William E. DePuy

Infobox Military Person
name=William E. DePuy
born= birth date|1919|10|1
died= death year and age|1992|1919


caption=General William E. DePuy
nickname=
placeofbirth= Jamestown, North Dakota
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Army
serviceyears=1941-1977
rank= General
unit=
commands=U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command 1st Infantry Division
battles= World War II Vietnam War
awards=Distinguished Service Cross (2) Army Distinguished Service Medal (5) Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (3) Purple Heart (2) Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Air Medal with "V" device
relations=
laterwork=

William Eugene DePuy (October 1, 1919 – 1992) was a U.S. Army general and the first commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. He is widely regarded as one of the principal architects of the restructuring of U.S. Army doctrine after the American withdrawal from Vietnam. [ [http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/download/csipubs/swain3/swain3_pt1.pdf Selected Papers of General William E. DePuy] ]

Early life and career

DePuy was born in Jamestown, North Dakota.cite web |title =South Dakota State University bio|url=http://www3.sdstate.edu/Academics/CollegeOfArtsAndScience/MilitaryScience/Alumni/DistinguishedAlumni/DePuy/ |accessdate = 2007-07-10] His military career began when he enlisted in the South Dakota National Guard, eventually becoming a squad leader.cite web |author =General Maxwell R. Thurman, Lieutenant General Orwin C. Talbott, General Paul F. Gorman |title =In Tribute to General William E. DePuy |publisher =United States Army Command and General Staff College |date =2007-03-28 |url =http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/Depuy/depuy.asp |accessdate = 2007-07-10] He graduated from South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the Infantry in 1941. His first assignment was with the 20th Infantry Regiment at Fort Leonard Wood, and during this time he walked to the Louisiana Maneuvers and back with his platoon. Assigned to the 90th Infantry Division during World War II, he served as an operations officer and battalion commander in the fierce fighting from Utah Beach through the Battle of the Bulge.

Post World War II

Following the war, DePuy served in myriad command and staff positions, including command of the 2d Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, and the 1st Battle Group, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, both in the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1948 he attended the Defense Language Institute for a year to learn Russian, followed in 1949 by assignment as Assistant Military Attaché, and later the acting Army Attaché in Budapest, Hungary.

He met Marjory Kennedy Walker of Salem, Virginia, a Far East specialist who served with both the Office of Strategic Services and the Central Intelligence Agency,cite web |title ="In Memoriam" |publisher =The O.S.S. Society Inc. |date =2002-04 |url =http://www.osssociety.org/pdfs/OSS%20Spring%202002.pdf |format =PDF |accessdate = 2007-07-10] and they were married in June 1951. A son, William E DePuy, Jr. was born in July 1952, and daughters Joslin and Daphne in July 1953 and 1954, respectively.

Vietnam

First deployed to Vietnam in 1964, he served as Chief of Staff of Operations for Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, and in March 1966 he assumed command of the 1st Infantry Division ("the Big Red One"). During his time as commander, he established a scholarship fund for the children of 1st Infantry Division soldiers killed in Vietnam, which eventually became the 1st Infantry Division Foundation. [cite web |title =1st Infantry Division: Scholarship Fund |publisher =U.S. Army |url =http://www.1id.army.mil/1ID/Scholarship.htm |accessdate = 2007-07-10]

Post-Vietnam

DePuy is perhaps best remembered for his efforts while commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, where he helped create a new, innovative fighting doctrine for the Army. His wide-ranging and sometimes controversial changes in combat development and the way the Army trains sparked a debate that resulted in the widely accepted AirLand Battle Doctrine. He retired from active duty in July 1977 and settled in Highfield, Virginia. He died in 1992, and his wife died on March 15, 2002.

DePuy awards included two Distinguished Service Crosses, five Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, three Silver Stars, two Purple Hearts, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, and Air Medal with "V" device. His foreign decorations include the Order of Commander in the French Legion of Honor, the Knight's Cross of the Germany Order of Merit, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and the Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit First Class.

ee also

References