1. Creighton Abrams was then Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1972 until his death in 1974.
28 Facts About Creighton Abrams
1. 2.
Creighton Abrams graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in the Class of 1936, ranking 185th of 276 in the class.
3.
Creighton Abrams served with the 1st Cavalry Division from 1936 to 1940, being promoted to first lieutenant in 1939 and temporary captain in 1940.
4.
Creighton Abrams became an armor officer early in the development of that branch and served as a tank company commander in the 1st Armored Division in 1940.
5.
Creighton Abrams commanded Combat Command B of the division during the Battle of the Bulge, and entitled to wear the French Fourragere as a member of the 4th Armored Division.
6.
Creighton Abrams was promoted to lieutenant colonel at age 27 years, 11 months.
7.
Creighton Abrams was twice decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism, on 20 September and 26 December 1944.
8.
Frequently the spearhead of the Third Army during World War II, Creighton Abrams was one of the leaders in the relief effort that broke up the German entrenchments surrounding Bastogne and the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge.
9.
Creighton Abrams commanded the 63rd Tank Battalion, part of the 1st Infantry Division, in Europe.
10.
Creighton Abrams was again promoted to colonel and commanded the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
11.
Creighton Abrams then attended and graduated from the Army War College in 1953.
12.
Creighton Abrams was promoted to brigadier general and appointed deputy chief of staff for reserve components at the Pentagon.
13.
Creighton Abrams was assistant division commander of 3rd Armored Division and then commanded the division upon his promotion to major general.
14.
Creighton Abrams was transferred to the Pentagon as deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and during this time he served as representative of the Army Chief of Staff overseeing the armed forces deployed to support the enrollment of James Meredith at the segregated University of Mississippi.
15.
Creighton Abrams performed a similar role in May 1963 during the civil rights protests in Birmingham, Alabama.
16.
Creighton Abrams was promoted to lieutenant general and commanded V Corps in Europe.
17.
Creighton Abrams was on the cover of Time magazine three times in ten years: 1961,1968, and 1971.
18.
Creighton Abrams was promoted to general in 1964 and appointed Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army.
19.
Creighton Abrams was seriously considered as a candidate for chief of staff.
20.
Lewis Sorley asserted that in contrast to Westmoreland, Creighton Abrams implemented counterinsurgency tactics that focused on winning the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese rural population.
21.
Newsweek magazine at the time of Creighton Abrams' appointment observed that its sources within the Lyndon Johnson administration had spoken at length with Creighton Abrams in the past, and had come away convinced that the general would make few changes.
22.
Creighton Abrams disdained most of the politicians with whom he was forced to deal, in particular Robert McNamara and McGeorge Bundy, and had an even lower opinion of defense contractors, whom he accused of war profiteering.
23.
Creighton Abrams was in charge of the Cambodian Incursion in 1970.
24.
Creighton Abrams was appointed Chief of Staff of the United States Army by Nixon in June 1972.
25.
In January 1974, Creighton Abrams directed the formation of a Ranger battalion.
26.
Creighton Abrams served as Chief of Staff until his death on 4 September 1974.
27.
Creighton Abrams founded the army group of Arlington Ladies and devoted time to humanitarian causes.
28.
Creighton Abrams is buried with his wife Julia in Arlington National Cemetery.