Herman F. Kramer

Herman F. Kramer (November 27, 1892 – October 20, 1964) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Pancho Villa Expedition, World War I, World War II, Allied-occupied Germany, and Occupation of Japan, he attained the rank of major general and was most notable for his Second World War command of the 66th Infantry Division, 97th Infantry Division, and 86th Infantry Division. He was a recipient of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star Medal, as well as the French Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre with palm.

A native of Lincoln, Nebraska and the son of a German immigrant father, Kramer graduated from Lincoln High School in 1909 and the University of Nebraska in 1914. While in college, he participated in the school's corps of cadets, which he commanded with the rank of student colonel. He began serving in the Nebraska National Guard's 5th Infantry Regiment in 1910, and received his commission as a second lieutenant in 1912. He served as a captain from 1914 to 1916, and during the Pancho Villa Expedition he held the rank of first lieutenant while serving on the U.S.–Mexico border.

In March 1917, Kramer was commissioned in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant of Infantry. He was promoted to first lieutenant and captain during World War I, and served with the 40th Infantry Regiment during its organization and training at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. After the war, Kramer continued to serve in positions of increasing rank and responsibility, and received promotion to major in 1929 and lieutenant colonel in 1939. He was a 1933 graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and from 1937 to 1939 was a student at the German General Staff School, one of a handful of U.S. officers who were able to participate in an exchange program before it ended at the start of World War II.

During the Second World War, he was promoted to colonel in 1941, brigadier general in 1942, and major general in 1943. After combat in Europe as commander of the 66th Infantry Division and 97th Infantry Division, he led the 97th Division to the Pacific theater in the summer of 1945 to take part in the planned invasion of Japan. The Japanese surrender in September ended the need for an invasion, so the 97th Division performed occupation duty beginning later that month. Kramer briefly commanded the 86th Infantry Division in the Philippines during mid-1946, and retired at the end of 1946.

In retirement, Kramer resided in San Antonio, Texas, where he worked as field supervisor for the Government Personnel Mutual Life Insurance Company and was a member of the San Antonio River Authority board of directors. He died at Fort Sam Houston's Brooke Army Medical Center on October 20, 1964. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Early life Herman Frederick Kramer was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on November 27, 1892, a son of German immigrant Franz (Frank) Kramer and Sophia (Rodenspiel) Kramer, a first generation American whose parents were from Germany. Kramer grew up speaking and reading German and English. He attended the public schools of Lincoln and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1909.

In July 1910, Kramer enlisted as a private in the Nebraska National Guard's 5th Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to sergeant the following October, and in December 1912 he received his commission as a second lieutenant. He was also president of the cadet officers' club. After graduation, Kramer continued to serve in the National Guard while working as a partner in his father's construction company. He served with the 5th Nebraska Infantry at Camp Llano Grande near Mercedes, Texas while the unit performed security patrols along the Mexico–U.S. border. The regiment returned to Nebraska in February 1917 and was discharged from active duty. During the war, he also underwent training at posts including Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley in Kansas. Kramer was promoted to first lieutenant in the Regular Army on April 15, 1917, temporary captain in the National Army on August 5, 1917, and permanent captain in the Regular Army on December 15, 1917. In July 1923, he returned to the United States and was assigned to the staff of the 83rd Infantry Division at Fort Hayes, Ohio, which he assisted with its organization and training after it was activated as a unit of the Organized Reserve Corps. He was promoted to major in December 1929. After graduation, Kramer was assigned to the staff college faculty.

In March 1937, Kramer was assigned to the 29th Infantry Regiment at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In May 1937, Kramer was one of a small group of German-speaking officers, including Albert Coady Wedemeyer, who were selected for an exchange program that included attendance at the German General Staff School in Berlin and service with a German military unit. In early 1940, he used his exchange program experiences to provide civilian journalists and U.S. intelligence officials current information about Germany's military capability and capacity. He was promoted to colonel (Army of the United States) the following October.

Later career In March 1943, Kramer was promoted to Major General (Army of the United States) The ships were five miles from Cherbourg when Léopoldville was torpedoed by a German U-boat; 56 crewmembers died, while the 66th Division sustained losses of 14 officers and 748 soldiers. After Germany's unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945, German and American officers met near Étel to arrange a truce so they could negotiate surrender terms for the German forces holding out in Lorient.

In September 1945, Kramer was assigned to command the 97th Infantry Division, which had left Europe after Germany's surrender and departed the U.S. for the Pacific theater expecting to participate in the planned invasion of Japan. The Surrender of Japan on September 2 ended the need for an invasion, so after arriving in Japan in late September, the division was headquartered in Kumagaya while it performed occupation duty of six prefectures. The 97th Division returned to the United States in February 1946 and was inactivated in March. The division fought Japanese soldiers who had not surrendered, as well as the Hukbalahap insurgency that opposed the Philippines government. Kramer left command in July and was retired for disability on December 31, 1946. His contempt for his enemies generated headlines; when Fahrmbacher presented his pistol while surrendering the forces under his command, Kramer opted not to return it, as the victorious commander usually did.

Retirement and death After retiring from the military, Kramer was a resident of San Antonio, Texas, where he pursued a ten-year career as a field supervisor for the Government Personnel Mutual Life Insurance Company. He was also a longtime member of the San Antonio River Authority board of directors.

Family In April 1917, Kramer married Frances Isabel Pratt of Lincoln, whom he had known since college.

Awards Kramer's wartime accomplishments were recognized with award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster. In addition, he was a recipient of the French Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre with palm.

Effective dates of promotion The effective dates of Kramer's promotions were:

Private (National Guard), July 27, 1910 Sergeant (National Guard), October 20, 1910 Second Lieutenant (National Guard), December 30, 1912 Captain (National Guard), August 25, 1914 First Lieutenant (National Guard), July 1916 Second Lieutenant (Regular Army), March 21, 1917 First Lieutenant (Regular Army), April 15, 1917 Captain (National Army), August 5, 1917 Captain (Regular Army), December 15, 1917 Major (Regular Army), December 13, 1929 Lieutenant Colonel (Regular Army), June 12, 1939 Colonel (Army of the United States), October 14, 1941 Brigadier General (Army of the United States), July 26, 1942 Major General (Army of the United States), March 17, 1943 Major General (Retired), December 31, 1946