World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseWalter Krueger was born in Flatow, West Prussia, but moved to the United States when he was eight years old. He served as a volunteer during the Spanish-American War, and remained in the United States Army after the conflict. He graduated from the Infantry-Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1906, and then from the General Staff College in 1907. In 1916, he participated in the Mexican Punitive Expedition, and during WW1 he served in France as the Assistant Chief of Staff for each of the 26th Infantry Division, the 84th Infantry Division, and finally the Tank Corps. After a series of command and staff positions during the inter-war years, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in Oct 1936, major general in Feb 1939, and lieutenant general in May 1941. Serving under Douglas MacArthur, he commanded the newly activated Sixth Army in the island hopping campaign from Australia to the Philippines. "History has not given him due credit for his greatness", noted MacArthur in his memoir; "Swift and sure in attack, tenacious and determined in defense, modest and restrained in victory-I do not know what he would have been in defeat, because he was never defeated." In Mar 1945 Krueger was promoted to full general, a rank that he held into retirement (though he reverted to the rank of lieutenant general for a short time). He passed away at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, United States, and rests in peace at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, United States.

Walter Krueger Interactive Map

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Walter Krueger Timeline