Wilson Bryant Burtt

Wilson Bryant Burtt (January 1, 1875 – March 21, 1957) was a career United States Army officer and served as a brigadier general during World War I.

Early life

Burtt was born in Hinsdale, Illinois on January 1, 1875.

Military career Major General Charles P. Summerall (left, first row), commanding V Corps, with Brigadier General Wilson B. Burtt (center, top row) as his chief of staff, in France, in either 1918 or 1919

Burtt graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in February 1899, was commissioned as a second lieutenant with the 8th Infantry Regiment, and was shipped off to Cuba immediately.

Following the Spanish–American War, Burtt was stationed in the Philippines from September 1900 to February 1901 with the 8th Infantry and March 1901 to July 1903 with the 5th Infantry. He returned to the States and was a professor of Military Science and Tactics at Kentucky State University from August 1904 to August 1907. Burtt returned to the Philippines with the 18th Infantry from November 1907 to December 1908. After six months at the Presidio of Monterey in California, he again returned to the Philippines with the 20th Infantry until June 1910. Burtt was an honor graduate of the Army School of the Line in 1911 and subsequently graduated from the Army Staff College in June 1912. In both 1914 and 1915, he instructed the California National Guard. He observed the German armies in the field from December 1914 to April 1915. He resigned as a brigadier general in 1938, but in 1942 was made a major general on the retired list. The citation for the medal reads:

He also received the Legion of Honour and Croix de Guerre from France, Order of St Michael and St George from Britain, and the Order of the Crown of Italy. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.