William Bryden

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William Bryden
Army Distinguished Service Medal (3)
Spouse(s)Ellen Barry (m. 1912–1972, his death)
Children2
RelationsRaymond W. Bliss (cousin)
Thomas Henry Barry (father-in-law)

William Bryden (February 3, 1880 – January 20, 1972) was a career officer in the

Fourth Service Command (1942–1944), and president of the Secretary of War
´s Separation Board (1944–1946).

A native of

Camp McClellan, Alabama
from November 1918 until the brigade was demobilized in February 1919.

Bryden's post-war assignments included instructor at the

Fourth Service Command) from March 1942 until February 1944, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 64. Because of the army's expansion for World War II, Bryden remained on active duty and served as president of the Secretary of War
´s Separation Board. He retired for the second time in January 1946.

In retirement, Bryden resided in Washington, D.C. He died in Washington on January 20, 1972, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Early life

Bryden at the time of his 1900 appointment to West Point

Bryden was born in Hartford, Connecticut on February 3, 1880, a son of veterinarian George Bryden and Florence A. (Bliss) Bryden.[1][2] He was raised and educated in Hartford until his father died in 1895, after which he was raised in the Chelsea, Massachusetts home of his maternal uncle, Eli C. W. Bliss.[3] Bryden's first cousin, Raymond W. Bliss, served as Surgeon General of the United States Army from 1947 to 1951.[4]

Bryden attended Chelsea High School, from which he graduated in 1898.[3] During his high school years, Chelsea High School fielded a battalion of cadet companies that performed in military drill and ceremony contests.[3] Bryden was elected commander of Company C, known as "Pony Company" because its members were smaller than average or otherwise deemed unsuitable for the top tier companies.[3] Bryden was already decided upon a military career, and his leadership abilities were evident when he led Company C to first place in 1898's annual competition.[3]

In 1899, Bryden competed for a congressional appointment from Representative

second lieutenant of Field Artillery.[5]

Start of career

Bryden was assigned to the 13th Field Artillery Battery at

first lieutenant in January 1907, and in May 1907 the 13th Battery was redesignated Battery E, 5th Field Artillery Regiment.[5] He served with Battery E in the Philippines until April 1908, and at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas until August 1908.[5] While at Fort Stotsenberg, Bryden assisted Edmund L. Gruber in creating the "U.S. Field Artillery March".[6]

From August 1908 to August 1912, Bryden was a mathematics instructor at West Point.[7] He served with the 5th Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from November 1912 to December 1914 and Fort Naco, Arizona from December 1914 to January 1915, during the Pancho Villa Expedition.[7] In January 1915, he received promotion to captain.[7] Bryden was a student at the Fort Sill School of Fire for Field Artillery from February to May 1915, and served as secretary of the Field Artillery School from May 1915 to June 1916.[7]

Continued career

National Archives photo, circa 1918

From June 1916 to June 1917, Bryden served as

Camp Custer, Michigan.[7] From October 1917 to October 1918, Bryden served as assistant commandant of the School of Fire for Field Artillery and director of the school's Department of Field Gunnery.[7] He was promoted to temporary colonel in June 1918 and temporary brigadier general in October 1918.[7]

Bryden commanded the 15th Field Artillery Brigade at

Army Distinguished Service Medal.[8]

In September 1922, Bryden began attendance at the United States Army Command and General Staff College, from which he graduated in June 1923.[8] He remained at the staff college as an instructor from June 1923 to May 1924, when he was assigned to command 2nd Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Sill.[8] In July 1924, he returned to the Command and General Staff College as an instructor, where he remained until August 1927.[8] Bryden was a student at the United States Army War College from August 1927 to June 1928, and he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in March 1928.[8] After completing the war college course, Bryden was assigned as executive officer in the Office of the Chief of Field Artillery.[8]

In October 1931, Bryden was assigned to temporary duty with the

Fort Hoyle, Maryland, and he was promoted to colonel in May 1935.[9]

Later career

From 1950's The United States Army in World War II – The War Department: Chief of Staff; Prewar Plans and Preparations

Bryden served in the Operations section (G-3) Mobilization Division on the War Department General Staff from August 1935 to September 1937, and he was promoted to brigadier general on September 1, 1937.

Fort Bragg, North Carolina.[9]

In June 1940, Bryden was assigned as

Fourth Service Command until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 in February 1944.[10] Bryden remained on active duty as part of the U.S. effort for World War II as president of the Secretary of War's Separation Board, which made recommendations on which officers to retain in the army after the war.[10] He retired again in January 1946.[10] Bryden's World War II achievements were recognized with two awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, one for his term as deputy chief of staff and one for his leadership of the Fourth Service Command and presidency of the separation board.[10]

Death and burial

In retirement, Bryden was a resident of Washington, D.C. and Niantic, Connecticut.[11][12] He was active in veterans and academic affairs, including membership in the Newcomen Society of the United States and Army and Navy Club, service as commander of Washington's American Legion Post 18, and appointment as senior vice commander of the D.C. chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars.[1][10][13] Bryden maintained a longtime interest in West Point alumni affairs, including a term as one of the alumni association's vice presidents.[14] He died in Washington on January 20, 1972.[11] Bryden was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[11]

Awards

Bryden received three awards of the

Army Distinguished Service Medal; one to recognize his World War I service, one to recognize his performance of duty as Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and one to recognize his leadership of the Fourth Service Command and presidency of the Secretary of War's Separation Board.[15][16] His other awards included the Philippine Campaign Medal, Mexican Border Service Medal, World War I Victory Medal, World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, and American Defense Service Medal.[11]

Family

In 1912, Bryden married Ellen Barry (1885–1974), the daughter of Major General Thomas Henry Barry.[1] They were the parents of two daughters.[1] Daughter Ellen (1914–1995) was the wife of Lieutenant General Alexander D. Surles (1916–1995).[1] Daughter Marion (1917–2004) was the wife of first Melvin W. Schoephoester (1911–1942), a pilot who died while serving as a first lieutenant in World War II, then Major General Frank Willoughby Moorman (1912–1995).[1][17]

Works by

  • "The Field Artillery of the "Army of the United States"". The Field Artillery Journal. Washington, DC: United States Field Artillery Association. May–June 1921. pp. 247–272 – via Google Books.

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-1-5719-7088-6 – via Google Books
    .
  2. ^ Bliss, John Homer (January 1881). Genealogy of the Bliss family in America, from about the year 1550–1880. Boston, MA: J. H. Bliss. p. 243 – via Google Books.
  3. ^
    Newspapers.com
    .
  4. Newspapers.com
    .
  5. ^ a b c d e Cullum, George W. (1910). Braden, Charles (ed.). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy. Vol. V. Saginaw, MI: Seemann & Peters. p. 720 – via Google Books.
  6. Newspapers.com
    .
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Cullum, George W. (1920). Robinson, Wirt (ed.). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy. Vol. VI–A. Saginaw, MI: Seemann & Peters. p. 1083 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Cullum, George W. (1930). Donaldson, Wm. H. (ed.). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy. Vol. VII. Chicago, IL and Crawfordsville, IN: R. R. Donnelly & Sons and The Lakeside Press. p. 620 – via United States Military Academy Digital Library.
  9. ^ a b c d e Cullum, George W. (1940). Farman, E. E. (ed.). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy. Vol. VIII. Chicago, IL and Crawfordsville, IN: R. R. Donnelly & Sons and The Lakeside Press. pp. 153–154 – via United States Military Academy Digital Library.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Cullum, George W. (1955). Branham, Charles N. (ed.). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy. Vol. IX. West Point, NY: Association of Graduates, U.S. Military Academy – via United States Military Academy Digital Library.
  11. ^
    Newspapers.com
    .
  12. ^ Branham, Charles N., ed. (1969). Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, 1802–1969. West Point, NY: West Point Alumni Foundation. p. 303 – via Google Books.
  13. Newspapers.com
    .
  14. ^ United States Military Academy (1950). "Association of Graduates". Catalog of the United States Military Academy. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 123 – via Google Books.
  15. Newspapers.com
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  16. Newspapers.com
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  17. Newspapers.com
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External links

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