Years of service 1912-1950 | Name Walter Robertson Rank Major General | |
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Born June 15, 1888
Nelson County, Virginia ( 1888-06-15 ) Commands held 2nd Infantry Division
XV Corps Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Cold War
Normandy Campaign
Battle of the Bulge
Battle of Elsenborn Ridge
Central Europe Campaign Awards Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Silver Star Died November 22, 1954, San Francisco, California, United States Battles and wars World War I, World War II, Normandy Campaign | ||
Allegiance United States of America Service/branch United States Army | ||
General eisenhower talks to major general walter m robertson and other officers hd stock footage
Major General Walter Melville Robertson (June 15, 1888 – November 22, 1954) was a senior United States Army officer. During World War II he received the second highest American military award, Distinguished Service Cross, for his leadership of the 2nd Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.
Contents
- General eisenhower talks to major general walter m robertson and other officers hd stock footage
- General walter m robertson distinguished service cross
- Early military service
- Life after the War
- Decorations
- References
General walter m robertson distinguished service cross
Early military service
Walter Melville Robertson was born on June 15, 1888 as the son of William Walter Robertson and his wife Mary Fannie (néé Pettit). He attended the Central State Normal School and subsequently the University of Oklahoma, where he took a special work in engineering. Robertson attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and graduated from this institution on June 12, 1912. He was also commissioned a Second lieutenant in the Infantry at that date.
Many of his West Point classmates later became a general officers during World War II. For example: Wade H. Haislip, John Shirley Wood, Walton Walker, Raymond O. Barton, Harry J. Malony, Gilbert R. Cook, Stephen J. Chamberlin, Archibald V. Arnold, Albert E. Brown, Roscoe C. Crawford, William H. Wilbur, Bradford G. Chynoweth, Robert M. Littlejohn, Sidney P. Spalding, Franklin C. Sibert, Thomas J. Hayes, William G. Weaver, William H. Hobson, John E. Lewis, Davenport Johnson, William J. Morrissey or Millard Harmon.
His first military service was at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where he stayed until 1915. Then he spent some time in Presidio of San Francisco, before he was transferred to Nogales, Arizona, where he served as officer in charge of training of 800 men and 53 officers for special duty.
He was then transferred to the newly established officer training school at Camp Bullis in Texas, before his departure to the France during World War I in May 1918. After the War, Robertson served with the Occupation Forces in the Germany until 1920.
Life after the War
In June, 1946, Major General Robertson was transferred to the XV Corps, where he replaced his West Point Classmate, Lieutenant General Wade H. Haislip, as a corps commander. He served with the XV Corps as the part of Occupation forces in Austria and then in Germany. In March 1946, XV Corps was inactivated and Robertson was appointed a Head of US Delegation Allied Control Commission for Bulgaria. He stayed there until September 1947, where he was appointed a Deputy Commander of the Sixth United States Army under the command of Mark W. Clark. He was retired from this Command on June 30, 1950.
After the retirement from the Army, Robertson was appointed a California State Director of Civil Defense with the seat in Sacramento. He served in this capacity until November 22, 1954, when he suddenly died at the age of 66 years. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
Decorations
Here is Major General Robertson's ribbon bar: