William Renwick Smedberg, Jr. - Brigadier General, United States Army

Smedberg, William Renwick, Jr.

California
Cadet, United States Military Academy, 15 June 1889
Seond Lieutenant, 4th United States Cavalry, 12 June 1893;
First Lieutenant, 2 March 1899
Captain, 14th United States Cavalry, 2 February 1901

NOTE: His Father
Smedberg, William Renwick.
New York
Private Company A, 3rd Battalion, D. C. Infantry, 15 April to 4 July 1861
Second Lieutenant, 14th United States Infantry, 14 May 1861
Captain 25 October 1861
Unassigned 22 July 1869;
Retired 15 December 1870
Breveted Major, 2 July 1863 for gallant and meritorious services in the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and Breveted Lieutenant Colonel, 5 May 1864 for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of the Wildreness, Virginia.
Retired 16 June 1899

BRIGADIER GENERAL W. R. SMEDBERG
Decorated in Cuban Campaign and in the First World War

WASHINGTON, October 9, 1942 – The death of Brigadier General William R. Smedberg, Jr., USA, retired, at Walter Reed Hospital here today was announced by the War Department. His age was 71.

Born in San Francisco and graduated from West Point in 1893, General Smedberg had served in the Cuban campaign, winning the Silver Star for gallantry in action. He was in France as a regimental commander and then as a brigade commander in the first World War, and was decorated again for gallantry, receiving the Oak Leaf Cluster for his Silver Star.

Prior to his retirement in 1935 he was Chief of the Administrative Division, National Guard Bureau.

He leaves a widow, Mrs. Louise G. Smedberg, of Washington, D.C., and two sons, Lieutenant Commander William R. Smedberg 3rd, USN and George C. Smedberg of Palo Alto, California.

NOTE: His son, William Renwick Smedberg III, Vice Admiral, United States Navy, is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His grandson, William Renwick Smedberg IV, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, died in July 2008, and is now also buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

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Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard

William Renwick Smedberg, Jr. – Brigadier General, United States Army

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