Garrison H. Davidson

Infobox Military Person
name=Garrison Holt Davidson
born= birth date|1904|4|24
died= Death date and age|1992|12|25|1904|04|24
placeofbirth= Bronx, New York
placeofdeath= Oakland, California

caption=Major General Garrison H. Davidson, Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, 1956
nickname="Gar"
allegiance=flagicon|United States United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=1927-1964
rank= Lieutenant General
commands=24th Infantry Division Command and General Staff College United States Military Academy Seventh United States Army First United States Army U.S. Military Representative to the United Nations
unit=
battles=World War II *Korean War
awards=Distinguished Service Medal
laterwork=
portrayedby=

A career U.S. Army officer and World War II combat commander, Garrison Holt "Gar" Davidson was born in the Bronx, New York City on April 24, 1904. He was a 1923 graduate of the prestigious Stuyvesant High School in New York City, where he was a star on the school's championship football team and a member of the Omega Gamma Delta Fraternity. Davidson realized his boyhood dream of becoming a soldier when he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. There he distinguished himself in football and graduated with the Class of 1927. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the 1st Engineer Regiment at Fort DuPont, Delaware, and maintained a West Point connection as an assistant Army football coach.

In 1930, he returned to West Point as an instructor in the physics department and assistant football coach. In 1933, he became head football coach (at a record young age), finishing in the 1937 season with a record of 35 wins, 11 losses and 1 tie. From 1938 to 1940 he was posted to Hawaii as a company commander with the 3rd Engineer Regiment. Just prior to World War II, Davidson transferred to Washington, D.C. working for U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Colonel Leslie Groves on the construction of The Pentagon.

World War II Service

In World War II, Davidson was a colonel and engineering officer for Seventh United States Army serving General George S. Patton in North Africa and Sicily. As a combat engineer, his efforts enabled Patton’s armor to move rapidly across enemy territory. An appreciative Patton used his own general stars to honor Davidson in a 1943 battlefield promotion to brigadier general. Davidson remained with Seventh Army as General Alexander Patch succeeded Patton, planning for Operation Anvil / Operation Dragoon, the Allied landing in southern France after the D-Day invasion of Normandy in June 1944, and Seventh Army's move through Germany. At the conclusion of the war he served as president of the first Nuremberg War Tribunal (for military defendants).

Korean War Service

After World War II, in 1946, he was appointed Sixth United States Army chief of staff for General Mark W. Clark and Albert C. Wedemeyer at the Presidio of San Francisco. In July 1950, he was called to Korea by Eighth United States Army commander General Walton H. Walker and directed to construct a defensive line protecting the Pusan Perimeter. Known as "Line Davidson", Davidson had to subvert his good judgment to construct the line to the preferences of General Douglas MacArthur and Walker, trading away defensibility and good internal communications.

As the North Korean invasion was repelled, Davidson was assigned to the 24th Infantry Division as assistant commander. Davidson reprised his effort at fortifying a more defensible perimeter around Pusan with the second North Korean invasion. He then headed "Task Force Davidson" as it broke out of the perimeter to hook up with the forces invading from Inchon. Afterwards, he constructed fortifications north of Seoul. He concluded his tour of duty as acting commander of the Korean Military Assistance Group. From 1951 to 1954 he was a weapons system analyst at the Pentagon.

Military Educator

During the next six years, Davidson played a significant role in training officers serving in the post-war and atomic eras. Starting in 1954 he was commander of the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, then in 1956 he returned to the United States Military Academy as its superintendent. There he largely prevailed over strong traditionalist viewpoints, initiating the most rigorous revision and modernization of the academy’s instructional program since Sylvanus Thayer (1817-1833), the academy’s legendary superintendent. The momentum from his reforms continued through the superintendency of his successor, William Westmoreland. While at West Point, he was promoted and confirmed to the rank of lieutenant general in 1957.

After West Point, Davidson was commanding general of Seventh United States Army in West Germany in its role as forward deployed force during the Cold War. In 1960 saw to the mobilization of Seventh Army during the Berlin Wall crisis.

Retirement

In 1962, his final command was of First United States Army headquartered at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York. While there he also served as U.S. Military Representative to the United Nations. After a 37 year military career, Davidson retired from active duty on April 30, 1964.

Davidson resumed his connection with West Point from 1983-1985 when he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to a two year term to the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy.

Davidson died in Oakland, California on December 25, 1992 and was buried at the West Point Cemetery. The inscription on his gravestone reads: “Soldier, Coach, Educator and His Best Teammate", the latter reference to his wife of 58 years, Verone Gruenther Davidson who died in 1996 and was the sister of a former NATO commander, General Alfred M. Gruenther.

At the time of his death, Garrison was survived by three sons, Garrison Holt Jr., of Los Angeles, Thomas M., of Darien, Conn., and Alan R., of Sarasota, Fla.; three daughters, Linda L. Hurst, of San Luis Obispo, California, Bonnie Elaine Bardellini and Gail Marie Davidson, both of Martinez, California; 14 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

Head Coaching Record

College coach infobox
Name = Garrison H. "Gar" Davidson

DateOfBirth =
Birthplace =
DateOfDeath =
Sport = Football
College = Army
Title = Head coach
CurrentRecord =
OverallRecord = 35-11-1
Awards =
Championships =
CFbDWID = 538
Player =
Years = 1924-1926
Team = Army
Position =
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 1933-1937, Asst. 1927-1932
CoachTeams = Army
FootballHOF =
CollegeHOFID =