Louis W. Truman
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Louis W. Truman (June 20, 1908 – December 2, 2004) was the former Commanding General of Third U.S. Army. General Truman was cousin to 33rd President, Harry S. Truman
, and served as his Aide-de-Camp during President Truman’s inauguration in 1948.
Truman’s first duty assignment was the 6th Infantry Regiment at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. In 1936, then-1st Lt. Truman was assigned to Fort Benning
, Georgia, where he completed the Infantry School and the Tank School. Next, he served a two-year tour of duty at Fort Davis, in the Canal Zone and then returned to Fort Benning in September 1940 to be a staff and logistics officer in the 2nd Armored Division’s 14th Armored Brigade. The 2nd Armored Division at the time was commanded by one of the Army’s fastest rising officers; his name was Brig. Gen. George S. Patton
, Jr.
In January 1941, Truman was transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he was an Aide-de-Camp to Lt. Gen. Walter C. Short, Commanding General of the Hawaiian Department. He was a first-hand witness when the Japanese launched their surprise attack on December 7, 1941. He would continue to serve there until February 1942.
In March 1942, Truman was promoted to the rank of Major and was assigned to U.S. Army Ground Forces Command headquarters, first as an assistant G3/Operations officer and later as Secretary of the General Staff for Lt. Gen. Lesley J. McNair
. In April 1944, now a Lieutenant Colonel, he joined the 84th Infantry Division at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, where he served as both Division Chief of Staff and later as Assistant Division Commander with the 84th Infantry for the duration of World War II.
In August 1944, now promoted as Colonel with only twelve years commissioned service, Truman and the 84th Division landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy unopposed and would later see combat in the European Theater along the Siegfried Line, the Bulge, the Ardennes and in Germany
from the Roer to the Elbe Rivers.
In January 1946, Truman was assigned to HQ, U. S. Forces European Theater, Frankfurt, Germany, as Deputy Theater Chief for Special Services. From 1946 to 1948, he was assigned as Secretary, U.S. Delegation, United Nations Military Staff Committee. Truman was a student at the National War College
from 1948 to 1949. After his graduation from the War College, Truman was a member of the Joint Strategic Planning Group, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
at the Pentagon
. During this time, Gen. Omar Bradley
was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Two years after the start of the Korean War
, Truman commanded the 223rd Infantry Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division from July 1952 to January 1953. He saw combat first-hand and later served as Assistant Division Commander of the 2nd Infantry Division until the end of hostilities in July 1953. Later that year, he was selected and promoted to the rank of Brig. Gen and for the next two years, he served as Chief of Staff to Third Army at Fort McPherson
, Georgia.
In 1955, he was transferred to Naples, Italy, where Truman was Deputy Chief of Staff – G3/Plans and Operations Officer for NATO’s Southern European Command.
Truman received his second star in 1956 and with it, the Chairmanship of the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Karachi
, Pakistan
. Truman later returned to the U.S. to take command of the Army's 4th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington, from 1958 until 1960. Subsequently, he was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff Operations and Training and later as Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Continental Army Command at Fort Monroe
, Virginia from 1960-1962. In that same capacity, Truman also commanded Joint Task Force-Four.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy
nominated General Truman for promotion to Lieutenant General and from 1963 until 1965, he commanded the Army’s VII Corps at Kelly Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. His final assignment was his selection by the Army’s senior leadership to be the Commanding General of Third Army, at Fort McPherson. Truman commanded Third Army for two years until his retirement on August 1, 1967.
Along with his Army awards, he received several foreign decorations; the Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre from France, the Order of Leopold and Croix de Guerre from Belgium, the Order of Orange Nassau from the Netherlands and the Presidential Unit Citation from the Republic of Korea and others.
General Truman also received many civilian honors. Among them were a Doctorate of Laws degree from Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, a proclamation of July 27, 1967 as “Lt. Gen. Louis W. Truman Day” by former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. in December 1975 and another proclamation from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He was also the third recipient of the “Good Neighbor Award” from the Harry S. Truman Foundation in 1975. Recently, Truman was honored by the West Point Society of Atlanta with its “Distinguished Graduate Award.”
He resided in Atlanta after his retirement in 1967 after 37 years of active duty in the Army. Born June 20, 1908 in Kansas City, MO, he was preceded in death by his father, Maj. Gen. Ralph Emerson Truman, his mother, Nanny Louise Watson Truman, his brother Col. Corbie Truman, his sister, Henrietta Truman Davidson, and his first wife, Margret Stevenson Truman.
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, and served as his Aide-de-Camp during President Truman’s inauguration in 1948.
Military service
In 1926, General Truman enlisted in Company E, 140th Infantry Regiment of the 35th Division. In July 1928, Truman entered the U. S. Military Academy at West Point. Upon graduation in June 1932, he was commissioned an infantry second lieutenant.Truman’s first duty assignment was the 6th Infantry Regiment at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. In 1936, then-1st Lt. Truman was assigned to Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia, where he completed the Infantry School and the Tank School. Next, he served a two-year tour of duty at Fort Davis, in the Canal Zone and then returned to Fort Benning in September 1940 to be a staff and logistics officer in the 2nd Armored Division’s 14th Armored Brigade. The 2nd Armored Division at the time was commanded by one of the Army’s fastest rising officers; his name was Brig. Gen. George S. Patton
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
, Jr.
In January 1941, Truman was transferred to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he was an Aide-de-Camp to Lt. Gen. Walter C. Short, Commanding General of the Hawaiian Department. He was a first-hand witness when the Japanese launched their surprise attack on December 7, 1941. He would continue to serve there until February 1942.
In March 1942, Truman was promoted to the rank of Major and was assigned to U.S. Army Ground Forces Command headquarters, first as an assistant G3/Operations officer and later as Secretary of the General Staff for Lt. Gen. Lesley J. McNair
Lesley J. McNair
General Lesley James McNair was an American Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He was killed by friendly fire when a USAAF Eighth Air Force bomb landed in his foxhole near Saint-Lô during Operation Cobra as part of the Battle of Normandy.McNair, Frank Maxwell Andrews and...
. In April 1944, now a Lieutenant Colonel, he joined the 84th Infantry Division at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, where he served as both Division Chief of Staff and later as Assistant Division Commander with the 84th Infantry for the duration of World War II.
In August 1944, now promoted as Colonel with only twelve years commissioned service, Truman and the 84th Division landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy unopposed and would later see combat in the European Theater along the Siegfried Line, the Bulge, the Ardennes and in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
from the Roer to the Elbe Rivers.
In January 1946, Truman was assigned to HQ, U. S. Forces European Theater, Frankfurt, Germany, as Deputy Theater Chief for Special Services. From 1946 to 1948, he was assigned as Secretary, U.S. Delegation, United Nations Military Staff Committee. Truman was a student at the National War College
National War College
The National War College of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. It was officially established on July 1, 1946, as an upgraded replacement for the...
from 1948 to 1949. After his graduation from the War College, Truman was a member of the Joint Strategic Planning Group, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
at the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
. During this time, Gen. Omar Bradley
Omar Bradley
Omar Nelson Bradley was a senior U.S. Army field commander in North Africa and Europe during World War II, and a General of the Army in the United States Army...
was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Two years after the start of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Truman commanded the 223rd Infantry Regiment of the 40th Infantry Division from July 1952 to January 1953. He saw combat first-hand and later served as Assistant Division Commander of the 2nd Infantry Division until the end of hostilities in July 1953. Later that year, he was selected and promoted to the rank of Brig. Gen and for the next two years, he served as Chief of Staff to Third Army at Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson was a U.S. Army military base located in East Point, Georgia, on the southwest edge of the City of Atlanta, Ga. It was the headquarters for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Southeast Region; the U.S. Army Forces Command; the U.S. Army Reserve Command; the U.S...
, Georgia.
In 1955, he was transferred to Naples, Italy, where Truman was Deputy Chief of Staff – G3/Plans and Operations Officer for NATO’s Southern European Command.
Truman received his second star in 1956 and with it, the Chairmanship of the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Truman later returned to the U.S. to take command of the Army's 4th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington, from 1958 until 1960. Subsequently, he was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff Operations and Training and later as Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Continental Army Command at Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe was a military installation in Hampton, Virginia—at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula...
, Virginia from 1960-1962. In that same capacity, Truman also commanded Joint Task Force-Four.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
nominated General Truman for promotion to Lieutenant General and from 1963 until 1965, he commanded the Army’s VII Corps at Kelly Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. His final assignment was his selection by the Army’s senior leadership to be the Commanding General of Third Army, at Fort McPherson. Truman commanded Third Army for two years until his retirement on August 1, 1967.
Awards
During his distinguished military career, Truman was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, three Bronze Star Medals (one with ‘V’ device), two Army Commendation Medals, and the Combat Infantryman Badge with one star. He also wore the American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, The Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), two National Defense Service Medals, Korean Service Medal and UN Service Medal.
Army Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service Medal (Army)The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
Silver StarSilver StarThe Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
with one oak leaf cluster
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with one oak leaf cluster
Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
with one oak leaf cluster- Bronze StarBronze Star MedalThe Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
with Valor Device 
Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
American Defense Service MedalAmerican Defense Service MedalThe American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing service before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict.-Criteria:...
American Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalThe American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign MedalEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign MedalThe European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalThe Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
World War II Victory MedalWorld War II Victory MedalThe World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
Army of Occupation MedalArmy of Occupation MedalThe Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany or Japan...
with Germany Clasp
National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with bronze star
Korean Service MedalKorean Service MedalThe Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who...
United Nations Service MedalUnited Nations Service MedalThe United Nations Service Medal for Korea is an international military decoration which was established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950...
Along with his Army awards, he received several foreign decorations; the Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre from France, the Order of Leopold and Croix de Guerre from Belgium, the Order of Orange Nassau from the Netherlands and the Presidential Unit Citation from the Republic of Korea and others.
General Truman also received many civilian honors. Among them were a Doctorate of Laws degree from Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, a proclamation of July 27, 1967 as “Lt. Gen. Louis W. Truman Day” by former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr. in December 1975 and another proclamation from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He was also the third recipient of the “Good Neighbor Award” from the Harry S. Truman Foundation in 1975. Recently, Truman was honored by the West Point Society of Atlanta with its “Distinguished Graduate Award.”
Retirement
After his retirement from the Army, Truman served as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Industry and Trade under Georgia Governors Lester Maddox, Jimmy Carter, and George Busbee. From 1976 until 1984, Truman was vice president and special assistant to the president of Adams/Cates Realty in Atlanta.He resided in Atlanta after his retirement in 1967 after 37 years of active duty in the Army. Born June 20, 1908 in Kansas City, MO, he was preceded in death by his father, Maj. Gen. Ralph Emerson Truman, his mother, Nanny Louise Watson Truman, his brother Col. Corbie Truman, his sister, Henrietta Truman Davidson, and his first wife, Margret Stevenson Truman.