Troy H. Middleton

Troy Houston Middleton

Born	12 October 1889 Copiah County, Mississippi, United States
Died	9 October 1976 (aged 86) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
Buried at	Baton Rouge National Cemetery, Louisiana, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1910–1937 1942–1945
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	Infantry Branch
Commands held	1st Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment 47th Infantry Regiment 142nd Infantry Regiment 45th Infantry Division VIII Corps
Battles/wars	Mexican Border Campaign Occupation of Veracruz Skirmish with Villistas World War I Second Battle of the Marne Meuse-Argonne Offensive World War II Operation Husky Operation Avalanche Operation Cobra Battle for Brest Battle of the Bulge
Awards	Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star Legion of Merit
Other work	Dean of Administration, LSU Acting Vice President, LSU Comptroller, LSU President, LSU

Lieutenant General Troy Houston Middleton (12 October 1889 – 9 October 1976) was a distinguished educator and senior officer of the United States Army who served as a corps commander in the European Theatre during World War II and later as president of Louisiana State University (LSU). He is best known for his decision to hold Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, contrary to the recommendation of Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr., Commanding General (CG) of the United States Third Army.

Enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1910, Middleton was first assigned to the 29th Infantry Regiment, where he worked as a clerk. Here he did not become an infantryman as he had hoped, but he was pressed into service playing football, a sport strongly endorsed by the army. Following two years of enlisted service, Middleton was transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he was given the opportunity to compete for an officer's commission. Of the 300 individuals who were vying for a commission, 56 were selected, and four of them, including Middleton, would become general officers. As a new second lieutenant, Middleton was assigned to the 7th Infantry Regiment in Galveston, Texas, which was soon pressed into service, responding to events created by the Mexican Revolution. Middleton spent seven months doing occupation duty in the Mexican port city of Veracruz, and later was assigned to Douglas, Arizona, where his unit skirmished with some of Pancho Villa's fighters.

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