Andrew Pick O’Meara – General, United States Army

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Andrew Pick O’Meara, 98, an Army General who retired in 1967 after serving two years in Heidelburg, Germany, as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Army in Europe and NATO’s Central Army Group, died September 20, 2005, at his home in Arlington, Virginia. He had a stroke.

A decorated war veteran, General O’Meara was from 1961 to 1965 commander in chief of the U.S. Southern Command, based in the Panama Canal Zone.

He oversaw Army operations affecting military assistance, counter-subversion and civic action programs in Latin America, the New York Times reported in January 1964. At the time, he led the Army response to rioting in the zone.

General O’Meara was a native of West Bend, Wisconsin, and a 1930 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He also was a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and the National War College.

Early in his career, he was in the horse artillery, was a physics instructor at the academy and reportedly wrote the first field manual on tank gunnery.

During World War II, he had several command positions with the artillery in Europe.

During the Korean conflict, he was artillery commander for the 7th Infantry Division and artillery commander of IX Corps. As a Brigadier General, he received the Silver Star in 1953 for performing dangerous reconnaissance work on a contested hill near Kumhwa, North Korea.

From 1959 to 1961, he was based in France as director of military assistance for the U.S. European Command.

Besides the Silver Star, his decorations included two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and the Air Medal.

He settled in the Washington area after retiring. He was a squash player and ordered the installation of squash courts for all U.S. troops during assignments in West Germany and Panama.

His wife, Ellen Fraser O’Meara, whom he married in 1933, died in 1995. A daughter, Ellen Johnson, died in 2000.

Survivors include two children, Louisa Heiberg of Arlington and retired Army Col. Andrew P. O’Meara Jr. of Pawleys Island, S.C.; 13 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren.

O’MEARA, ANDREW PICK (Age 98)
GENERAL, USA (Ret.)

On Friday, September 30, 2005 of Arlington, Virginia. Beloved husband of the late Ellen Aldridge Fraser O’Meara; loving father of Louisa O’Meara Heiberg, Colonel Andrew P. O’Meara, Jr., USA (Ret.), and the late Ellen Fraser Johnson. Also surviving are his 13 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Fort Myer Old Post Chapel on Tuesday, October 11, 2005, at 9:45 a.m. Interment with Full Military Honors at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in his name to the Knights of Malta, 1730 M St. N.W., Suite 403, Washington, DC 20036.

   General O’Meara is to be laid to rest with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery on 11 October 2005.

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Frankfurt, Germany, May 27, 1966: U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, center, in Germany
to speak at the University of Maryland graduation in Heidelberg, talks with USAFE
Commander-in-Chief General B.K. Holloway, right, at Rhein-Main Air Base.
At left is General Andrew O’Meara, USAREUR commander-in-chief.

Courtesy of Michael T. Stein:
General Andrew Pick O’Meara
Born March 23 1907 in West Bend, Wisconsin

Cadet US. Military Academy 1926-30
Graduated as No. 8827, Class of 1930

Second Lieutenant 1930
First Lieutenant 1935
Captain 1940
Major (Army of the United States) 1942
Lieutenant Colonel (Army of the United States) 1942
Colonel (Army of the United States) 1944
Major, United States Army, 1947
Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army, 1948
Colonel, United States Army, 1952
Brigadier General, United States Army, 1952
Major General, United States Army
Lieutenant General, United States Army, 1961
General, United States Army, 1963

Battery Officer, 4th Field Artillery 1931-34
Student Officer, Artillery School 1934-35
Served with 18th Field Artillery 1935-36
Instructor (Physics), U. S. Military Academy 1936-41
Battery Commander, 4th Armored Division 1941
S-3, 66th Field Artillery Regiment 1941-42
Commanding Officer, 94th Field Artillery Battalion 1942
Executive Officer to Artillery Officer, Armored Forces 1942-43
Director, Department of Gunnery, Armored School 1943-44
Operations Officer, Artillery Section, 12th Army group 1944
Assistant Artillery Commander, VII US. Corps 1944-45
Section Chief, Department of Gunnery, Field Artillery School 1945-46
Student, Command & General Staff School 1946
Director of Gunnery, The Artillery School 1946-47
Commander, 5th Artillery Group 1947-48
Chief of Plans Branch, Logistics Division, Headquarters US. European Command 1948-49
Deputy Director of Logistics, Headquarters US. European Command 1949-51
Student, National War College 1951-52
Artillery Commander, 7th Infantry Division 1952-53
Artillery Commander, IX US. Corps 1953
Served with Research & Development Division, Army General Staff 1953-55
Deputy Chief of Research & Development, US.Army 1955-57
Commanding General, 4th Armored Division 1957-59
Director of Military Assistance, US. European Command 1959-61
Commander-in-Chief, US. Southern Command 1961-65
Commander-in-Chief, US.Army-Europe 1965-67
Retired 1967
Ditinguished Service Medal – Silver Star – Legion of Merit – Bronze Star Medal – Air Medal

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