Wade H. Haislip
Encyclopedia
Wade Hampton Haislip was a United States Army
four star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
(VCSA) from 1949 to 1951.
on July 9, 1889, and moved at age 2 to Staunton, Virginia
. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry upon graduating from the United States Military Academy
at West Point in 1912.
Haislip served in Vera Cruz, Mexico in 1914 after the Tampico Affair
. From 1917 to 1921, he served with the American Expeditionary Forces, first in World War I, then in the occupation of Germany. During his time overseas his assignments included being on the General Staff of V Corps; Division Machine Gun Officer for the 3rd Division, and General Staff, U.S. Forces in Germany. During World War I he participated in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel
and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
. He returned to West point as an instructor from 1921 to 1923. He next attended a series of schools, beginning with the U.S. Army Infantry School from 1923 to 1924, then the Command and General Staff School from 1924 to 1925, and finally going back overseas to attend the French Ecole Superieure de Guerre from 1925 to 1927. He returned to the United States as Assistant executive in the Office of Assistant Secretary of War from 1928 to 1931, followed by the Army War College from 1931 to 1932, and an assignment as an instructor at the Command and General Staff School from 1932 to 1936.
Prior to World War II he held a series of staff assignments, including time in the Budget and Legislative Planning Branch of the War Department General Staff from 1938 to 1941, and Assistant Chief-of-Staff for personnel.
In World War II, he organized the 85th Infantry Division and served as commander from April 1942 to February 1943. He next took command of XV Corps
and served with it through Normandy, France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. He became commander of Seventh United States Army, and was in that billet when World War II ended in August 1945.
Following the war he was on the Secretary of War's Personnel Board from September 1945 to April 1946, and a senior member of the Chief-of-Staff's Advisory Group from 1946 to 1948. Prior to his selection in 1949 as Vice Chief of Staff he was Deputy Chief-of-Staff for administration, 1948-49. He retired in 1951.
Haislip died on December 23, 1971 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
after suffering a stroke, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
. His wife, the former Alice Jennings Shepherd (1897–1987), whom he had married on July 14, 1932, was later buried beside him.
to Mamie Doud
. Eisenhower was a second lieutenant and Haislip a first lieutenant at Fort Sam Houston
at the time. At Eisenhower's funeral, he served as a pall-bearer.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
four star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army is the principal advisor and assistant to the Army Chief of Staff, the second-highest ranking officer in the US Army. He handles the day to day administration of the Army bureaucracy, freeing the Chief of Staff to attend to the interservice...
(VCSA) from 1949 to 1951.
Military career
Haislip was born in Woodstock, VirginiaWoodstock, Virginia
Woodstock is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It has a population of 5,097 according to the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shenandoah County....
on July 9, 1889, and moved at age 2 to Staunton, Virginia
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry upon graduating from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point in 1912.
Haislip served in Vera Cruz, Mexico in 1914 after the Tampico Affair
Tampico Affair
The Tampico Affair started off as a minor incident involving U.S. sailors and Mexican land forces loyal to General Victoriano Huerta during the guerra de las facciones phase of the Mexican Revolution...
. From 1917 to 1921, he served with the American Expeditionary Forces, first in World War I, then in the occupation of Germany. During his time overseas his assignments included being on the General Staff of V Corps; Division Machine Gun Officer for the 3rd Division, and General Staff, U.S. Forces in Germany. During World War I he participated in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel
Battle of Saint-Mihiel
The Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a World War I battle fought between September 12–15, 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Force and 48,000 French troops under the command of U.S. general John J. Pershing against German positions...
and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
. He returned to West point as an instructor from 1921 to 1923. He next attended a series of schools, beginning with the U.S. Army Infantry School from 1923 to 1924, then the Command and General Staff School from 1924 to 1925, and finally going back overseas to attend the French Ecole Superieure de Guerre from 1925 to 1927. He returned to the United States as Assistant executive in the Office of Assistant Secretary of War from 1928 to 1931, followed by the Army War College from 1931 to 1932, and an assignment as an instructor at the Command and General Staff School from 1932 to 1936.
Prior to World War II he held a series of staff assignments, including time in the Budget and Legislative Planning Branch of the War Department General Staff from 1938 to 1941, and Assistant Chief-of-Staff for personnel.
In World War II, he organized the 85th Infantry Division and served as commander from April 1942 to February 1943. He next took command of XV Corps
XV Corps (United States)
The XV Corps of the US Army was initially constituted on 1 October 1933 as part of the Organized Reserves, and was activated on 15 February 1943 at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana. During the Second World War, XV Corps fought for 307 days in the European Theater of Operations, fighting from Normandy...
and served with it through Normandy, France, Rhineland, and Central Europe campaigns. He became commander of Seventh United States Army, and was in that billet when World War II ended in August 1945.
Following the war he was on the Secretary of War's Personnel Board from September 1945 to April 1946, and a senior member of the Chief-of-Staff's Advisory Group from 1946 to 1948. Prior to his selection in 1949 as Vice Chief of Staff he was Deputy Chief-of-Staff for administration, 1948-49. He retired in 1951.
Post military career
After retiring from active duty in 1951, Haislip went on to become Governor of the Soldier's Home in Washington, D.C., a position he filled from 1951 to 1966.Haislip died on December 23, 1971 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center was the United States Army's flagship medical center until 2011. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
after suffering a stroke, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. His wife, the former Alice Jennings Shepherd (1897–1987), whom he had married on July 14, 1932, was later buried beside him.
Trivia
Haislip is responsible for introducing Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
to Mamie Doud
Mamie Eisenhower
Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower was the wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961.-Early life:...
. Eisenhower was a second lieutenant and Haislip a first lieutenant at Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the first President of the Republic of Texas, Sam Houston....
at the time. At Eisenhower's funeral, he served as a pall-bearer.