Roderick Wetherill
Encyclopedia
Roderick "Rod" Wetherill, Sr. (January 19, 1918 – June 26, 1978) was a notable officer of the United States Army
from World War II
through the Vietnam War
. The official Army history of the War in southeast Asia considers him to have been a "key ... commander in Vietnam".
, he married Josephine Bolling, in March 1941, at a church in Waban, Massachusetts
; his bride was a daughter of Army officer Alexander R. Bolling
, who later became a Lieutenant General
and former Chief of Army Intelligence
.
He was working there at West Point after graduation, and residing in Highland Falls, New York, when his son Roderick Wetherill, Jr., was born on January 20, 1942. His first son was born six weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor
, and the day after his own birthday.
He was promoted several times during and after World War II
. In June 1953, then-Lieutenant Colonel
Wetherill took part in a "retrograde movement" at Pukhan River, towards the end of the Korean War
. He was "division artillery advisor" at the battle of Pukhan River, and witnessed first-hand the horrible casualties; he said, "I could see by the gun flashes the arms legs and faces hanging all over the wire." He also attempted to save some soldiers from being captured as prisoners of war
by the Chinese "Red" Army.
From about 1955 to 1957 was a Colonel
stationed at the Headquarters, Continental Army Command. From April 1963 through December 1964, he was chief of staff
of the V Army in Germany
, at the rank of Brigadier General
.
After a long military career, Wetherill rose to the rank of Major General
.
He was appointed the Senior Advisor, IV Corps, Delta Military Assistance Command on June 1, 1969, and served until his retirement in May 1973. He advised General Abrams in June 1969 to transfer certain units of the Vietnamese army out of Saigon to the Mekong delta area, in order for them to gain combat experience, but Wetherill's advice was ignored. Just as he feared, the North Vietnamese army invaded the Mekong Delta in August 1969. Wetherill was quoted extensively in a nationally syndicated UPI story about the offensive. Specifically, he noted that this was not merely the Viet Cong being involved, but regular enemy troups being engaged for the first time in the area. He famously said about those North Vietnam troop movements in the Mekong Delta:
In September 1969, Walter Cronkite
of CBS News
reported that some civilian advisors had also advised withdrawing U.S. troops; he further quoted Wetherill as describing both the displaced persons there and the withdrawal of American troops.
Wetherill was sent stateside to Fort Sill
, which he commanded from February 1970 through the end of May 1973.
As a commanding officer of Fort Sill, and its artillery school during the early 1970s, Wetherill was the named defendant in a famous conscientious objector
case during the Vietnam War, Polsky v. Wetherill, 438 F.2d 132 (10th Cir. 1971). The Tenth Circuit decided Polski on jurisdictional grounds, without getting into the merits of the case, while sitting en banc
. However, the Supreme Court
vacated that judgment in Polsky v. Wetherill, 403 U.S. 916, 91 S.Ct. 2232, 29 L.Ed.2d 693 (1971), and remanded it back to the 10th Circuit for further consideration. On remand, the 10th Circuit ruled in favor of the petitioner 's request for a writ of habeas corpus, and against Wetherill, in Polsky v. Wetherill, 455 F.2d 960 (10th Cir. 1972). Polsky v. Wetherill was cited was precedent
("mandatory authority") in Miller v. United States Army, 458 F.2d 388 (10th Cir. 1972).
He once sent an enlisted man to psychiatric evaluation, rather than trial, in Lozinski v. Wetherill, 21 USCMA 77, 44 CMR 131 (C.M.A. 1971). In another case, Robertson v. Wetherill, 21 USCMA 77, 44 CMR 131 (C.M.A. 1971), he ordered an enlisted man who was charged with possession of marijuana to face a general, rather than special, court martial.
At Fort Sill, Wetherill also organized the 1970 Field Artillery Systems Review, which aimed for a a major "Modernization of the Field Artillery System."
He inspected at least two college ROTC units in 1971, including that of Henderson State University
in Arkansas
.
issues, such as personnel and gunships versus field artillery. He was the editor of the United States Army's monograph about the history of U.S. Field Artillery from 1972 to 1973. His written report to General Frederick C. Weyand
on August 31, 1970, about the "Command of I Field Force in Vietnam" was used as a "case study" in "the development of close air support."
Roderick "Rick" Wetherill, Jr. (b. January 20, 1942 Highland Falls, New York
, d. September 9, 1996 Fairfax, Virginia
) was an officer of the United States Army
from the Vietnam War
through the Reagan
administration's arms war. He was decorated with several high honors. He was educated at West Point Military Academy, like several of his male relatives, Wetherill, Jr. was the son of Wetherill and Josephine Bolling, daughter of Army officer Alexander R. Bolling
, who later became a Lieutenant General
and former Chief of Army Intelligence
. So many of Wetherill's relatives attended West Point—his father, a grandfather, and two uncles among them -- that is was said his blood was "grey", which is the color of the uniforms at the Army's military academy. He was raised an army brat in Highland Falls, immediately south of the Academy; he was an Eagle Scout
and football player at Highland Falls High School and graduated in 1960.
He joined the Army, attended their preparatory school
, and was class of 1965 at West Point. He also graduated from the Command and General Staff Schools of the Army.
Wetherill served first in Germany
before 1968, and finished Airborne
and Ranger
schools. During a tour in the Vietnam War
, from 1968 to 1969, he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Republic of Vietnam's Cross of Gallantry.
He earned his M.B.A. while an advisor to the ROTC at the University of Arizona (1969–1973). He served with Army Support Group in Panmunjom, South Korea
(1973–1974) the 1st Cavalry Division
and and executive officer
of the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry at Fort Hood (1975 to 1977), CGSC (1977 to 1979), Individual Training Division at the Pentagon
(1979–1982), and Office of the Secretary of Defense
(1982–1987), during the Cold War
build-up. He retired as a lieutenant colonel
. In addition to the Bronze Star and Cross of Gallantry, he earned a Meritorious Service Medal and the Defense Superior Service Medal. He was widely eulogized after his death.
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...
from World War II
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...
through the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The official Army history of the War in southeast Asia considers him to have been a "key ... commander in Vietnam".
Education and early career
Wetherill graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1940, as had his father and would his son. While a young LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, he married Josephine Bolling, in March 1941, at a church in Waban, Massachusetts
Waban, Massachusetts
Waban is one of the thirteen villages of Newton, Massachusetts, an affluent suburban city approximately seven miles from downtown Boston.-Origin of name:Waban was named for Waban, the first Massachusett Indian converted to Christianity, in 1646...
; his bride was a daughter of Army officer Alexander R. Bolling
Alexander R. Bolling
Alexander Russell Bolling was a general in the United States Army during World War II and the Cold War..-Early career:He was a student at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis from 1915 to 1916, but he left the USNA and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was sent to France during WWI, where he earned a...
, who later became a Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and former Chief of Army Intelligence
Army Intelligence
Army Intelligence may refer to:* The intelligence component of a given nation's army.* In the United States, Army Intelligence is usually referred to as Military Intelligence .-Further reading:...
.
He was working there at West Point after graduation, and residing in Highland Falls, New York, when his son Roderick Wetherill, Jr., was born on January 20, 1942. His first son was born six weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, and the day after his own birthday.
He was promoted several times during and after World War II
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...
. In June 1953, then-Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Wetherill took part in a "retrograde movement" at Pukhan River, towards the end of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He was "division artillery advisor" at the battle of Pukhan River, and witnessed first-hand the horrible casualties; he said, "I could see by the gun flashes the arms legs and faces hanging all over the wire." He also attempted to save some soldiers from being captured as prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the Chinese "Red" Army.
From about 1955 to 1957 was a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
stationed at the Headquarters, Continental Army Command. From April 1963 through December 1964, he was chief of staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
of the V Army in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, at the rank of Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
.
The Vietnam War
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
.
He was appointed the Senior Advisor, IV Corps, Delta Military Assistance Command on June 1, 1969, and served until his retirement in May 1973. He advised General Abrams in June 1969 to transfer certain units of the Vietnamese army out of Saigon to the Mekong delta area, in order for them to gain combat experience, but Wetherill's advice was ignored. Just as he feared, the North Vietnamese army invaded the Mekong Delta in August 1969. Wetherill was quoted extensively in a nationally syndicated UPI story about the offensive. Specifically, he noted that this was not merely the Viet Cong being involved, but regular enemy troups being engaged for the first time in the area. He famously said about those North Vietnam troop movements in the Mekong Delta:
In September 1969, Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite
Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
of CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
reported that some civilian advisors had also advised withdrawing U.S. troops; he further quoted Wetherill as describing both the displaced persons there and the withdrawal of American troops.
Fort Sill
Wetherill was sent stateside to Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
, which he commanded from February 1970 through the end of May 1973.
As a commanding officer of Fort Sill, and its artillery school during the early 1970s, Wetherill was the named defendant in a famous conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
case during the Vietnam War, Polsky v. Wetherill, 438 F.2d 132 (10th Cir. 1971). The Tenth Circuit decided Polski on jurisdictional grounds, without getting into the merits of the case, while sitting en banc
En banc
En banc, in banc, in banco or in bank is a French term used to refer to the hearing of a legal case where all judges of a court will hear the case , rather than a panel of them. It is often used for unusually complex cases or cases considered to be of greater importance...
. However, the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
vacated that judgment in Polsky v. Wetherill, 403 U.S. 916, 91 S.Ct. 2232, 29 L.Ed.2d 693 (1971), and remanded it back to the 10th Circuit for further consideration. On remand, the 10th Circuit ruled in favor of the petitioner 's request for a writ of habeas corpus, and against Wetherill, in Polsky v. Wetherill, 455 F.2d 960 (10th Cir. 1972). Polsky v. Wetherill was cited was precedent
Precedent
In common law legal systems, a precedent or authority is a principle or rule established in a legal case that a court or other judicial body may apply when deciding subsequent cases with similar issues or facts...
("mandatory authority") in Miller v. United States Army, 458 F.2d 388 (10th Cir. 1972).
He once sent an enlisted man to psychiatric evaluation, rather than trial, in Lozinski v. Wetherill, 21 USCMA 77, 44 CMR 131 (C.M.A. 1971). In another case, Robertson v. Wetherill, 21 USCMA 77, 44 CMR 131 (C.M.A. 1971), he ordered an enlisted man who was charged with possession of marijuana to face a general, rather than special, court martial.
At Fort Sill, Wetherill also organized the 1970 Field Artillery Systems Review, which aimed for a a major "Modernization of the Field Artillery System."
He inspected at least two college ROTC units in 1971, including that of Henderson State University
Henderson State University
Henderson State University, founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College, is a four-year public liberal arts university located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, United States. It is Arkansas's only member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges...
in Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Promotion dates
| Rank | Temporary | Permanent |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Lieutenant | May 1940 | ? |
| 1st Lieutenant | 1941 | ? |
| Captain | ? | ? |
| Major | ? | ? |
| Lieutenant Colonel | c. 1953 | ? |
| Colonel | c. 1955 | ? |
| Brigadier General | April 1963 | ? |
| Major General | June 1969 | ? |
| Retired | May 31, 1973 |
Writings
Wetherill's official papers have been collected, which primarily concern field artilleryField artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
issues, such as personnel and gunships versus field artillery. He was the editor of the United States Army's monograph about the history of U.S. Field Artillery from 1972 to 1973. His written report to General Frederick C. Weyand
Frederick C. Weyand
Frederick Carlton Weyand was a U.S. Army General. Weyand was the last commander of US military operations in the Vietnam War from 1972–1973, and served as the 28th US Army Chief of Staff from 1974-1976.-Early career:...
on August 31, 1970, about the "Command of I Field Force in Vietnam" was used as a "case study" in "the development of close air support."
Roderick Wetherill, Jr.
Highland Falls, New York
Highland Falls, formerly named Buttermilk Falls, is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,678 at the 2000 census. The village was founded in 1906...
, d. September 9, 1996 Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
) was an officer of the United States Army
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...
from the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
through the Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
administration's arms war. He was decorated with several high honors. He was educated at West Point Military Academy, like several of his male relatives, Wetherill, Jr. was the son of Wetherill and Josephine Bolling, daughter of Army officer Alexander R. Bolling
Alexander R. Bolling
Alexander Russell Bolling was a general in the United States Army during World War II and the Cold War..-Early career:He was a student at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis from 1915 to 1916, but he left the USNA and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was sent to France during WWI, where he earned a...
, who later became a Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and former Chief of Army Intelligence
Army Intelligence
Army Intelligence may refer to:* The intelligence component of a given nation's army.* In the United States, Army Intelligence is usually referred to as Military Intelligence .-Further reading:...
. So many of Wetherill's relatives attended West Point—his father, a grandfather, and two uncles among them -- that is was said his blood was "grey", which is the color of the uniforms at the Army's military academy. He was raised an army brat in Highland Falls, immediately south of the Academy; he was an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout may refer to several ranks in Scout organizations around the world:* Eagle Scout ** List of Eagle Scouts * Eagle Scout...
and football player at Highland Falls High School and graduated in 1960.
He joined the Army, attended their preparatory school
Preparatory school
Preparatory school or prep school may refer to:*University-preparatory school, a school in North America that is a private secondary school, typically charging high fees, designed to prepare students aged 14–18 for higher education at a university or college*Preparatory school , an independent...
, and was class of 1965 at West Point. He also graduated from the Command and General Staff Schools of the Army.
Wetherill served first in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
before 1968, and finished Airborne
Airborne
- Music :* Airbourne , an Australian hard rock band* Airborne , a jazz band based in Connecticut* Airborne * Airborne * Airborne...
and Ranger
Ranger
-Law enforcement:* Arizona Rangers* California State Rangers* Colorado Mounted Rangers* Council ranger, a type of officer in Australia* Newfoundland Rangers* New Mexico Rangers* Pakistan Rangers, a Pakistani paramilitary force* Texas Ranger Division...
schools. During a tour in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, from 1968 to 1969, he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Republic of Vietnam's Cross of Gallantry.
He earned his M.B.A. while an advisor to the ROTC at the University of Arizona (1969–1973). He served with Army Support Group in Panmunjom, South Korea
Joint Security Area
The Joint Security Area is the only portion of the Korean Demilitarized Zone where South and North Korean forces stand face-to-face. It is often called the "Truce Village" in both the media and various military accounts...
(1973–1974) the 1st Cavalry Division
1st Cavalry Division
1st Cavalry Division can refer to several cavalry units:* 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Indian Cavalry Division...
and and executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry at Fort Hood (1975 to 1977), CGSC (1977 to 1979), Individual Training Division at the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
(1979–1982), and Office of the Secretary of Defense
Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense is a headquarters-level staff of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It is the principal civilian staff element of the Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department...
(1982–1987), during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
build-up. He retired as a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. In addition to the Bronze Star and Cross of Gallantry, he earned a Meritorious Service Medal and the Defense Superior Service Medal. He was widely eulogized after his death.