Williston B. Palmer

Williston Birkhimer Palmer (November 11, 1899 – October 11, 1973) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army (VCSA) from 1955 to 1957; Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command (DCINCEUR) from 1957 to 1959; and was the first Director of Military Assistance, 1959 to 1962. His brother Charles D. Palmer, was also a four-star general, the first pair of brothers in Army history to achieve this, and his grandfather, William E. Birkhimer was a Brigadier General and Medal of Honor recipient.

Williston B. Palmer
General Williston B. Palmer
Born(1899-11-11)November 11, 1899
Chicago, Illinois
DiedNovember 10, 1973(1973-11-10) (aged 73)
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1919–1962
Rank General
Commands held82nd Airborne Division
2nd Armored Division
X Corps
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal (4)[1]
Silver Star[2]
RelationsCharles D. Palmer (brother)
William E. Birkhimer (grandfather)
External audio
You may listen to radio broadcasts of performances by Palmer's Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra from 1956–2006 here on 7aso.org

Military career

Palmer was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 11, 1899, the oldest son of Colonel Charles Day Palmer. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1919 after an accelerated 3-year course.

During World War II, as a brigadier general, he commanded VII Corps artillery, from the Normandy invasion to the Elbe. In January 1943 then Brigadier General Palmer was a passenger on a B-17 which landed in neutral Ireland. He was transferred across the border to Northern Ireland the next day. .[3]

Following the war he served as Director of Logistics, European Command, commanded the 82nd Airborne Division in 1950, followed by command of the 2nd Armored Division in 1951 and X Corps in Korea later that same year. He was promoted to Lieutenant General on 10 June 1952.

While commanding the 2nd Armored Division based at Stuttgart- Vaihingen in Germany during 1952, Palmer was instrumental in establishing the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra with a young conductor from within his ranks: Corporal Samuel Adler. In accordance with Adler's suggestion, Palmer staffed the orchestra with professionally educated musicians from within the Army itself. During the course of the next decade, Palmer's "soldier-musician ambassadors" distinguished themselves throughout Europe by supporting America's cultural diplomacy initiatives during the height of the Cold War.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

During his tenure as Director of Military Assistance, a scandal erupted over black market activities in Turkey involving military personnel. Palmer defended soldiers who refused to testify to the Senate by pointing out that the Uniform Code of Military Justice protected soldiers from self-incrimination.

He caused controversy when in October 1960, while visiting Saigon, he said the United States was suspending military aid to Laos because of the "confused situation" in there, saying "we have not been sure who is responsible for anything." After two days of confusion, the U.S. embassy in Vientiane said the announcement had been incorrect and made without instructions from Washington, D.C.

During his time as Vice Chief of Staff, in order to save money, he issued an order ending the horse drawn caissons in Arlington National Cemetery. However, his order was countermanded. He retired from the army in 1962.

General Palmer died on November 10, 1973, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He never married, and was buried with his mother in Arlington National Cemetery, and was later joined by his brother.[10]

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References
  1. Hall of Valor awards
  2. Palmer Silver Star
  3. Paul Browne (2010). "Eagles Over Ireland". Paul Browne. Retrieved 2013-01-13.
  4. 7th Army Symphony Chronology - General Palmer authorizes Samuel Adler to found the orchestra in 1952 on 7aso.org
  5. A Dictionary for the Modern Composer, Emily Freeman Brown, Scarecrow Press, Oxford, 2015, p. 311 ISBN 9780810884014 Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra founded by Samuel Adler in 1952 on https://books.google.com
  6. Army - "Musical Ambassadors, Soldiers Too" James I. Kenner. Editor Lt. General Walter L. Weible . Association of the United States Army Vol 9. No. 1 August 1958 p. 60-62 - Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra on https://books.google.com
  7. "7th Army Symphony Draws Praise" Samuel Adler and Army Commendtion Ribbon with Metal Pendant" on 7aso.org
  8. Uncle Sam's Orchestra: Memories of the Seventh Army Orchestra John Canaria, University of Rochester Press 1998 ISBN 9781580460 194 Seventh Army Symphony on https://books.google.com
  9. New Music New Allies Amy C. Beal, University of California Press, Berkeley, 2006, P. 49, ISBN 978-0-520-24755-0 "Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra (1952–1962) performing works by Roy Harris, Morton Gould and Leroy Anderson" on https://books.google.com
  10. Arlingtoncemetery.net entry
Military offices
Preceded by
Gen. John E. Hull		 Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army
1955 – 1957		 Succeeded by
Gen. Lyman Lemnitzer
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