A Guide to the Leonard T. Gerow Papers
A Collection in
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Collection Number MS 0100
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Virginia Military Institute Archives
Virginia Military Institute ArchivesPreston Library
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304
USA
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7279
Email: archives@vmi.edu
URL: http://www.vmi.edu/archives
© 2001 Virginia Military Institute
Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Virginia Military Institute Archives Staff
Administrative Information
Access
There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Leonard T. Gerow Papers, MS 0100, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia.
Alternative Form
A portion of this collection is available in full-text format on the VMI Archives website at: http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=6523
Biographical Information
Chronology |
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| 1888 Jul 13 | Born Petersburg, Virginia. Parents: Leonard Rogers Gerow and Annie Eloise Saunders. | |
| 1911 | Graduated from Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia. Commissioned 2nd Lieut., United States Army. | |
| 1911-1918 | Served with 19th Infantry and subsequently 37th and 57th Infantry. Stationed in Kansas, South Dakota, Texas, and Vera Cruz, Mexico. | |
| 1918 Apr - 1919 Oct. | Signal Corps officer, AEF, France. Officer in Charge of Purchasing and Disbursing. | |
| 1919-1921 | Commanding officer, Signal Corps School, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas | |
| 1921-1941 Dec | Served successively in Washington DC, the Phillippines, China and Washington DC. During this period he was graduated from the Advanced Course, Infantry School, Ft. Benning (1925); the Command and General Staff School (1926) and the Army War College (1931). | |
| 1941 Dec - 1942 Feb | Named Chief of War Plans Division and Assistant Chief of Staff. | |
| 1942 Feb | Named commander of the 29th Infantry Division, Ft. George Meade, Maryland. | |
| 1942 Oct | 29th Division to England. | |
| 1943 Jul | Named Commanding General, Fifth (V) Corps. | |
| 1945 Jan 15 | Assumed command of the Fifteenth Army, European Theater. | |
| 1945 Oct | Returned to the United States and was assigned as Commandant of the Command and General Staff School, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. | |
| 1948 Jan | Assumed command of the Second Army, with headquarters at Fort George Meade, Maryland. | |
| 1950 Jul 31 | Retired as Lt. General | |
| 1954 Jul | By Act of Congress, Appointed General (4 star). | |
| 1972 Oct 12 | Died at age 84, Ft. Lee Army Hospital, Petersburg, VA. | |
Scope and Content Information
The collection consists of documents and photographs (ca. 120 items) from the military career of U.S. Army General Leonard Townsend Gerow (b. 1888 d.1972). It includes correspondence with General Dwight D. Eisenhower, autobiographical material, speeches (1945-1948), and photographs. Material complementary to this collection is located in his student/alumni file, also located in the VMI Archives.
Contents List
- Gerow (G) to Eisenhower (E) 1940 Nov 18
- G to E 1940 Nov 22
- G to E 1940 Nov 25
- G to E 1941 Jan 2
- E to G 1941 Jan 9telegram
- E to G 1941 July 18
- G to E 1941 July 28
- G to E 1941 Sept 29
- G to E 1942 April 19
- G to E 1942 July 6
- G to E 1942 July 16
- G to E 1942 Sept 12
- G to E 1942 Nov 16
- G to E 1943 Feb 15
- E to G 1943 Feb 24
- G to E 1943 May 11
- G to E 1943 July 26
- G to E 1943 Sept 10
Contains enclosure (Sept 9 from Gen. Sir Hugh Ellis to Gerow).
- E to G 1943 Sept 19
- E to G 1944 April 3
- G to E 1944 June 27
- G to E 1945 Feb 9
- E to G 1945 March 6
- E to G 1945 April 1
- E to G 1945 July 13
- Largely social notes, birthday greetings, from E to G 1950-196421 items