Emil F. Reinhardt

Emil Fred Reinhardt
Reinhardt as a major general and commander of the 69th Infantry Division.
Nickname(s)	"Ducky"
Born	(1888-10-27)October 27, 1888 West Bay City, Michigan (now Bay City, Michigan)
Died	July 24, 1969(1969-07-24) (aged 80) Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Buried at	Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1910 – 1946
Rank	Major General
Service number	0-2887
Commands held	76th Infantry Division XIII Corps VIII Corps 69th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of the Bulge Western Allied invasion of Germany
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Bronze Star (2)

Emil Fred Reinhardt (October 27, 1888 – July 24, 1969), U.S. Army officer, who reached the rank of major general during World War II. He is most noted as a commanding officer of the 69th Infantry Division, which became the first unit to contact units of the Soviet Army, officially joining the western and eastern European fronts during World War II.

Early life

Emil Fredrich Reinhardt was born in West Bay City (now Bay City), Michigan on 27 October 1888, the son of Christoph L. Reinhardt and Seyville L. (Tomhafe) Reinhardt. He graduated from Bay City Western High School in 1906 and subsequently he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated in June 1910, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry.^[1]

Start of career

Reinhardt served initially with the 26th Infantry regiment at Fort Wayne, Michigan. Subsequent assignments included Texas City, Texas and the Philippines as a member of the 8th Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1916 and captain in 1917.

World War I

During World War I, Reinhardt was promoted to temporary major. Recognized as an effective trainer and instructor, he served at Camp Fremont in California, Camp Pike in Arkansas, and Camp Hancock in Georgia, primarily as an instructor of infantry tactics and the use of machine guns. In January 1919 he was assigned as commander of the 41st Machine Gun Battalion at Camp Custer, Michigan. In 1919 and 1920 he also commanded the Camp Custer Convalescent Center.

Post-World War I

After the war Reinhardt was assigned to the 50th Infantry Regiment. He graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1923 and the United States Army War College in 1931. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1935 and colonel in 1939.

From 1934-1938, Reinhardt served as an instructor with Pennsylvania National Guard and in 1938, he was transferred to Washington, D.C., as the executive officer of the Washington Provisional Brigade.^[2]

World War II

He then served as commander of 20th Infantry Regiment. Reinhardt served in this capacity until April 1941, when he was promoted to brigadier general.^[3]

After his promotion, Reinhardt was appointed the assistant division commander of the 7th Infantry Division under command of Major General Charles H. White. His next assignment was at Camp Wolters, Texas, where he was appointed commanding general of the Infantry Replacement Training Center.^[4]

In 1942, Reinhardt attended the Divisional Commanders Course at Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and then was promoted to major general on April 17, 1942 and also appointed the commanding general of 76th Infantry Division.^[5]

In September 1944 he was appointed commander of the 69th Infantry Division (United States) at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The division was sent to Europe in December 1944 and entered combat in January 1945 when it relieved the 99th Division in Belgium. The division attacked rapidly eastward. It crossed the Rhine on March 27, 1945, and captured Leipzig in mid-April.

On April 25, 1945, elements of the division reached the Elbe and became the first American unit to contact the Russian Army. After the end of the war the division was placed on occupation duty in Germany.

Major General Reinhardt returned to the United States in August 1945 and commanded the Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Robinson, Arkansas. He served in this capacity until September 30, 1946, when he retired from the military service.

For his service during World War II, Major General Reinhardt was awarded with Army Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, French Legion of Honour, Grade Officer, French Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 with Palm and Soviet Order of Suvorov, 2nd Class.^{[6] [7]}

Reinhardt died on July 24, 1969 aged 80 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery together with his wife Laura Bishop Reinhardt (1887 - 1965).^[8]

Awards and honors

Here is the ribbon bar of Major general Emil F. Reinhardt:

References

External links

• Generals.dk
• Papers of Emil F. Reinhardt, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
• Photograph of Major General Emil F. Reinhardt giving blood, Georgia State Archives. Retrieved 02-06-09.