Major General William Sharp McNair (September 18, 1868 – April 6, 1936) was a U.S. Army general. During World War I, he commanded the artillery unit of the First Infantry Division and later the 151st Field Artillery Brigade.

Early life

William Sharp McNair was born in September 18, 1868 in

Tecumseh, Michigan Tecumseh is a city in Lenawee County in the U.S. state of Michigan, near the River Raisin. Tecumseh is about southwest of Detroit, south of Ann Arbor, and north of Toledo, Ohio. The main street of downtown is Chicago Boulevard, also designat ...

. His father was also from Tecumseh and his mother from

Bucyrus, Ohio Bucyrus ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Crawford County, located in northern Ohio approximately 28 miles (45 km) west of Mansfield and southeast of Toledo. The population was 11,684 at the 2020 census. The c ...

. He entered 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 ...

and graduated number twenty-three of fifty-four in the class of 1890. He was commissioned in the Artillery Corps. His classmates there included

Colden Ruggles Colden L'Hommedieu Ruggles (March 18, 1869 – April 2, 1933) was a career officer in the United States Army. A prominent member of the Ordnance Corps, he attained the rank of brigadier general, and was notable for planning and overseeing constr ...

Fred W. Sladen Fred Winchester Sladen (November 24, 1867 – July 10, 1945) was career United States Army officer who rose to the rank of major general and became Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. He was a son of English-born Joseph A. ...

, Frank M. Caldwell, Clint C. Hearn, Daniel W. Ketcham,

Edgar Jadwin Edgar Jadwin, C.E. (August 7, 1865 – March 2, 1931) was a U.S. Army officer who fought in the Spanish–American War and World War I, before serving as Chief of Engineers from 1926 to 1929. Early life Jadwin was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvani ...

, Francis Marshall, Harry H. Bandholtz, Henry D. Todd Jr., William C. Davis,

George G. Gatley George Grant Gatley (September 10, 1868—January 8, 1931) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of brigadier general, and his World War I commands included the 30th and 42nd Infantry Divisions. Early life Georg ...

Herbert Deakyne Herbert Deakyne (December 29, 1867 – May 28, 1945) was a United States Army officer and engineer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Military career Deakyne was born on December 29, 1867, in Deakyneville, Delaware, a location settled by ...

and

William J. Snow William J. Snow (December 16, 1868 – February 27, 1947) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of major general, and served as the Chief of Field Artillery for seven years in the 1920s. A native of Brooklyn, New Y ...

. All of these men would, like McNair himself, 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 ...

Military career

In 1896, McNair graduated from the Artillery School. He served in the

China Relief Expedition The China Relief Expedition was an expedition in China undertaken by the United States Armed Forces to rescue United States citizens, European nationals, and other foreign nationals during the latter years of the Boxer Rebellion, which lasted f ...

, the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...

, and the Moro Expedition of 1903, for which he received his first

Silver Star Citation The Citation Star was a Department of War personal valor decoration issued as a ribbon device which was first established by the United States Congress on July 9, 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, War Dept. 1918). When awarded, a silver star was placed o ...

. In 1916 and 1917, he served as

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 ...

with the

New York National Guard The New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs (NYS DMNA) is responsible for the state's New York Army National Guard, New York Air National Guard, New York Guard and the New York Naval Militia. It is headed by Adjutant General of New ...

. In

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, he commanded the artillery of the First Infantry Division, and he later commanded the 151st Field Artillery Brigade. He participated in the Meuse-Argonne and the Sedan battles. He served as Chief of Artillery, first Army, 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 ...

and another Silver Star. From 1920 to 1922, he was Chief of Staff of the Department of Panama. His rank of brigadier general was restored in 1930, and when he retired on September 30, 1932, he was a

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 ...

Personal life

On December 26, 1894, he married Louise Bestor Potts at Fort Barrancas, Florida and they had four children: Mary Louise McNair, Dorothy McNair, William Douglas McNair ( USMA, class of 1918), and Norma B. McNair. In retirement, he lived in

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

. He was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

. McNair died on April 6, 1936.

Awards

He received the Army Distinguished Service Medal during World War I, with the medal's citation stating the following: He received the Silver Star Citation for ''gallantry in action during the Philippine Insurrection, 1899 to 1902.''

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mcnair, William S 1868 births 1936 deaths Recipients of the Silver Star People from Tecumseh, Michigan Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) American military personnel of the Philippine–American War Burials at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery United States Military Academy alumni United States Army generals United States Army generals of World War I Military personnel from Michigan 19th-century United States Army personnel