Ray E. Porter

Infobox Military Person
name=Ray Edison Porter
born= birth date|1891|7|29
died= Death date and age|1963|8|10|1891|7|29
placeofbirth=Fordyce, Arkansas
placeofdeath=Little Rock, Arkansas
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Army
serviceyears=1917-1953
rank= Major General
commands=U.S. Fifteenth Army U.S. 75th Infantry Division US Army, Caribbean U.S. 101st Airborne Division
unit=V Corps U.S. 38th Infantry Division U.S. 349th Infantry Regiment U.S. 34th Infantry Division Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (War Dept)
battles=African campaign Colmar Pocket
awards=Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Purple Heart Croix de Guerre
laterwork=

Ray Edison Porter was a U.S. Army Major General from Arkansas. In World War II he worked on the Africa campaign, in the War Department, and then led the 75th Infantry. Dwight D. Eisenhower named him as one of fifty who took over the ASF's Project Planning Division, the Special Planning Division or SPD.

From "Major General Ray E. Porter, U.S. Army Retired Biographic Sketch"

Major General Ray E. Porter, U.S. Army, Retired was born at Fordyce Arkansas 29 July 1891, the son of the late William and Hattie E. Porter. He received his education at Fordyce High Schooland at the University of Arkansas. On 21 May 1921, he was married to Maude Garner, daughter of the late John W. Garner and Mrs Effie Garner of Fordyce. Since his retirement General Porter has resided at his home at 5808 Scenic Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas. He has three children: Lieutenant Colonel Ray E. Porter, Jr, Mr Gene A Northington, and Mr Allan R. Burke.General Porter entered the Military Service with the First Officers' Training Camp, Fort Logan H. Roots, Arkansas, 15 May 1917, receiving his first Army Commission in the Officers' Reserve Corps 15 August of the same year. He was appointed a second Lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army on 26 October 1917 and progressed through the successive grades of the Regular Army to his appointment as a Major General, 21 September, 1943.During WWI General Porter participated in combat in the European Theater of Operations with Company E, 34th Infantry, 7th Division. He was awarded the American Distinguished Service Cross and the French Croix de Guerre for gallantry in action 1-2 November 1918.Between the World Wars General Porter graduated from the Company Officers Course (1928) and the Advanced Course (1932) of the Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; The Command and General Staff School (1935), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Army War College (1937), Washington, D.C. Other service of that period included duty as Professor of Military Science and Tactics, Ouachita Baptist College, Arka-delphia, Arkansas; (1922-1927) a tour of foreign service with the 19th Infantry in Hawaii, (1928-1931) and instructor at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1937-1940.In World War II he took part in the assault landing of the Allied Forces at Algiers, North Africa in November 1942 and served as Deputy Chief of Staff at General Eisenhower's Advance Headquarters during the Tunisian Campaign. Returning to the United States after the German surrender in North Africa, he was assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (Organization and Training), War Department General Staff. When the Germans attacked in the Bulge during December 1944, General Porter was flown immediately to the European Theater of Operations where he commanded the 75th Infantry division in combat until the end of hostilities in that theater. Shortly after V-E Day he was called home for duty as Chief of the Special Planning Division, War Department Special Staff.From 1948 to 1951, General Porter commanded the United States Army in the Caribbean with his headquarters at Fort Amador, Canal Zone. His command included the United States Army forces and activities in Panama and Puerto Rico and the United States Army Missions in the numerous republics of Central and South America. He was retired from Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where he had commanded the Replacement Training Center and the 101st Airborne Division, 30 June 1953.

The General's decorations and medals include:

UNITED STATES–Distinguished Service Cross–Distinguished Service Medal–Legion of Merit–Bronze Star with Arrowhead–Army Commendation Ribbon–Purple Heart–Eight Campaign Medals

FOREIGN–Officer of the Legion of Honor (France)–Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands)–Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Great Britain)–Grand Officer of the Order of Boyaca (Republic of Colombia)–Grand Officer of the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa (Republic of Panama)–Cavalier of the Legion of Honor (France)–Abdoh Calderon, First Class (Ecuador)–Medal of Military Merit, First Class (Republic of Chile)–Croix de Guerre with Palm (France)–Croix de Guerre with Palm (Belgium)–Croix de Guerre with Gold Star (France)–Order of Eloy Alfaro (Foundation of International Eloy Alfaro)

PROMOTIONS–Second Lieutenant, Officers Reserve Corps - 15 August 1917–Second Lieutenant Infantry, Regular Army - 26 October 1917–First Lieutenant - 26 October 1917–Captain (temporary) - 6 May 1919–Captain, Regular Army - 1 July 1920–Major, Regular Army- 1 August 1935–Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army - 18 August 1938 –Colonel (temporary) - 24 December 1941–Brigadier General (temporary) - 1 August 1942–Major General (temporary) - 21 September 1943–Major General, Regular Army - 1948 with rank from October 8 1944

External links

* [http://www.army.mil/CMH/books/root/chapter4.htm Army site]
* [http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/75thinfantry/index.html Lonesentry]