Wilhelm D. Styer
Encyclopedia
Wilhelm Delp Styer was a Lieutenant General
in the United States Army
.
. He was the son of Brigadier General Henry D. Styer (1862–1944), who led U.S. troops in Siberia
at end of World War I
.
Wilhelm Styer graduated from the United States Military Academy
at West Point in 1916 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Engineers.
He served in the Pancho Villa Expedition
from 1916 to 1917. Styer also served in France
during World War I.
From 1919 to 1920 he served on the staff of the Office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C.
Styer received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1922.
During the 1920s Styer served in New York City
as Executive Officer of the Army Corps of Engineers' First New York District, as the district's Chief Engineer, and as an Engineer in Europe
for the American Battle Monuments Commission.
In 1931 Styer was appointed District Engineer for the Corps of Engineers district headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. He was assigned as Assistant Engineer for Maintenance at the Panama Canal
in 1936, and in 1938 he was assigned to the Construction Office of the Army's Office of the Quartermaster General.
From 1940 to 1942 Styer was Deputy Chief of Construction for the War Department, receiving promotion to Brigadier General
.
General Styer was Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff of Army Service Forces from 1940 to 1942 and was promoted to Major General
in 1942.
From 1942 to 1945 Styer was a member of the Military Policy Committee, a group that included Admiral William Henry Purnell Blandy (1890–1954) and Brigadier General Leslie Groves
(1896–1970). The MPC oversaw Development of Substitute Materials (DSM), the project that studied atomic energy during World War II
and was later renamed the Manhattan Project
. Styer was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1944.
In 1945 Styer was named Commander in Chief of US Army Forces—Western Pacific, based in Manila, Philippines. In this assignment he chaired the tribunal that tried and convicted General Tomoyuki Yamashita
(1885–1946) for war crimes, and he signed Yamashita’s execution order. General Styer also chaired the tribunal that tried General Masaharu Homma
(1887–1946), the Japanese conqueror of Bataan
and Corregidor
, for war crimes, and ordered Homma's execution.
General Styer retired from the Army in 1947. He died on February 26, 1975 in, Coronado, California
, and his remains were cremated at Coronado Mortuary.
General Styer's medals and decorations included two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal
.
He was the brother of Admiral Charles Wilkes Styer (1897–1976).
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
in 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...
.
Biography
Styer was born on July 22, 1893, in Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. He was the son of Brigadier General Henry D. Styer (1862–1944), who led U.S. troops in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
at end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Wilhelm Styer graduated 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 1916 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Engineers.
He served in the Pancho Villa Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
The Pancho Villa Expedition—officially known in the United States as the Mexican Expedition and sometimes colloquially referred to as the Punitive Expedition—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican insurgent Francisco "Pancho" Villa...
from 1916 to 1917. Styer also served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during World War I.
From 1919 to 1920 he served on the staff of the Office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Styer received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1922.
During the 1920s Styer served in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as Executive Officer of the Army Corps of Engineers' First New York District, as the district's Chief Engineer, and as an Engineer in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for the American Battle Monuments Commission.
In 1931 Styer was appointed District Engineer for the Corps of Engineers district headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. He was assigned as Assistant Engineer for Maintenance at the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
in 1936, and in 1938 he was assigned to the Construction Office of the Army's Office of the Quartermaster General.
From 1940 to 1942 Styer was Deputy Chief of Construction for the War Department, receiving promotion to Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
.
General Styer was Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff of Army Service Forces from 1940 to 1942 and was promoted to Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
in 1942.
From 1942 to 1945 Styer was a member of the Military Policy Committee, a group that included Admiral William Henry Purnell Blandy (1890–1954) and Brigadier General Leslie Groves
Leslie Groves
Lieutenant General Leslie Richard Groves, Jr. was a United States Army Corps of Engineers officer who oversaw the construction of the Pentagon and directed the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb during World War II. As the son of a United States Army chaplain, Groves lived at a...
(1896–1970). The MPC oversaw Development of Substitute Materials (DSM), the project that studied atomic energy during 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...
and was later renamed the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
. Styer was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1944.
In 1945 Styer was named Commander in Chief of US Army Forces—Western Pacific, based in Manila, Philippines. In this assignment he chaired the tribunal that tried and convicted General Tomoyuki Yamashita
Tomoyuki Yamashita
General was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He was most famous for conquering the British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, earning the nickname "The Tiger of Malaya".- Biography :...
(1885–1946) for war crimes, and he signed Yamashita’s execution order. General Styer also chaired the tribunal that tried General Masaharu Homma
Masaharu Homma
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He is noteworthy for his role in the invasion and occupation of the Philippines during World War II. Homma, who was an amateur painter and playwright, was also known as the Poet General.-Biography:...
(1887–1946), the Japanese conqueror of Bataan
Bataan
Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...
and Corregidor
Corregidor
Corregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...
, for war crimes, and ordered Homma's execution.
General Styer retired from the Army in 1947. He died on February 26, 1975 in, Coronado, California
Coronado, California
Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
, and his remains were cremated at Coronado Mortuary.
General Styer's medals and decorations included two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
.
He was the brother of Admiral Charles Wilkes Styer (1897–1976).
Sources
- The Howitzer, United States Military Academy Yearbook, 1915, page 215
- Newspaper article, Cadets go to Engineers, New York Times, September 9, 1916
- Newspaper article, New District Engineer Takes Over His Duties, New Castle (Pennsylvania) News, September 17, 1931
- Newspaper article, New Panama Canal Aide Arrives, New York Times, May 28, 1936
- Newspaper article, Gen. H. D. Styer at Milestone: Man Who Led American Troops Into Siberia to Observe 80th Birthday, Los Angeles Times, September 21, 1942
- Newspaper article, Brig. Gen. H. Styer, Led in Siberia in '18: Retired Officer Dies at 81, May 13, 1944
- Newspaper article, Styer to Command West Pacific Yanks, Toronto Daily Star - Jun 19, 1945
- Newspaper article, Gen. Yamashita Executed, Chicago Tribune, February 23, 1946
- The Manhattan Project: the Birth of the Atomic Bomb in the Words of its Creators, Eyewitnesses and Historians, Cynthia C. Kelly, 2007, page 93
- The Pentagon: A History: The Untold Story of the Wartime Race to Build the Pentagon – and to Restore it 60 Years Later, Steve Vogel, 2007, page 260
- Magazine, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, May 1995, volume 51, number 3, page 27
- An Unplanned Life: A Memoir, George M. Elsey, 2005, page 45
- Home of Heroes web site, Alphabetical Index of Recipients of Major Military Awards page, http://www.homeofheroes.com/verify/recipients_st.html
- Newspaper article, Wilhelm Styer, General, 81, Dies: West Pacific Commander Executed Yamashita, New York Times, February 28, 1975
- Newspaper article, General Styer Dies at 81, Pacific Stars and Stripes, March 2, 1975
- Newspaper article, WW II General Dies at 81: Native Utahn, Salt Lake Tribune, February 28, 1975