Ray E. Porter
Encyclopedia
Ray Edison Porter was a U.S. Army Major General from Arkansas. In World War II
he worked on the Africa campaign, in the War Department, and then led the 75th Infantry Division. Dwight D. Eisenhower
named him as one of fifty who took over the ASF's Project Planning Division, the Special Planning Division or SPD.
Major General Ray E. Porter, U.S. Army, Retired was born at Fordyce, Arkansas on 29 July 1891, the son of William and Hattie E. Porter. He received his education at Fordyce High School and at the University of Arkansas
. On 21 May 1921, he was married to Maude Garner, daughter of John W. Garner and Mrs Effie Garner of Fordyce. He had three children: Lieutenant Colonel Ray E. Porter, Jr, Mrs. Peggy Northington, and Mrs Patricia Burke.
Porter entered the military service with the First Officers' Training Camp, Fort Logan H. Roots
, Arkansas, 15 May 1917, receiving his first Army commission in the Officers' Reserve Corps 15 August of the same year. He was appointed a second Lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army on 26 October 1917 and progressed through the successive grades of the Regular Army to his appointment as a Major General, 21 September 1943.
During World War I, Porter participated in combat in the European Theater of Operations with Company E, 34th Infantry, 7th Division. He was awarded the American Distinguished Service Cross
and the French Croix de Guerre
for gallantry in action 1–2 November 1918.
Between the World Wars Porter graduated from the Company Officers Course (1928) and the Advanced Course (1932) of the Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; The Command and General Staff School (1935), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Army War College (1937), Washington, D.C. Other service of that period included duty as Professor of Military Science and Tactics, Ouachita Baptist College, Arka-delphia, Arkansas; (1922–1927) a tour of foreign service with the 19th Infantry in Hawaii, (1928–1931) and instructor at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1937-1940.
In World War II he took part in the assault landing of the Allied Forces at Algiers
, North Africa
in November 1942 and served as Deputy Chief of Staff at General Eisenhower's Advance Headquarters during the Tunisian Campaign. Returning to the United States after the German surrender in North Africa, he was assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3
(Organization and Training), War Department General Staff. When the Germans attacked in the Bulge during December 1944, Porter was flown immediately to the European Theater of Operations where he commanded the 75th Infantry division in combat until the end of hostilities in that theater. Shortly after V-E Day he was called home for duty as Chief of the Special Planning Division, War Department Special Staff.
From 1948 to 1951, Porter commanded the United States Army in the Caribbean with his headquarters at Fort Amador
, Canal Zone. His command included the United States Army forces and activities in Panama
and Puerto Rico
and the United States Army Missions in the numerous republics of Central and South America.
He was retired from Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where he had commanded the Replacement Training Center and the 101st Airborne Division
, 30 June 1953.
Porter's decorations and medals include:
UNITED STATES
–Distinguished Service Cross
–Distinguished Service Medal
–Legion of Merit
–Bronze Star with Arrowhead
–Army Commendation Ribbon
–Purple Heart
–Eight Campaign Medals
FOREIGN
–Officer of the Legion of Honor (France)
–Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands)
–Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Great Britain)
–Grand Officer of the Order of Boyaca (Republic of Colombia)
–Grand Officer of the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa (Republic of Panama)
–Cavalier of the Legion of Honor (France)
–Abdoh Calderon, First Class (Ecuador)
–Medal of Military Merit, First Class (Republic of Chile)
–Croix de Guerre with Palm (France)
–Croix de Guerre with Palm (Belgium)
–Croix de Guerre with Gold Star (France)
–Order of Eloy Alfaro (Foundation of International Eloy Alfaro)
PROMOTIONS
–Second Lieutenant, Officers Reserve Corps - 15 August 1917
–Second Lieutenant Infantry, Regular Army - 26 October 1917
–First Lieutenant - 26 October 1917
–Captain (temporary) - 6 May 1919
–Captain, Regular Army - 1 July 1920
–Major, Regular Army- 1 August 1935
–Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army - 18 August 1938
–Colonel (temporary) - 24 December 1941
–Brigadier General (temporary) - 1 August 1942
–Major General (temporary) - 21 September 1943
–Major General, Regular Army - 1948 with rank from October 8, 1944
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he worked on the Africa campaign, in the War Department, and then led the 75th Infantry Division. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight 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...
named him as one of fifty who took over the ASF's Project Planning Division, the Special Planning Division or SPD.
Major General Ray E. Porter, U.S. Army, Retired was born at Fordyce, Arkansas on 29 July 1891, the son of William and Hattie E. Porter. He received his education at Fordyce High School and at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
. On 21 May 1921, he was married to Maude Garner, daughter of John W. Garner and Mrs Effie Garner of Fordyce. He had three children: Lieutenant Colonel Ray E. Porter, Jr, Mrs. Peggy Northington, and Mrs Patricia Burke.
Porter entered the military service with the First Officers' Training Camp, Fort Logan H. Roots
Fort Logan H. Roots
Fort Logan H. Roots is a military base located in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The land was traded to the Federal Government in 1892 in exchange for the property now known as MacArthur Park, in Little Rock, which had been a military arsenal since the 1830s before Arkansas was even a state. The...
, Arkansas, 15 May 1917, receiving his first Army commission in the Officers' Reserve Corps 15 August of the same year. He was appointed a second Lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army on 26 October 1917 and progressed through the successive grades of the Regular Army to his appointment as a Major General, 21 September 1943.
During World War I, Porter participated in combat in the European Theater of Operations with Company E, 34th Infantry, 7th Division. He was awarded the American Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
and the French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
for gallantry in action 1–2 November 1918.
Between the World Wars Porter graduated from the Company Officers Course (1928) and the Advanced Course (1932) of the Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; The Command and General Staff School (1935), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Army War College (1937), Washington, D.C. Other service of that period included duty as Professor of Military Science and Tactics, Ouachita Baptist College, Arka-delphia, Arkansas; (1922–1927) a tour of foreign service with the 19th Infantry in Hawaii, (1928–1931) and instructor at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1937-1940.
In World War II he took part in the assault landing of the Allied Forces at Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
in November 1942 and served as Deputy Chief of Staff at General Eisenhower's Advance Headquarters during the Tunisian Campaign. Returning to the United States after the German surrender in North Africa, he was assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3
G3 (NATO)
G3, in NATO, is the Assistant Chief Of Staff or senior staff officer on Operations and Plans at the division level and higher ....
(Organization and Training), War Department General Staff. When the Germans attacked in the Bulge during December 1944, Porter was flown immediately to the European Theater of Operations where he commanded the 75th Infantry division in combat until the end of hostilities in that theater. Shortly after V-E Day he was called home for duty as Chief of the Special Planning Division, War Department Special Staff.
From 1948 to 1951, Porter commanded the United States Army in the Caribbean with his headquarters at Fort Amador
Fort Amador
Fort Amador and Fort Grant were former United States Army bases protecting the Pacific end of the Panama Canal at the Panama Bay. Amador was the primary on-land site, lying below the Bridge of the Americas. Grant consisted of a series of islands lying just offshore, some connected to Amador via a...
, Canal Zone. His command included the United States Army forces and activities in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and the United States Army Missions in the numerous republics of Central and South America.
He was retired from Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where he had commanded the Replacement Training Center and the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
, 30 June 1953.
Porter's decorations and medals include:
UNITED STATES
–Distinguished Service Cross
–Distinguished Service Medal
–Legion of Merit
–Bronze Star with Arrowhead
–Army Commendation Ribbon
–Purple Heart
–Eight Campaign Medals
FOREIGN
–Officer of the Legion of Honor (France)
–Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands)
–Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Great Britain)
–Grand Officer of the Order of Boyaca (Republic of Colombia)
–Grand Officer of the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa (Republic of Panama)
–Cavalier of the Legion of Honor (France)
–Abdoh Calderon, First Class (Ecuador)
–Medal of Military Merit, First Class (Republic of Chile)
–Croix de Guerre with Palm (France)
–Croix de Guerre with Palm (Belgium)
–Croix de Guerre with Gold Star (France)
–Order of Eloy Alfaro (Foundation of International Eloy Alfaro)
PROMOTIONS
–Second Lieutenant, Officers Reserve Corps - 15 August 1917
–Second Lieutenant Infantry, Regular Army - 26 October 1917
–First Lieutenant - 26 October 1917
–Captain (temporary) - 6 May 1919
–Captain, Regular Army - 1 July 1920
–Major, Regular Army- 1 August 1935
–Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army - 18 August 1938
–Colonel (temporary) - 24 December 1941
–Brigadier General (temporary) - 1 August 1942
–Major General (temporary) - 21 September 1943
–Major General, Regular Army - 1948 with rank from October 8, 1944