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 ...

Josef Robert Sheetz (1895–1992)"Biography of Major-General Josef Robert Sheetz.
The Generals of World War II
Accessed 24 September 2008. was an

American military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

commander during

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 ...

, who served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the

War Department War Department may refer to: * War Department (United Kingdom) * United States Department of War (1789–1947) See also * War Office, a former department of the British Government * Ministry of defence * Ministry of War * Ministry of Defence * Dep ...

in 1941–42. Sheetz is particularly noted for his command of the 98th Artillery Division in the

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

, and his involvement in the early years of the

post-war In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period c ...

American Occupation of Okinawa.

Career

Sheetz taught at the CGSC in

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...

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 ...

from 1939 to 1941, before moving on to become Assistant Chief of Staff in the

United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, a ...

. During World War II, then

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 ...

Sheetz served as the commanding officer of the 98th Artillery Division, and fought in the battle of Okinawa as commander of the 24th Artillery Corps. In October 1949, following a period of service in Korea, Sheetz replaced Major-General

William W. Eagles Major General William Willis Eagles (January 12, 1895 − February 19, 1988) was a decorated officer in the United States Army. A graduate of the United States Military Academy (USMA), he is most noted for his service during World War II as Comman ...

as military governor of Okinawa, and began a number of efforts to revive and repair the islands' economy, and to democratize the government.Sakihara, Mitsugu. "Part B: Okinawa Since 1945." in Kerr, George H. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. (revised ed.) Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. pp550-1. This was the first concerted effort in four years to repair the damage to the island and its economy caused by the 1945 battle.Gibney, Frank.
Forgotten Island
" ''TIME Magazine''. 28 November 1949. Accessed 24 September 2008. Efforts were made to improve living conditions for the American soldiers, whose residences were compared by

TIME Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...

at the time to hobo camps, as well as to improve morale, and to put an end to crimes committed by the troops. As part of a series of courses aimed at improving conduct among the troops, Sheetz asked Occupation forces to see themselves as diplomats. Expenses involved in the construction of the Occupation forces' military complexes was hoped to aid the local economy, though, after disagreements with local landowners over the cost of the land, the

United States Military Government of the Ryukyu Islands The , also referred to as U.S. Ryukyu Islands, was the government in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (centered on the Okinawa Island) from 1945 to 1950, whereupon it was replaced by the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands (USCAR) ...

simply appropriated the land without compensation. Sheetz also oversaw other reconstruction efforts, including that of the port of Naha. While the Ryukyu Islands would remain under American military rule until 1972, free elections were held for the legislature, and for leaders of several island groups, including Amami,

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

, Yaeyama, and Miyako. Sheetz retired from military service the following year, in 1950. In 1954, he served as headmaster of

Texas Military Institute TMI Episcopal is a private school in San Antonio. Previously known as Texas Military Institute, TMI is a selective coeducational Episcopal college preparatory school with a military tradition in San Antonio, Texas for boarding and day students. ...

.John Coulter, "TMI Bugle Notes", Published Privately, 2002

References

External links

Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheetz, Josef R. 1895 births 1992 deaths Occupied Japan United States Army generals United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army Command and General Staff College faculty United States Army personnel of World War I Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Military personnel from Maryland United States Army generals of World War II