Date of birth:

September 15th, 1914 (Springfield/Massachusetts, United States)

Date of death:

September 4th, 1974 (Washington, D.C., United States)

Nationality:

American

Servicenumber 0-20296.

Promotions:
1936: 2nd Lieutenant;
1939: 1st Lieutenant;
1940: temporary Captain;
February 1942: Major;
September 1943: Lieutenant Colonel;
1945: (temporary) Colonel;
1951: Colonel;
1956: Brigadier General;
1960: Major General;
1963: Lieutenant General;
1964: General.

Career:
1936: Gaduation West Point;
1936 - 1940: 1st Cavalry Division;
1940: Company commander 1st Armored Division;
June 1941 - June 1942: Regimental adjutant 4th Armored Division;
July 1942 - March 1943: Battalion commander 4th Armored Division;
March 1943 - September 1943: Regiment executive officer 37th Armor Regiment;
September 1943 - March 1945: Commanding Officer 37th Tank Battalion;
March 1945: Commanding Officer Combat Command B, 4th Armored Division;
1945 - 1946: Army General Staff;
1946 - 1948: Head of the department of tactics, Armored School, Fort Knox;
1949: Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth;
1949 - 1951: Commanding Officer 63rd Tank Battalion, 1st Infantry Division;
1951 - 1952: Commanding Officer 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment;
1953: Army War College;
1953 - 1954: Chief of staff I, X, and IX Corps in Korea ;
1954 - 1956: Chief of Staff, Armor Center, Fort Knox;
1956 - 1959: Deputy Chief of staff for reserve components, Pentagon;
1959 - 1960: Assistant division commander 3rd Armored Division;
1960 - 1962: Commanding Officer 3rd Armored Division;
1962 - 1963: Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Pentagon;
1963 - 1965: Commanding Officer V Corps;
1964: Vice Chief of Staff of the Army;
May 1967: Deputy to General William Westmoreland, head of the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam;
10 June 1968: Head of the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam;
?: Military Assistance Command;
June 1972: Chief of Staff of the United States Army.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant Colonel

Unit:

37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, U.S. Army

Awarded on:

November 18th, 1944

Citation:
"For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Commanding Officer of the 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, in action against enemy forces on 20 September 1944, when two of his tank companies were out-flanked and seriously disorganized by an armored attack of superior forces. Quickly and accurately estimating the situation, Lieutenant Colonel Abrams unhesitatingly attacked the enemy force with his command tank, striking with such ferocity that the enemy was thrown into a state of confusion and his own forces were able to regroup. Lieutenant Colonel Abrams then daringly led his reorganized companies in a frontal assault which resulted in the complete rout of the enemy and the capture of a valuable position with a considerable amount of enemy supplies. His rapid and heroic action, undertaken with great initiative and brilliant leadership, was largely responsible for the successful action and was an inspiration to all who witnessed it. Lieutenant Colonel Abrams' intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 4th Armored Division, and the United States Army."

Headquarters, Third Army, General Orders No. 92

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant Colonel

Unit:

37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, U.S. Army

Awarded on:

1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant Colonel

Unit:

37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, U.S. Army

Awarded on:

1945

Citation:
"For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Commanding Officer of the 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, in action against enemy forces on 26 December 1944, when he led his battle- weary battalion in an assault on a heavily defended town. When the advance was held up by a concealed enemy anti-tank gun, Lieutenant Colonel Abrams went forward in his command tank and destroyed the gun; his example inspiring his men to press on and take the town. Then, heedless of approaching darkness and strong enemy defenses, he brilliantly led his battalion on to a further objective. Lieutenant Colonel Abrams' intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 4th Armored Division and the United States Army."

Headquarters, Third U.S. Army, General Orders No. 43 (1945).
Received this second DSC as his first Oak Leaf Cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant Colonel

Unit:

37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, U.S. Army

Awarded on:

1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant Colonel

Unit:

37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, U.S. Army

"For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding Officer, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division, from 1942 to 1945."

Period:

Korean War (1950-1953)

Rank:

Colonel

"For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Chief of Staff, FIRST Corps; Chief of Staff, NINTH Corps, and Chief of Staff, TENTH Corps, from 1953 to 1954."

Received this second LoM as his first Oak Leaf Cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first.

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Rank:

General

Awarded on:

February 14th, 1967

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility, during the period from August 1964 to February 1967."

Department of the Army, General Orders No. 6

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Rank:

General

Awarded on:

May 29th, 1967

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Deputy Commander, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, during the period from February 1967 to April 1967."

Department of the Army, General Orders No. 23. Received this second DSM as his first Oak Leaf Cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first.

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Rank:

General

Unit:

Military Assistance Command Vietnam, U.S. Army

Awarded on:

April 8th, 1968

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Rank:

General

Unit:

Military Assistance Command Vietnam, U.S. Army

Awarded on:

December 6th, 1968

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Rank:

General

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 12 October 1972 to 4 September 1974."

Received this fifth DSM as his fourth Oak Leaf Cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first.

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Rank:

General

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 12 October 1972 to 4 September 1974."

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Rank:

General

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility from 1968 to 1972."

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Rank:

General

"For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 12 October 1972 to 4 September 1974."

Received this second DDSM as his first Oak Leaf Cluster to be worn on the ribbon of the first.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With "V" device

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

w/ 4 bronze campaign stars

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

w/ 1 bronze service star

Period:

Korean War (1950-1953)

w/ 1 bronze campaign star

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

w/ 2 silver campaign stars

Period:

Vietnam War (1955-1975)

Period:

Korean War (1950-1953)

Period:

Korean War (1950-1953)

• Photo 1: U.S. Army (CC Attribution 3.0)
• - Pallud, J.P., Battle of the Bulge Then and Now, After the Battle - Battle of Britain International Limited, 1984
  - Koyen, K., The Fourth Armored Division – from the Beach to Bavaria, The Battery Press, Nashville, USA, 2000
  - Fox, Don M., Patton’s Vanguard – The United States Army Fourth Armored Division, McFarland & Company, Jefferson, North Carolina, USA, 2003
  - arlingtoncemetery.net
  - homeofheroes.com
  - Valor Awards