William Thaddeus Sexton

William Thaddeus Sexton (September 3, 1901 – June 22, 1983) was a major general of the United States Army who participated in World War II.

Biography William Thaddeus Sexton was born on September 3, 1901, to James William Sexton and his wife Fannie (Davis) Sexton.

From 1918 until 1919, Sexton attended the University of Kansas. From July 1, 1920, until June 12, 1924, Sexton was a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and subsequently promoted to second lieutenant of field artillery.

From 1936 to 1939, he taught history at West Point.

(Left to right): Major General Milton B. Halsey, Secretary of Army Frank Pace, Lieutenant General Joseph M. Swing, and Brigadier General William T. Sexton stand in front of the Sixth Army Headquarters on September 16, 1952.

In 1940, Sexton attended Command and General Staff School and was made Assistant Secretary in the Office of the Chief of Staff. Later in the war, Sexton became Secretary in the Office of the Chief of Staff from 1943 until 1944. He then became commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division Artillery, earning four Bronze Star Medals in Europe.

On September 17, 1945, Sexton who was Brigadier General and acting commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division at the time, signed the Wanfried Agreement in his capacity as representative of the American High Command. The treaty enforced boundary changes between the U.S. and Soviet zone of occupation in Germany.

After World War II, Sexton served as a military attaché in Iran.

This was followed by his final promotion to major general in 1955. Sexton served as commanding general of the 5th Infantry Division in West Germany from July 1955 to February 1956. After serving as Deputy Inspector General of the U.S. Army, he retired from active duty on August 31, 1956.

After his first wife's death in 1980, Sexton married Mary Weber Willey on October 15, 1982.