Name Philip Wehle Rank Major general | Died September 20, 1978 | |
Commands held Military District of Washington Education United States Military Academy Awards Distinguished Service Medal | ||
Service/branch United States Army Allegiance United States of America | ||
Philip Campbell Wehle (September 5, 1906 – September 20, 1978) was a Major General in the U.S. Army and the Commanding General of the Military District of Washington (MDW) (CG MDW) from 1962 to 1965.
Contents
Biography
Wehle was born in Westport, Connecticut and raised in Norwalk. He graduated from Norwalk High School in 1924 and attended West Point, graduating in June 1930. During the World War II, Wehle served a tour of duty in Pacific Theater, where he served with first Joint Army-Navy Task Force.
After his return back to the United States, Wehle was transferred to Camp Hale, Colorado, where he was appointed Commanding officer of Artillery Battalion. He was subsequently assigned to the staff of XVIII Airborne Corps as Assistant Artillery Officer. He participated in the Battle of the Bulge, Rhineland Campaign and Central European Campaign. For his service in this capacity, Colonel Wehle was decorated with Legion of Merit.
After the War, he served with Occupation Forces in Heidelberg, Germany and subsequently in the Plans Section until 1949. He was also appointed later the Secretary of the General Staff, Army Field Forces Headquarters at Fort Monroe. In 1950, Wehle was transferred back to the Europe, to serve as Chief of the Personnel Branch of United States Army, Europe.
In August 1963, Wehle was appointed the Commanding General of the Military District of Washington. As CG MDW, he helped plan three state funerals, all of which happened within a span of 12 months:
All three state funerals General Wehle helped plan had one thing in common: the riderless horse was Black Jack. Black Jack would be the riderless horse in one more state funeral: that of Lyndon B. Johnson in 1973.
For his service as the Commanding General of the Military District of Washington, Major General Wehle was decorated with Army Distinguished Service Medal. He subsequently retired from the Army on September 19, 1965.
Following his retirement, Wehle worked on the staff of the Research and Analysis Corporation in McLean, Virginia. He later taught English language and History at the Heights School in Washington, D.C.
Major General Philip C. Wehle died on September 20, 1978 at Walter Reed Army Hospital, following the complications from Lung Cancer. He is buried together with his wife Eloise McElroy Wehle (1911-1977) at Arlington National Cemetery.
Decorations
Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Wehle: