Milton B. Halsey (March 6, 1894 – October 24, 1990) was a career officer in the United States Army. A 1917 graduate of the United States Military Academy, he was a veteran of the Mexican Border War, World War I, Occupation of the Rhineland, World War II, and the Occupation of Japan. Halsey attained the rank of major general, and his awards and decorations included the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Honor (Chevalier) (France), Croix de Guerre with palm (France), Military Order of the White Lion (Czechoslovakia), and Czechoslovak War Cross.
Early life
Milton Baldridge Halsey was born in Huntsville, Alabama on March 6, 1894, a son of Charles H. Halsey and Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Acklen) Halsey. He attended the public schools of Huntsville, and was a 1912 graduate of Huntsville High School. Halsey was elected president of his senior class.
Halsey attended the University of Alabama from September 1912 to March 1913. While in college, he joined the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He left the University of Alabama after receiving an appointment to the United States Military Academy (West Point) from U.S. Representative William Richardson. He then attended courses at Marion Military Institute to prepare for the West Point entrance examination, which he passed in early June 1913.
Halsey attended West Point from June 14, 1913, until April 20, 1917, when he graduated 104th in his class of 151. He received his commission as a second lieutenant of Infantry.
Start of career
After receiving his commission, Halsey was assigned to the 35th Infantry Regiment at Camp Stephen D. Little in Nogales, Arizona. He performed security patrols duty during the Mexican Border War, and was promoted to first lieutenant on May 15, 1917. With the army expanding at the start of World War I, he was promoted to temporary captain on August 5, 1917, and in October he was posted to Fort Sill, Oklahoma to complete the officer's course at the Infantry School of Arms.
In November, Halsey returned to the 35th Infantry in Nogales, where he briefly served as a company commander. From December 1917 to April 1918, he served with the 13th Machine Gun Battalion (later the 15th Machine Gun Battalion) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. From April to August 1918, he was regimental adjutant of the 35th Infantry, which was serving as Camp Travis, Texas. He commanded a company of the 54th Machine Gun Battalion at Camp Travis from November 1918 to February 1919. He was briefly attached to the 19th Infantry Regiment at Camp Travis, then commanded a company of the 54th Machine Gun Battalion from March to June, 1919.
From June to September 1919, Halsey again served as adjutant of the 35th Infantry, and he was promoted to permanent captain on September 1919. In October 1919, Halsey assumed command of a company in the 50th Infantry Regiment at Camp Dix, New Jersey. The 50th Infantry traveled to Europe in November 1919, and Halsey was assigned as regimental adjutant during the organization's Occupation of the Rhineland duty in Mayen.
Continued career
After returning to the United States in December 1921, Halsey was assigned to command a company of the 16th Infantry Regiment at Fort Jay, New York. From August 1923 to May 1924, he was a student in the company officer's course at the Fort Benning, Georgia Infantry School. From May to July 1924, he was an instructor in tactics on the West Point faculty. From July 1924 to June 1928, he served in the personnel division on the general staff at the United States Department of War. In June 1928, he was assigned to command a company of the 12th Infantry Regiment at Fort Washington, Maryland. In April 1930, he was assigned as adjutant of the Fort Washington garrison staff.
From August 1931 to May 1933, Halsey was a student at the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and he was promoted to major in January 1933. From May to August 1933, he served at the Fort Sam Houston Civilian Conservation Corps shipping depot. From August 1933 to August 1935, he served on the staff of the war plans division for the Eighth Corps Area at Fort Sam Houston. Halsey served as the combined assistant chief of staff for personnel (G-1) and assistant chief of staff for logistics (G-4) on the Eighth Corps Area staff from August 1935 to August 1937.