Willard S. Paul papers, Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, https://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/PDFs/Paul_Willard_Papers.pdf * Newspaper article, Hoover Names Group to Study Civil Service, Chicago Tribune, December 23, 1953 * The Hoover Report, 1953-1955: What It Means to You as Citizen and Taxpayer, 1956, page 313 * Gettysburg College web site, List of Presidents page, http://www.gettysburg.edu/about/college_history/president/ * Newspaper article, Officers Ask Pay Raise: Convention Seeks Increase In Retirement Compensation, New York Times, November 29, 1958 * Newspaper article, Willard S. Paul, General, 72, Dies, New York Times, March 22, 1966

External links

Generals of World War II
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Paul, Willard Stewart 1894 births 1966 deaths United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel Military personnel from Massachusetts People from Worcester, Massachusetts Johns Hopkins University alumni United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army generals Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) American University alumni Gettysburg College faculty Burials at Arlington National Cemetery United States Army War College alumni Presidents of Gettysburg College United States Army generals of World War II United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni 20th-century American academics