Williston B. Palmer
| Williston B. Palmer | |
|---|---|
General Williston B. Palmer
|
|
| Born |
November 11, 1899 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | November 10, 1973 (aged 73) Walter Reed Army Medical Center |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1919–1962 |
| Rank |
 General
|
| Commands held | 82nd Airborne Division 2nd Armored Division X Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Medal (4) Silver Star |
| Relations |
Charles D. Palmer (brother) William E. Birkhimer (grandfather) |
Williston Birkhimer Palmer (November 11, 1899 – October 11, 1973) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army (VCSA) from 1955 to 1957; Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command (DCINCEUR) from 1957 to 1959; and was the first Director of Military Assistance, 1959 to 1962. His brother Charles D. Palmer, was also a four-star general, the first pair of brothers in Army history to achieve this, and his grandfather, William E. Birkhimer was a Brigadier General and Medal of Honor recipient.
Palmer was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 11, 1899, the oldest son of Colonel Charles Day Palmer. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1919 after an accelerated 3-year course.
During World War II, as a brigadier general, he commanded VII Corps artillery, from the Normandy invasion to the Elbe. In January 1943 Then Brigadier General Palmer was a passenger on a B-17 which landed in neutral Ireland. He was transferred across the border to Northern Ireland the next day. .
Following the war he served as Director of Logistics, European Command, commanded the 82nd Airborne Division in 1950, followed by command of the 2nd Armored Division in 1951 and X Corps in Korea later that same year.
During his tenure as Director of Military Assistance, a scandal erupted over black market activities in Turkey involving military personnel. Palmer defended soldiers who refused to testify to the Senate by pointing out that the Uniform Code of Military Justice protected soldiers from self-incrimination.
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Wikipedia