Somervell, Brehon Burke

Date of birth:: May 9th, 1892 (Little Rock/Arkansas, United States)
Date of death:: February 13th, 1955
Buried on:: Arlington National Cemetery
Service number:: 0-3665
Nationality:: American

Biography

Brehon Burke Somervell was born on May 9th, 1892 as the son to William Taylor Somervell and Mary Somervell-Burke. He married in august 1919 with Anna Purnell. The couple had three daughters.

Promotions:
March 1st, 1910: Cadet;
June 12th, 1914: 2nd Lieutenant;
May 28th, 1915: 1st Lieutenant;
May 15th, 1917: Captain;
August 5th, 1917: temporary Major;
October 1st, 1918: temporary Lieutenant Colonel;
July 1st, 1920: Major;
August 1st, 1935: Lieutenant Colonel;
January 29th, 1941: temporary Brigadier General;
January 28th, 1942: temporary Major General;
March 9th, 1942: Lieutenant General;
July 1st, 1942: Colonel;
September 1st, 1943: Brigadier General;
September 3rd, 1943: Major General;
March 6th, 1945: temporary General;
April 30th, 1946: Major General (Retired);
June 4th, 1948: General (Retired).

Career:
1910: United States Military Academy, West Point;
1914: United States Army Corps of Engineers;
1914: Assistant, Military Attaché, Paris;
?: Engineer Battalion, Washington;
1916: Depot Manager, Columbus;
1917: Engineer School, Washington;
1917: 15th Engineers (Regiment)(Railway);
1918: Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, 89th Division;
1918: Supply Officer G-4, 89th Division;
1919: Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4, Third Army;
1919: Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4, American Forces in Germany;
1920: Office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington;
August 1922: U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth;
June 1923: 1st New York Engineer District;
1923: River Study Europe, League of Nations;
1925: Army War College;
1926: District Engineer, Washington, D.C. Engineer District;
September 1st, 1930: Assistant Chief Engineer, Lower Mississippi Valley Division;
1931: Assistant District Engineer, Memphis District;
1932: District Engineer, Memphis District;
1933: Economic survey Turkey;
?: District Engineer, Ocala, Florida;
1935: Head, Works Progress Administration, New York City;
1941: Head, Construction Division, Quartermaster Corps;
1942 - 1945: Commanding General, U.S. Army Service Forces;
December 1945: Retirement.

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Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Lieutenant Colonel
Unit:: Assistant Chief of Staff G3, Staff, 89th Division, American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), U.S. Army
Awarded on:: 1919

Citation:
"For extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 89th Division, A.E.F., near Pouilly, France, November 5 - 6, 1918. Voluntarily serving on the staff of the 89th Division, Lieutenant Colonel Somervell conducted the first engineering reconnaissance of the damaged bridges at Pouilly, advancing more than 500 meters beyond the American outposts, crossing three branches of the Meuse River, and successfully reconnoitering the enemy."

War Department, General Orders No. 37 (1919)

Distinguished Service Medal - Army (DSM)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Lieutenant Colonel
Unit:: Adjutant, 15th Engineers (Regiment)(Railway), American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), U.S. Army
Awarded on:: 1923

Citation:
"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. As Adjutant, 15th Engineers, during the period of organization and training, in charge of construction of the Mehun Ammunition Depot, in charge of the construction at Is-sur-Tille Depot, including the Gas Depot at Poinson and the Etain Engine Terminal; Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, and Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, 89th Division from October 1918 until the division returned to the United States, when he was assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4, 3d Army. In all these positions Lieutenant Colonel Somervell displayed unusual vision, initiative, sound judgment, and high professional skill, contributing in a conspicuous way to the successful operation of the American forces in France."

War Department, General Orders No. 14 (1923)

Distinguished Service Medal - Army (DSM)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant General
Unit:: Commanding General, U.S. Army Service Forces, U.S. Army
Awarded on:: 1942

Citation:
"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding General Services of Supply from 1942 - 1943."

War Department, General Orders No. 8 (1942)
Second ADSM awarded in the form of an oak leaf cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first ADSM.

Distinguished Service Medal - Army (DSM)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant General
Unit:: Commanding General, U.S. Army Service Forces, U.S. Army
Awarded on:: 1945

Citation:
"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Commanding General Army Services Forces from 1943 to 1945."

War Department, General Orders No. 97 (1945)
Third ADSM awarded in the form of a second oak leaf cluster, to be worn on the ribbon of the first ADSM.

Legion of Merit - US Military

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant General
Unit:: Commanding General, U.S. Army Service Forces, U.S. Army
Awarded on:: 1945

Citation:
"For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding General Army Services Forces from 1943 to 1945."

Legion of Merit - US Military

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant General
Unit:: Commanding General, U.S. Army Service Forces, U.S. Army
Awarded on:: 1945

Citation:
"For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding General Army Services Forces from 1943 to 1945."

Second LOM awarded in the form of a bronze oak leaf to be worn on the ribbon of the first LOM.