George H. Weems
George Hatton Weems | |
---|---|
Born | Brigadier General | September 27, 1891
Service number | 0-5297 |
Unit | Infantry Branch |
Commands held | 22nd Infantry Regiment |
Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit |
George Hatton Weems (September 27, 1891 - February 25, 1957) was a highly decorated officer in the
Following the War, he remained in the Army and rose to the general's rank during World War II. Weems served as Assistant Commandant of the
Early career
Weems was born on September 27, 1891, in
He was a member of the class which produced more than 55 future general officers, including two
Weems graduated on April 20, 1917, with Bachelor of Science degree, shortly following the United States entry into World War I, and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Infantry Branch. He was ordered to the Army Camp at Syracuse, New York, where he completed his basic training with 9th Infantry Regiment and was promoted to First lieutenant in May that year. The 9th Infantry embarked for France as the part of 2nd Infantry Division in September 1917 and Weems was meanwhile promoted to the temporary rank of captain on August 5.[1][2]
He arrived in France by the end of September 1917 and following a month of intensive training, Weems assumed command of regimental Machine gun company. Weems went to the trench sector near Verdun in mid-March 1918 and remained there until the beginning of May that year. He subsequently led his company during the Château-Thierry operation and distinguished himself during the capture of Vaux on July 1–2, 1918.[2]
Weems personally took charge of his advanced positions and manned captured enemy machine guns on an exposed flank of the battalion. By his coolness and daring in fearlessly exposing himself to the enemy fire in order that he might personally direct the fire of his guns, he succeeded in breaking down the counterattack of the enemy upon the exposed flank of his battalion. For his leadership and gallantry in action, he was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest decoration of the United States Military for bravery. He also received Silver Star for bravery in the later phase of the battle.[5][2]
In mid-July 1918, Weems was ordered to the Army Officer Candidates School at Langres, where he served as an instructor until the end of November that year. He was promoted to the temporary rank of major on May 5, 1918. The Allies of the United States bestowed him with French Croix de guerre 1914–1918 with Guilt Star and Order of the Crown of Italy and Italian War Merit Cross.[1][2]
Interwar period
Weems rejoined 9th Infantry Regiment in December 1918 and took part in the
He graduated one year later and assumed duty as Professor of Military Science & Tactics at Davidson College in North Carolina. In June 1927 Weems reported to the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth as a student officer and following the graduation in June 1928, he returned to the Military Academy at West Point as an Assistant Instructor in the Department of Tactics.[1][2]
Weems served there until June 1929, when he was transferred to the
He subsequently entered the
In May 1939, Weems was ordered to the Caribbean and assumed duty as Chief of U.S. Military Mission to Haiti with the headquarters in Port-au-Prince. On July 1, 1940, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and to colonel on January 15, 1941. He departed Haiti in November that year and received National Order of Honour and Merit in recognition of his merits during organization of Haitian Military Academy. Weems also cooperated with Bolivia and Brazil and was also decorated by that countries.[1][2][3][6]
World War II
Weems returned to the United States shortly before the Japanese
For his new billet, Weems was promoted to the temporary rank of Brigadier general on September 10, 1942, and was instrumental in training more than 60,000 young Second Lieutenants of Infantry, as well as thousands of officers and enlisted personnel. He also went overseas, when he was sent to the special observation mission to the
Postwar service
Weems was sent to
In July 1949, Weems returned to the United States and was appointed Chief of the Georgia Military District. He retired from active duty on September 30, 1951, after 34 years of commissioned service.[1][2][3]
Death
Following the retirement from the Army, Weems returned to his residence in
Decorations
Brigadier general Weems's ribbon bar:[5]
1st Row | Distinguished Service Cross | Army Distinguished Service Medal | Silver Star | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2nd Row | Legion of Merit | World War I Victory Medal with three battle clasps | Army of Occupation of Germany Medal | American Defense Service Medal | ||||||||||||||
3rd Row | American Campaign Medal | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
|
Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal | World War II Victory Medal
| ||||||||||||||
4th Row | Army of Occupation Medal | National Defense Service Medal | French Croix de guerre 1914–1918 with Guilt Star | Order of the Crown of Italy, rank Knight | ||||||||||||||
5th Row | Italian War Merit Cross | Haitian National Order of Honour and Merit, rank Officer | Brazilian Order of Military Merit, rank Officer | Bolivian Order of the Condor of the Andes, rank Officer |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "George H. Weems Papers – Army Center of Military History" (PDF). Army Military History Division. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "George Hatton Weems Papers – 22nd Infantry Regiment". 22nd Infantry Websites. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Biography of Brigadier-General George Hatton Weems (1891 - 1957), USA". generals.dk. generals.dk Websites. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ "George H. Weems 1917 - West Point Association of Graduates".
- ^ a b c d "Valor awards for George H. Weems". valor.militarytimes.com. Militarytimes Websites. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ "BÂTIMENTS OUBLIÉS DE L'HISTOIRE MILITAIRE D'HAITI - Haitian Military Academy (in french)". Medium.com. Medium.com Websites. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- ^ "U.S. Military Control Commission in Hungary Report". history.state.gov. Office of the Historian Websites. Retrieved 12 April 2017.