Salih Omurtak
Encyclopedia
Salih Omurtak was a Turkish
general and the fourth Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces
.
), then within the Ottoman Empire
. He graduated from the Military College in 1907 with the rank of a lieutenant. After finishing the Staff College in 1910, he became a staff officer and served at several headquarters in the Ottoman Army.
Deployed to Ankara
on 22 January 1920, he joined the Turkish revolutionaries and commanded various troops during and after the Turkish War of Independence
. He was promoted to the rank of the Mirliva
in 1926, and in 1930, he became a Ferik
. From 1940 on, Omurtak held the commander-in-chief post of the First Army in the rank of the Orgeneral (four-star general).
He was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces on 1 August 1946 following the resignation of Kazım Orbay
, and served at this position until 8 June 1949. His following duty was the membership in the Military High Advisory Board, which he held until his retirement on 6 July 1950.
Salih Omurtak died on 23 June 1954 in Ankara. His body was moved later to a permanent burial place in the Turkish State Cemetery
.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
general and the fourth Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces
Turkish Armed Forces
The Turkish Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. They consist of the Army, the Navy , and the Air Force...
.
Biography
He was born 1889 in Salonica (present-day ThessalonikiThessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
), then within the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. He graduated from the Military College in 1907 with the rank of a lieutenant. After finishing the Staff College in 1910, he became a staff officer and served at several headquarters in the Ottoman Army.
Deployed to Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
on 22 January 1920, he joined the Turkish revolutionaries and commanded various troops during and after the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
. He was promoted to the rank of the Mirliva
Mirliva
Mirliva or Mîr-i livâ was a military rank of the Ottoman Army. It corresponds to a Brigadier General or Major General . Mirliva is a compound word composed of Mir and Liva...
in 1926, and in 1930, he became a Ferik
Ferik (rank)
Ferik was a military rank of the Ottoman Army. It is translated as Major General or Lieutenant General . It was superior to a Mirliva and junior to a Birinci Ferik .The title of Ferik was abolished with Act No...
. From 1940 on, Omurtak held the commander-in-chief post of the First Army in the rank of the Orgeneral (four-star general).
He was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces on 1 August 1946 following the resignation of Kazım Orbay
Kazim Orbay
Mehmet Kâzım Orbay was a Turkish general and senator. He served as the third Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces.-Biography:Kâzım Orbay was born in Smyrna , Ottoman Empire in 1887...
, and served at this position until 8 June 1949. His following duty was the membership in the Military High Advisory Board, which he held until his retirement on 6 July 1950.
Salih Omurtak died on 23 June 1954 in Ankara. His body was moved later to a permanent burial place in the Turkish State Cemetery
Turkish State Cemetery
Turkish State Cemetery is a national and military cemetery in Ankara, Turkey, containing the graves of the presidents of Turkey and the high-ranked, close companions-in-arms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, in the Turkish War of Independence.- History :The cemetery...
.
External links
- Salih OMURTAK in the official website of the Turkish General Staff