United States Army General. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1936, placing 185th out of 276. Assigned to command the United States Army's 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division during World War II, he was at the head of the Division's column in December 1944 when it relieved the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division under siege at Bastogne, France, and his performance on the battlefield drew high praise from General George S. Patton. After the conclusion of the war he served as director of tactics at the Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, as Chief of Staff for three different Army Corps, and was promoted to Brigadier General (1956), Major General (1960), Lieutenant General (1963) and full-rank General (1964). Assigned to lead the Army's 3rd Armored Division, he was in command of United States Army troops sent to Mississippi in the summer of 1963 to help quell civil rights disturbances. Made deputy commander of United States forces fighting in Vietnam in 1967, he directed the Army operations during the Tet Offensive. When General William Westmoreland was removed as commander of United States forces in Vietnam, he was named to replace him. General Abrams then instituted a marked shift of army operations away from General Westmoreland's search and destroy tactical policy against enemy troops to one of attacking and destroying the Northern Vietnam military support system. When President Richard M. Nixon enacted the withdrawal American forces out of Vietnam, he was charged with the disengagement of the United States military. In 1972 he was appointed the Chief of Staff of the Army, which he was serving as when he died in 1974. The Army's M1 Abrams main battle tank was named in his honor.
United States Army General. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1936, placing 185th out of 276. Assigned to command the United States Army's 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division during World War II, he was at the head of the Division's column in December 1944 when it relieved the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division under siege at Bastogne, France, and his performance on the battlefield drew high praise from General George S. Patton. After the conclusion of the war he served as director of tactics at the Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, as Chief of Staff for three different Army Corps, and was promoted to Brigadier General (1956), Major General (1960), Lieutenant General (1963) and full-rank General (1964). Assigned to lead the Army's 3rd Armored Division, he was in command of United States Army troops sent to Mississippi in the summer of 1963 to help quell civil rights disturbances. Made deputy commander of United States forces fighting in Vietnam in 1967, he directed the Army operations during the Tet Offensive. When General William Westmoreland was removed as commander of United States forces in Vietnam, he was named to replace him. General Abrams then instituted a marked shift of army operations away from General Westmoreland's search and destroy tactical policy against enemy troops to one of attacking and destroying the Northern Vietnam military support system. When President Richard M. Nixon enacted the withdrawal American forces out of Vietnam, he was charged with the disengagement of the United States military. In 1972 he was appointed the Chief of Staff of the Army, which he was serving as when he died in 1974. The Army's M1 Abrams main battle tank was named in his honor.
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GENERAL
UNITED STATES ARMY
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