Simpson, William Hood

Born in Weatherford, Texas . After graduating from the United States Military Academy in 1909, he enlisted in the infantry. Before entering the US in World War I, he served in the United States and the Philippines (formerly an American colony)), in 1916 participated in a punitive expedition to Mexico related to the Pancho Villa raid on the territory of the United States. In May 1917 he received the rank of captain, during the First World War he served in the 33rd division, received a temporary promotion to major, and then to lieutenant colonel, becoming chief of staff of the division.

In 1919 he headed the 6th division, which was located in Illinois . He served in the military, and then studied at the infantry school at Fort Benning (until 1924). A year later, he graduated from the school of the General Staff of the US Army. After two years of command of the battalion, he studied at the Military College of the US Army in Carlisle , Pennsylvania (until 1928). In 1932-1936 he taught military art and tactics at Pomonsky College in California . In 1934 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, in 1938 to colonel. In 1936-1940 he was an adviser to the Military College.

In 1940, he briefly led the 9th US Infantry Regiment in Fort Sam Houston , Texas, and then, being promoted to a brigadier general, served there as deputy commander of the 2nd Infantry Division. From April to October 1941, he was the head of Camp Walters infantry training camp in Texas and in September received a temporary promotion to major general. He then led the 35th Infantry Division at Camp Robinson, Arkansas , directing its transfer to a training exercise in California. From May to July 1942, he commanded the 30th Infantry Division in Fort Jackson, South Carolina , and then the XIIth Corps of the US Army there. In October 1943, he was temporarily promoted to lieutenant general and took command of the 4th US Army, from which in January 1944 he was moved from California to Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

In May of the same year he went with his headquarters to the UK with the aim of organizing the 9th American Army. After including this unit in the 12th US Army Group under the command of General Omar Bradley in Rennes, France, on September 5, 1944, fought in the battle for Brest, which was liberated on September 20. After that, he was transferred with his army to the western front, where in October he fought in the Ardennes (as part of the British 21st Army Group) and from November participated in the breakthrough of the Siegfried Line and in battles on the Ruhr front. After breaking through in the Ruhr in February 1945 and crossing the Rhine in March, his army, together with the 1st US Army, formed the Ruhr boiler , which turned out to be the German Army Group B , which eventually capitulated at the end of April. The 9th Army became the first army of the Western Allies, crossing the Elbe . Simpson asked for permission to advance on Berlin , but was refused a command. After the dissolution of his army in June 1945 and returning to the United States, he served for some time in China and in October took command of the 2nd US Army in Memphis , Tennessee . In November 1946, he retired from active service.

In July 1954, according to the decision of the Congress, he was promoted to full generals. Had a variety of national and foreign awards. He died on August 15, 1980, was buried next to his wife Ruth at the Arlington National Cemetery .

• Biography on arlingtoncemetery.net (English)
• Thomas R. Stone . General William Hood Simpson: Unsung Commander of US Ninth Army (PDF) on dtic.mil (Eng.)