Francis Bowditch Wilby

Francis Bowditch Wilby (April 24, 1883 – November 20, 1965) was a major general in the United States Army who served as the 39th Superintendent of the United States Military Academy from 1942 to 1945, during World War II.

Early years and WW I

Francis Bowditch Wilby was born on April 24, 1883, in Detroit, Michigan. Raised in Deerfield, Massachusetts, he graduated from the Deerfield Academy. Wilby then attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and graduated third in the Class of 1905. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers on June 13, 1905.

Wilby was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on June 7, 1907, and in September of the same year, he was ordered to the Washington, D.C., where he attended the Engineer School at Washington Barracks (now Fort Lesley J. McNair).

Wilby also served with the United States forces during the United States occupation of Cuba between years 1906–1909.

When the U.S. entered World War I in April 1917, Wilby was transferred to France with the American Expeditionary Force. His first assignment with the AEF was as the Instructor of 1st Corps Engineer School in Gondrecourt-le-Château. He also attended the French engineer school at Chalons-sur-Marne. On March 20, 1918, Wilby was transferred to the Chaumont-Porcien Headquarters of the American Expeditionary Force, where he was appointed as Chief of Engineers Intelligence Division in the Office of Chief of Engineers. On September 26, 1918, Wilby was transferred to the 1st Division under command of Major General Charles Pelot Summerall, where he was appointed as a Commander of 1st Engineers. Wilby stayed in this capacity until March 14, 1919, where he was ordered back to the United States.

For his distinguished service during World War I, Wilby was awarded with Army Distinguished Service Medal by the Government of the United States and with the Croix de Guerre with Palm of the Government of France. He then served on the War Department General Staff from 1924 to 1928.

Wilby was transferred to Governors Island, New York, where he was appointed as a chief of staff of the First United States Army under the command of Lieutenant General Hugh A. Drum on October 26, 1939. He was also promoted to the rank of brigadier general on October 1, 1940.

World War II

In July 1941, Wilby was appointed as the commanding general of the First Corps Area Service Command, just renamed from First Corps Area. Wilby was promoted to the rank of major general on September 29, 1941.

On January 13, 1942, Wilby was selected to be appointed as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy and stayed in this capacity for the whole of World War II until September 4, 1945.

His last military assignment was at Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, Virginia, where he served as a commander of the Engineer school until January 31, 1946, when he finally retired from the Army. His second wife Olive Logan (Emerson) Payne (1896–1983) was buried beside them after her death.

Decorations Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Wilby: