Edward Thomas Williams
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

Edward Thomas Williams was born on 6 February 1901 in Detroit, MI.

Williams graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1920 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery. In 1921, he graduated from the Field Artillery Basic Course at Fort Sill, OK. Williams served in artillery assignments of increasing rank and responsibility throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The assignments included a posting to Schofield Barracks, HI, as a member of the 13th Field Artillery Regiment; assignment to Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; and a serving as an instructor at Fort Sill, OK. In 1939, he graduated from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

During World War II, Williams served as Commander of Third U.S. Army Artillery, taking part in operations throughout Europe after the D-Day invasion.

From 1950-52, Williams was Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at the U.S. Army European Command. He served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Army, Europe in 1952-53. In 1953, Williams was Deputy Commander, Third U.S. Army, serving until 1954. He was then Commander of the U.S. Army Field Artillery Center, serving until 1956.

Williams served as Deputy Commander, Continental Army Command, from 1956-59. During that time, in 1958 he chaired the Williams Board, which reviewed and recommended changes to the Army’s professional education system for officers.

Lieutenant General Williams assumed Command of Fourth U.S. Army in 1959, and he served in this post until his retirement. During that command Williams represented the United States at the funeral of Walter Williams of Texas, who claimed to have been a Confederate soldier and the last living American Civil War veteran.

LTG Williams retired from the Army in 1961.

Medals and Awards

Army Distinguished Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal
National Defense Service Medal

Death and Burial

Lieutenant General Edward Thomas Williams died on 14 October 1973 in San Antonio, TX. He is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio in Section PA, Site 249-C.