Years of service 1927–1963 Name Philip Witt | Service number 0-16904 | |
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Born September 19, 1905Plainfield, New Jersey ( 1905-09-19 ) Died November 7, 1968, Danbury, Connecticut, United States Battles and wars World War II, Korean War, Cold War | ||
Allegiance United States of America | ||
Philip De Witt Ginder (September 19, 1905 - November 7, 1968) was an American career, highly decorated soldier who rose to the rank of Major General during the Korean War, while commanding 45th Infantry "Thunderbird" Division. He was also a recicipent of the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military award that can be given to a member of the United States Army for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force.
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Biography
He was born on September 19, 1905 in Plainfield, New Jersey as the son of Grant Ginder. Ginder attended the United States Military Academy and graduated in summer 1927.
During World War II, Ginder was among the first ashore during the Normandy Landings on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Appointed to command the 357th Infantry Regiment, a unit of the 90th Infantry Division, Ginder developed a reputation for subpar performance, with observers and subordinates calling Ginder "obtuse" and "full of boasting and posturing." 357th veteran William E. DePuy called Ginder "as close to being incompetent as it is possible to be." Ginder was ultimately relieved of command during combat and escorted to the division command post under armed guard.
He was later appointed commander of the 121st Infantry Regiment, an 8th Infantry Division unit. He was in command of the regiment when it captured the German town of Hürtgen as part of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. It was for this action that he received the Distinguished Service Cross for actions on November 28, 1944, when he led his reserve company in an attack against the heavily defended town of Hürtgen, armed only with his pistol and a hand grenade, and led his troops through the town in bitter house-to-house fighting.
He was appointed the commanding officer of the 9th Infantry Regiment in the spring of the 1945. Ginder commanded the regiment until the end of the war, taking part in liberating the western part of Czechoslovakia, and ending the war in the town of Rokycany near Pilsen.
From 1946 to 1949 Ginder attended the National War College. He also served in the Far East on the staff of General Douglas MacArthur.
Before retiring from the Army with the rank of Major General in 1963, Ginder commanded the 6th Infantry Regiment (United States), Berlin (1951-1952), the 45th Infantry Division (United States), Korea (1953), the 37th Infantry Division (United States), Fort Riley (1954), 10th Mountain Division (1954-1955) and Fifth United States Army (1955). He went to Korea as a Colonel, and advanced to Major General in less than two years, making him the youngest American general to command a combat division in Korea. His service in Korea included nearly 18 months spent north of the 38th parallel.
Ginder was married to Jean Dalrymple, the head of the City Center Drama and Light Opera Companies, whom he met in 1951 while she organized United States participation at the Berlin Arts Festival on behalf of the United States Department of State. The couple had an apartment at 150 West 55th Street and in Danbury, Connecticut.
Ginder died at age 63 on November 7, 1968 in Trafalgar Hospital after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage.
Decorations
Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Philip De Witt Ginder: