William J. McCaffrey

William J. McCaffrey
William J. McCaffrey
	McCaffrey as a major general, circa 1969
Born	October 9, 1914; Omaha, Nebraska
Died	February 13, 2006 (aged 91); Arlington County, Virginia
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Army
Years of service	1934–1935, 1939–1973
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	Deputy Commander United States Army Vietnam; United States Army War College; 31st Infantry Regiment
Battles / wars	World War II; Korean War; Vietnam War
Awards	Silver Star Medal (3); Legion of Merit (4); Bronze Star Medal (2); Air Medal
Relations	General Barry McCaffrey (son)

William Joseph McCaffrey (October 9, 1914 – February 13, 2006) was a United States Army Lieutenant General and the father of retired General Barry McCaffrey.^[1]

Early life and education

McCaffrey enlisted in the Army on 24 April 1934.^[2] He started at West Point in 1935, graduating as a Second Lieutenant in 1939.^[1]

Military service

World War II

McCaffrey graduated from the Command and General Staff School in 1943.^[2] He then served as chief of staff of the 92nd Infantry Division in Europe.^[1]

Korean War

McCaffrey served as deputy chief of staff X Corps.^[3]

He assumed command of the 31st Infantry Regiment when its commander was killed in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir and led them in the retreat to Hungnam.^[1]

McCaffrey graduated from the United States Army War College in 1953.^[2] He later served as Commandant of the Army War College from 15 September 1967 to 6 July 1969.

He serves as assistant commandant of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy from 1953 to 1956 and then as commandant of cadets at The Citadel from 1959 to 1961.^[4]

Vietnam War

He served as Deputy Commander United States Army Vietnam from 1970 to 1972.^[1]

Later life

He retired from the Army in 1973.^[1]

McCaffrey died of heart disease on 13 February 2006.^[1] He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 21 February 2006.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "William McCaffrey, 91; Fought in Three Wars". Washington Post. 20 February 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c U.S. Army Register: United States Army Active and Retired List. Vol. I. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1 January 1966. p. 368. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
^ Appleman, Roy (1990). East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950. Texas A&M University Press. p. 11. ISBN 9780890964651.
^ "Class of 1939—Register of Graduates". Official Register of the Officers and Cadets. United States Military Academy. 1971. p. 479. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
^ "McCaffrey, William Joseph". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved 1 October 2022.

[WAPO-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "William McCaffrey, 91; Fought in Three Wars". Washington Post. 20 February 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2018.

[Army_register-2] U.S. Army Register: United States Army Active and Retired List. Vol. I. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1 January 1966. p. 368. Retrieved 1 October 2022.

[3] Appleman, Roy (1990). East of Chosin: Entrapment and Breakout in Korea, 1950. Texas A&M University Press. p. 11. ISBN 9780890964651.

[4] "Class of 1939—Register of Graduates". Official Register of the Officers and Cadets. United States Military Academy. 1971. p. 479. Retrieved 2 October 2022.

[5] "McCaffrey, William Joseph". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved 1 October 2022.

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