US Army General. The son of Congressman Henry Clay Van Voorhis, He attended Ohio Wesleyan University and Washington & Jefferson College before enlisting for the Spanish-American War as a Corporal in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, attaining the rank of Captain and earning the Silver Star for heroism at Jaro in the Philippines. He was then appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Regular Army and served primarily in the Philippines between 1900 and 1914. In 1914 he served in Texas during the Villa Expedition. During World War I he was Chief of Staff at the Newport News, Virginia port of embarkation, and earned the Navy Cross. After the war was assigned to the port of Brest, where he was responsible for coordinating the American Expeditionary Force's return to the US, receiving the Distinguished Service Medal. After the war he served in Texas as commander of the 16th Cavalry Regiment, and Assistant Chief of Staff, first of 2nd Division, and then VIII Corps. In 1930 he was appointed to command the Army's experimental motorized force, the 1st Cavalry Regiment (Mechanized), later called the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized), receiving promotion to Brigadier General. The organization and tactics he developed were vital to the Army's transformation into the modern force that was successful in World War II, and with Adna R. Chaffee, Jr. he is recognized as a founder of the Armor branch. In 1938 he was named commander of V Corps as a Major General. In 1939 he was named to head the Caribbean Command in Panama, and in 1940 he was promoted to Lieutenant General. In 1941 Van Voorhis was reassigned as commander of V Corps, where he remained until his 1942 retirement.
US Army General. The son of Congressman Henry Clay Van Voorhis, He attended Ohio Wesleyan University and Washington & Jefferson College before enlisting for the Spanish-American War as a Corporal in the 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, attaining the rank of Captain and earning the Silver Star for heroism at Jaro in the Philippines. He was then appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Regular Army and served primarily in the Philippines between 1900 and 1914. In 1914 he served in Texas during the Villa Expedition. During World War I he was Chief of Staff at the Newport News, Virginia port of embarkation, and earned the Navy Cross. After the war was assigned to the port of Brest, where he was responsible for coordinating the American Expeditionary Force's return to the US, receiving the Distinguished Service Medal. After the war he served in Texas as commander of the 16th Cavalry Regiment, and Assistant Chief of Staff, first of 2nd Division, and then VIII Corps. In 1930 he was appointed to command the Army's experimental motorized force, the 1st Cavalry Regiment (Mechanized), later called the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized), receiving promotion to Brigadier General. The organization and tactics he developed were vital to the Army's transformation into the modern force that was successful in World War II, and with Adna R. Chaffee, Jr. he is recognized as a founder of the Armor branch. In 1938 he was named commander of V Corps as a Major General. In 1939 he was named to head the Caribbean Command in Panama, and in 1940 he was promoted to Lieutenant General. In 1941 Van Voorhis was reassigned as commander of V Corps, where he remained until his 1942 retirement.
Bio by: Bill McKern
Inscription
LIEUT. GENERAL U.S. ARMY
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Records on Ancestry
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