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Biography of Walter Bedell SmithName: Walter Bedell SmithBirth Date: October 5, 1895 Death Date: August 6, 1961 Place of Birth: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States Nationality: American Gender: Male Occupations: federal government agency director, national guard officer, army officer, general, ambassador, author Walter Bedell Smith General Walter Bedell Smith (1895-1961) distinguished himself during World War II as chief of staff to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Immediately after the war, he was the ambassador to the Soviet Union and, from 1950-53, he directed the Central Intelligence Agency.Bedell Smith's military career began in 1911 when he joined the Indiana National Guard and ended almost 40 years later when he retired as a four-star general in the U.S. Army. Initially, he envisioned himself fighting battles on the front lines but because of his impressive organizational skills, he ended up working for General George C. Marshall, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the head of America's military forces after the president. By 1942, Bedell Smith was sent to Europe to be the chief of staff to General Eisenhower. As the allies fought in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany, Bedell Smith was known by top military and political leaders …showed first 150 words…
…showed last 150 words…during the Cold War.On August 6, 1961, Bedell Smith died of a heart attack in Washington, D.C. He had amassed .5 million. After a simple funeral, with military honors, his body was taken to Arlington National Cemetery where he was buried. Associated Organizations Further Reading Ancell, R. Manning and Miller, Christine M., Biographical Dictionary of World War II Generals and Flag Officers: U.S. Armed Forces, Greenwood Press, 1996.Crosswell, D.R.K., Chief of Staff: Military Career of General Walter Bedell Smith, Greenwood Press, 1991.Leckie, Robert, Story of World War II, Random House, 1964.Mason, David, Who's Who in World War II, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1978.Oxford Companion to World War II, edited by I.C.B. Dear, Oxford University Press, 1995.Who Was Who in World War II, Arms & Armour Press, 1990."Walter Bedell Smith," Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/dci/dcis/smith.html (March 13, 1998). |