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First Name: Edward

Last Name: Meyer

Birthplace: St. Marys, PA, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Middle Name: Charles



Date of Birth: 11 December 1928



Rank: General

Years Served: 1951-1983
Edward Charles Meyer
'Shy'

   
Graduate, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1951

Engagements:
•  Korean War (1950 - 1953)
•  Vietnam War (1960 - 1973)

Biography:

Edward Charles "Shy" Meyer
General, U.S. Army

Edward Charles Meyer was born on 11 December 1928 in St. Marys, PA. Upon graduation from the U.S. Military Academy in 1951, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and attended the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA.

Korean War

His first assignment was as a platoon leader in Company C, 25th Armored Infantry Battalion in the Korean War from 1951 to 1952. After promotion to First Lieutenant in July 1952, he served as a platoon leader, company commander, and battalion staff officer with the 2/24th Infantry Regiment, also in Korea, until 1953.

Post-Korean War Service

He served in the 1st Officer Candidate Regiment, Infantry School from 1953 to 1954. After that he served as aide to the Assistant Commandant of the Infantry School, and then as an instructor in Operations until 1957. During his time there, he was promoted to temporary Captain in July 1956. He next graduated from the Infantry Officers basic and advanced airborne courses in 1957, continuing on to command Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 501st Infantry, from 1957 to 1958. He was promoted to permanent Captain in February 1958 and commanded the Regiment's Company D until 1959. After company commands, he attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, graduating in 1960. He was promoted to temporary Major in October 1960.

During 1960-61, he was Manpower Control Officer in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, U.S. Army, Europe. He was Assistant Executive and Aide to the Chief of Staff at Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe from 1961-63. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College in 1964, receiving a promotion to temporary Lieutenant Colonel in May 1964 and to permanent Major in June 1965. After graduation, he served in the Coordination Division of the Office of the Chief of Staff until 1965.

Vietnam War

He returned to combat as Deputy Commander of the 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) in Vietnam, later taking command of the 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry from 1965-66. After returning to the U.S., he graduated from the National War College in 1967 and then served in the Plans and Operations Division, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff until 1969. He received a promotion to temporary Colonel in November 1968. He returned to Vietnam to command the 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), and then served as Division Chief of Staff, leaving Vietnam in 1970.

Post-Vietnam War

Meyer was chosen as a Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution from 1970 to 1971. He was promoted to temporary Brigadier General in August 1971 and to permanent Brigadier General in June 1972. Upon promotion to flag rank, he served as Assistant Division Commander (Support) of the 82d Airborne Division from 1971-72, followed by assignment as Deputy Commandant of the Army War College in 1972-73. He was next Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Army, Europe and Seventh Army, until 1974. He was promoted to temporary Major General in August 1973. He was appointed Commanding General of the 3d Infantry Division, U.S. Army, Europe from 1974 to 1975.

Senior Commands and Chief of Staff

In 1975, he moved to the Pentagon as Assistant Deputy Chief and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, U.S. Army, and remained in that position until 1979. He was promoted to permanent Colonel in March 1976 and to temporary Lieutenant General in October 1976. In June 1979, he was promoted to four-star rank and selected as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, a post he filled from 22 June 1979 to 21 June 1983. During his tenure, he prosecuted an Army-wide modernization program with emphasis on quality over quantity; stressed the need for a long-term investment in land force materiel; and launched a unit-manning system to reduce personnel turbulence and to enhance readiness.

General Meyer retired from active service in June 1983.

Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Medal

Badges

Combat Infantryman Badge
Master Parachutist Badge

Personal Life

Meyer married Carol McCunniff in 1954. They had five children: three sons, Tom, Tim, and Doug; and two daughters, Nancy and Stuart. His daughter Nancy is an actress who is married to Michael Cartellone, the drummer for the band Lynrd Skynyrd. His son Tom is a political cartoonist who is married to Gretchen Nash and has a daughter named Mia.



Honoree ID: 289   Created by: MHOH

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