Brig Gen Howard S. Searle
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General Howard Sanford Searle (October 24, 1891 – September 8, 1972) was responsible for rebuilding the Kansas Army National Guard after World War II and leading the response to two major natural disasters, the Great Flood in Kansas City in 1951
and the tornado that destroyed much of Udall, Kansas
in 1955.
and Washburn University
with an A.B. in 1914 and an L.L.B. in 1916. During his time at Washburn he was elected sophomore class president, was a member of the Kansas Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta
(ΦΔΘ) and was initiated into the school’s prestigious Sagamore Society
.
A year after graduating from Washburn, Searle enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard and was assigned to Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, 130th Field Artillery Regiment and served overseas in World War I.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant on October 3, 1918. He served continuously with the Kansas National Guard, and was mobilized in December 1940 for World War II as a lieutenant colonel. He served as personnel officer and then Deputy Chief of Staff for VII Corps commander Major General J. Lawton Collins
during World War II. After the war, Searle became a brigadier general in the Kansas National Guard in October 1946, and was assigned the responsibility of re-establishing the Kansas National Guard across Kansas. He was assigned Assistant Division Commander, 35th Infantry Division.
In the early to mid-1950s General Searle was responsible for managing the response to several natural disasters. In 1951, he handled the recovery after the Great Flood in Kansas City
. The flood resulted in nearly $7 billion in damage (in 2005 dollars) and the loss of 28 lives. In 1955, he oversaw recovery efforts in Udall, Kansas
after a tornado destroyed much of the town killing 77 and injuring 270.
In 1951, Washburn honored Searle with its Distinguished Service Award. In 1962, Searle was named the Topeka Phi Delta Theta Alumni Association’s “Phi of the Year.” In 1967, he was again honored by Washburn this time with an honorary doctorate of laws degree. In 1981, the Kansas Army National Guard posthumously inducted him into its Hall of Fame.
Great Flood of 1951
In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River and other surrounding areas. Flooding resulted in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. The damage in June and July 1951 exceeded $935 million dollars in an area covering eastern Kansas and...
and the tornado that destroyed much of Udall, Kansas
Udall, Kansas
Udall is a city in Cowley County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 746.-History:Founded in 1881 by J.M. Napier and P.W. Smith. Udall was named after English author Cornelius Udall....
in 1955.
Biography
Searle was born in Edgar, Nebraska and raised in Kansas. He graduated from Topeka High SchoolTopeka High School
Topeka High School is a fully accredited high school, serving students in grades 9-12, located in Topeka, Kansas. It is one of four high schools within Topeka Public Schools. The school colors are black and gold...
and Washburn University
Washburn University
Washburn University is a co-educational, public institution of higher learning in Topeka, Kansas, USA. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and business. Washburn has 550 faculty members, who teach more than 6,400 undergraduate students and...
with an A.B. in 1914 and an L.L.B. in 1916. During his time at Washburn he was elected sophomore class president, was a member of the Kansas Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
(ΦΔΘ) and was initiated into the school’s prestigious Sagamore Society
Sagamore Honor Society
The Sagamore Society is the most exclusive honor society for men at Washburn University. Sagamore is not as controversial or as secretive as Yale's Skull and Bones but its members are known to include a governor, a member of Congress, two Army generals, and several judges, doctors and corporate...
.
A year after graduating from Washburn, Searle enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard and was assigned to Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, 130th Field Artillery Regiment and served overseas in World War I.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant on October 3, 1918. He served continuously with the Kansas National Guard, and was mobilized in December 1940 for World War II as a lieutenant colonel. He served as personnel officer and then Deputy Chief of Staff for VII Corps commander Major General J. Lawton Collins
J. Lawton Collins
Joseph "Lightning Joe" Lawton Collins was a General in the United States Army. During World War II, he served in both the Pacific and European Theaters of Operations. His elder brother, James Lawton Collins, was also in the army as a Major General...
during World War II. After the war, Searle became a brigadier general in the Kansas National Guard in October 1946, and was assigned the responsibility of re-establishing the Kansas National Guard across Kansas. He was assigned Assistant Division Commander, 35th Infantry Division.
In the early to mid-1950s General Searle was responsible for managing the response to several natural disasters. In 1951, he handled the recovery after the Great Flood in Kansas City
Great Flood of 1951
In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River and other surrounding areas. Flooding resulted in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. The damage in June and July 1951 exceeded $935 million dollars in an area covering eastern Kansas and...
. The flood resulted in nearly $7 billion in damage (in 2005 dollars) and the loss of 28 lives. In 1955, he oversaw recovery efforts in Udall, Kansas
Udall, Kansas
Udall is a city in Cowley County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 746.-History:Founded in 1881 by J.M. Napier and P.W. Smith. Udall was named after English author Cornelius Udall....
after a tornado destroyed much of the town killing 77 and injuring 270.
Awards and honors
General Searle's military decorations included the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, the French Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre with Palm.In 1951, Washburn honored Searle with its Distinguished Service Award. In 1962, Searle was named the Topeka Phi Delta Theta Alumni Association’s “Phi of the Year.” In 1967, he was again honored by Washburn this time with an honorary doctorate of laws degree. In 1981, the Kansas Army National Guard posthumously inducted him into its Hall of Fame.