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 ...

Raymond Eccleston Serveira Williamson (September 1, 1894 – September 27, 1957) was a highly decorated 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 ...

who served in both

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 ...

and

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 ...

. A graduate of 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 ...

, he is most noted for his service during World War II as Commanding General Service Command, South Pacific Theater of Operations and as the Assistant Division Commander (ADC) of the 91st Infantry Division during the Italian campaign. Williamson remained in the army following the end of World War II, and held several important assignments, including Military Attaché to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and later the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and Commanding General (CG) of the 3rd Armored Division.

Early years

Raymond Eccleston Serveira Williamson was born on September 1, 1894 in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

as the son of Sidney and Alice Williamson. Following high school, he studied one year at

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zephaniah Swift Moore, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher educatio ...

Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst () is a New England town, town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County (althoug ...

, before received an appointment to the

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 ...

in May 1913. During his time at the Academy, he was active in the boxing team and reached the rank of Cadet Captain. He was a member of the class which produced more than 55 future general officers, including two

Army Chiefs of Staff An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

Joseph L. Collins and Matthew B. Ridgway. Other classmates include: Clare H. Armstrong, Aaron Bradshaw Jr.,

Mark W. Clark Mark Wayne Clark (May 1, 1896 – April 17, 1984) was a United States Army officer who saw service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He was the youngest four-star general in the US Army during World War II. During World War I ...

, John T. Cole, Norman D. Cota, John M. Devine,

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 ...

, Theodore L. Futch,

Charles H. Gerhardt Major general (United States), Major General Charles Hunter Gerhardt (June 6, 1895 – October 9, 1976) was a senior United States Army Officer (armed forces), officer who fought in both World War I and World War II. During the latter, he commande ...

Augustus M. Gurney Augustus Milton Gurney (February 18, 1895 – April 10, 1967) was an officer in the United States Army with the rank of brigadier general during World War II. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he served mostly in the staff positio ...

, Ernest N. Harmon,

William Kelly Harrison Jr. William Kelly Harrison Jr. (September 7, 1895 – May 25, 1987) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Army with the rank of Lieutenant General. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, he rose through the ranks to brigadier ...

Robert W. Hasbrouck Robert W. Hasbrouck (February 2, 1896 - August 19, 1985) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, ...

, Frederick A. Irving,

Laurence B. Keiser Major General Laurence B. "Dutch" Keiser (June 1, 1895 – October 20, 1969) was an American officer who served in both World War I and World War II. During the early stages of the Korean War, he commanded the 2nd Infantry Division. Early life ...

, Charles S. Kilburn, Bryant E. Moore,

Daniel Noce Daniel Noce (1894−1976) was a U.S. Army Lieutenant General who served in both world wars. Over his decorated military career he rose to the position of Inspector General of the Army. Following his retirement from the armed forces, he served a ...

Onslow S. Rolfe Onslow S. Rolfe (January 16, 1895 – January 29, 1985) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of brigadier general during World War II as commander of the Mountain Training Center at Camp Hale, Colorado, and the 7 ...

, Herbert N. Schwarzkopf, Albert C. Smith, George D. Wahl, and George H. Weems. Shortly after the

American entry into World War I American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry ...

Williamson graduated that August with a

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. He was 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 United States Army Cavalry Branch. He completed his basic training at

Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Gear ...

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 ...

and

Fort Logan Fort Logan was a military installation located eight miles southwest of Denver, Colorado. It was established in October 1887, when the first soldiers camped on the land, and lasted until 1946, when it was closed following the end of World War I ...

with the 21st Cavalry and then embarked for

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 ...

in mid-1918 attached to the 157th Field Artillery Brigade, part of the 82nd "All American" Division. He participated in the

Meuse–Argonne offensive The Meuse–Argonne offensive (also known as the Meuse River–Argonne Forest offensive, the Battles of the Meuse–Argonne, and the Meuse–Argonne campaign) was a major part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along th ...

and was decorated with the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

by the

Government of France The Government of France ( French: ''Gouvernement français''), officially the Government of the French Republic (''Gouvernement de la République française'' ), exercises executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister, who ...

and also received the

Belgian Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de guerre'' ( French) or ''Oorlogskruis'' (Dutch), both literally translating as "Cross of War", is a military decoration of the Kingdom of Belgium established by royal decree on 25 October 1915. It was primarily awarded for bravery ...

Between the wars

Following the

Armistice with Germany The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...

on November 11, 1918, which brought the war to an end, Williamson was attached to the 1st Division under Major General James B. Erwin and took part in the

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

occupation of the Rhineland. He returned to the United States in mid-1919 and served as a troop commander at

Fort Myer Fort Myer is the previous name used for a U.S. Army post next to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, and across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Founded during the American Civil War as Fort Cass and Fort Whipple, t ...

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 ...

with additional duty as Junior Aide to the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

during the tenure of President

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents. A ...

. In August 1922, he was ordered to

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

for a year of study, preparatory to detail at

in the newly established Department of Economics and Government, where he subsequently served as an Instructor. During this assignment, Williamson met his future wife Anne Bryan, a daughter of Rear admiral Benjamin C. Bryan. He was ordered back to the United States Military Academy at West Point in summer 1924 and served as

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 ...

and Instructor in the Department of Economics and Government, and Political History until late 1926. Williamson returned to West Point in July 1932 and served as captain and Assistant Instructor in the Department of Tactics and Personnel Officer of the Academy during the tenure of Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Richardson. Upon an appointment of the new Commandant, Simon B. Buckner Jr. in June 1933, Williamson was appointed as his Assistant. Williamson entered 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 June 1935 and following his graduation one year later, he served as a troop and squadron commander with the 7th Cavalry until July 1939, when he was detailed to the Army War College. He graduated in June 1940 and joined the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for logistics (G-4),

War Department General Staff 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 ...

. He 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 ...

on August 30, 1940.

World War II

Following America's entry into

, in December 1941, Williamson was, on February 1, 1942, promoted to the temporary rank of

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 ...

and was appointed Chief of Rail Transportation Section in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for logistics (G-4). The war, however, demanded skilled officers and Williamson was ordered to

Nouméa Nouméa () is the capital and largest city of the French special collectivity of New Caledonia and is also the largest francophone city in Oceania. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, a ...

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

, where he joined the headquarters of the newly activated 23rd Infantry Division under Major General

Alexander Patch General Alexander McCarrell Patch (November 23, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was a senior United States Army officer who fought in both world wars, rising to rank of general. During World War II, he commanded U.S. Army and Marine Corps ...

and assumed duty as Divisional Personnel officer (G-1). He was promoted to the temporary 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 ...

on August 5, 1942 and assumed duty as Commanding General, Service Command, South Pacific Theater of Operations. In this capacity, he was responsible for the supply, salvage, evacuation, construction, personnel management, quartering and sanitation needs of all units during the

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the seco ...

and

New Georgia campaign The New Georgia campaign was a series of land and naval battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, the Allied strategy in the South Pacific to isolate the ...

s. Williamson distinguished himself and received 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 ...

. Williamson remained in the South Pacific until the end of November 1943 and returned to the United States. Following a brief leave at home, he received orders to joined the headquarters of the 91st Infantry Division, commanded by Major General William G. Livesay, at

Camp White, Oregon Camp White was an Army training base located in Jackson County, Oregon, United States, during World War II. It was also the site of a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp. The camp was named in honor of George A. White, who served as adjutant general for ...

as the 91st's assistant division commander (ADC), taking over from Brigadier General William E. Crist. After several months of training, the 91st Division departed for the

Mediterranean Theater of Operations The Mediterranean Theater of Operations, United States Army (MTOUSA), originally called the North African Theater of Operations, United States Army (NATOUSA), was a military formation of the United States Army that supervised all U.S. Army forc ...

(MTO) in April 1944. The 91st Division was scheduled for the Italian front as part of the U.S. Fifth Army under Lieutenant General

(a 1917 West Point classmate of Williamson). Brigadier General Williamson commanded a Task Force of his division during the liberation of the cities of

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 158,493 residents in December 2017. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn (pronou ...

and

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...

and received the

Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

for his leadership. He remained in that assignment during the combats on the

Gothic Line The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...

and received another two Bronze Stars. During the Spring offensive in April 1945 (Operation Grapeshot), the final offensive of the Italian campaign, Williamson distinguished himself in the vicinity of

Vedelago Vedelago ( vec, Vedeàgo) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about northwest of Venice, about east of Vicenza, about north of Padua and about west of Treviso. The main attraction is ...

, when an enemy strong point held up forward Infantry elements of his Division, Williamson went forward through machine gun and small arms fire to determine the best method of meeting the situation. He called for tanks and personally directed mortar fire and promptly routed the enemy force. For this heroic action, he was decorated with 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 ...

for gallantry in action. Following the surrender of German forces in Italy at the beginning of May 1945, the 91st Infantry Division remained stationed in that country until late September, when the elements began returning to the United States. Williamson's effort during the Italian campaign was recognized by the

Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

and he was decorated with the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

and Italian Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.

Postwar career

Williamson returned to the United States and was ordered to

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, where he joined the headquarters,

Second United States Army Second Army was most recently located at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as a Direct Reporting Unit to Headquarters U.S. Army, Chief Information Officer (CIO)/G-6. Under the CIO/G-6, Second Army served as the single point of contact for Army missions an ...

under Lieutenant General

Lloyd Fredendall Lieutenant General Lloyd Ralston Fredendall (December 28, 1883 – October 4, 1963) was a senior officer of the United States Army who served during World War II. He is best known for his leadership failure during the Battle of Kasserine Pass ...

as his Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3). He remained in that capacity until February 1946, when he was reverted to the peacetime rank of colonel and appointed Military Attaché to

with a seat at the Embassy in

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

. Williamson served in that capacity until the end of May 1949, when he returned to the United States for brief service as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3) at Armored Center,

Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold res ...

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

. On July 17, 1949, he was promoted again to the rank of brigadier general and ordered to the headquarters of the 3rd Armored Division as ADC under Major General Roderick R. Allen. The 3rd Armored Division was tasked with the training of replacement units during the Korean War and following the departure of Allen in June 1950, Williamson assumed interim command of the division. He held that command until February 1951, when he resumed his duties as ADC upon the arrival of Major General Ira P. Swift. Williamson was once again appointed CG of the division in October 1951 and remained in that capacity until November 1952, when he was relieved by his West Point classmate, Brigadier General John T. Cole. For his service with 3rd Armored Division, Williamson received a letter of appreciation by the Secretary of the Army, Frank Pace, which states: "During my entire service as Secretary of the Army, I have never been privileged to hear a more meaningful and effective message concerning the American soldier than the one delivered by you to your men." Williamson was subsequently ordered to London, England, and assumed duty as Military Attaché to Great Britain. He served in this capacity until his retirement from the army on July 31, 1954, after almost thirty-seven years of active service.

Retirement

Following his retirement from the army, Williamson settled with his wife in Monterey, California. In June 1957, he was diagnosed with cancer of the lungs and liver in an advanced stage. Brigadier General Raymond E. S. Williamson died on September 27, 1957 at his home, at the age of 63, and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery,

. His wife, Anne Bryan Williamson (1894–1969) is buried beside him. They had together his three daughters: Marianne, Alice and Louise.

Decorations

Here is Brigadier General Williamson's ribbon bar:

References

External links

Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williamson, Raymond E. S. 1894 births 1957 deaths People from Brooklyn Amherst College alumni United States Military Academy alumni Military personnel from New York City United States Army Cavalry Branch personnel United States Army personnel of World War I Harvard University alumni United States Military Academy faculty United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army War College alumni United States Army generals of World War II Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium) Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Recipients of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus United States military attachés United States Army generals Deaths from cancer in California Burials at Arlington National Cemetery