William Westmoreland
William Westmoreland | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | William Childs Westmoreland |
| Nickname(s) | "Westy" |
| Born | March 26, 1914 Saxon, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | July 18, 2005 (aged 91) Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Place of burial | West Point Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1936-1972 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment 187th Regimental Combat Team 101st Airborne Division |
| Battles / wars | World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (3) Bronze Star (2) Air Medal (10) |
William Childs Westmoreland (March 26, 1914 – July 18, 2005) was an United States Army four-star general.
Westmoreland commanded U.S. military operations in the Vietnam War at its peak (1964–68), including during the 1968 Tet Offensive. He adopted a strategy of attrition against the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army.
He later served as U.S. Army chief of staff from 1968 to 1972.
He was mentioned in a Time magazine article as a potential candidate for the 1968 Republican nomination.[1]
References
- ↑ "The Temper of the Times". Time (magazine). 1967-04-14. Archived from the original on 2007-11-04. Retrieved 2007-09-14.