Stafford LeRoy Irwin

Stafford LeRoy Irwin
File:Stafford LeRoy Irwin.jpg Major General Stafford LeRoy Irwin in 1946
Nickname(s)	"Red"
Born	(1893-03-23)March 23, 1893 Ft. Monroe, Virginia
Died	Asheville, North Carolina
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1915–1952
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	5th Infantry Division XII Corps V Corps
Battles/wars	Mexican Punitive Expedition World War I World War II
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Silver Star Bronze Star Medal (2)
Relations	BG Bernard J. D. Irwin (Grandfather) MG George LeRoy Irwin (Father)

Stafford LeRoy Irwin (March 23, 1893 – November 23, 1955) was a lieutenant general of the United States Army. He came from the family with long military tradition. He was the son of Army Major General of the Artillery, George LeRoy Irwin and his grandfather was a Brigadier General of the United States Army Medical Corps, Bernard J. D. Irwin, who was recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Education and start of career

Irwin was born March 23, 1893, at Fort Monroe, Virginia as a son of army Major General George LeRoy Irwin and his wife Marla Elizabeth. First, he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated in June 1915 as a part of "the class the stars fell on". Many of his classmates became a general officers during the World War II, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar N. Bradley, Henry Aurand, James Van Fleet among others.

He was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Cavalry Branch of the Army June 12, 1915. Irwin subsequently served with the cavalry under command of General John Pershing during Pancho Villa Expedition as a member of the 11th Cavalry in 1916 and the following year. During World War I he served initially with the 80th Field Artillery Regiment, and then at the Fort Sill Field Artillery School, where he was an instructor and received promotion to the temporary rank of major.

Peacetime

Between World War I and World War II, Stafford Irwin held a variety of positions. He was a professor of Military Science and Tactics, Yale University, from 1919 to 1920. He served as an instructor to the Oklahoma National Guard from 1920 to 1924. He spent the period of 1929 to 1933 as an instructor at the Field Artillery School. Irwin was assigned to the Organized Reserves from 1933 to 1936.

World War II

Stafford Irwin was the commander of artillery for the 9th Infantry Division in North Africa. He was noted for performing well during the Battle of Kasserine Pass. Following the North Africa Campaign he was given command of the 5th Infantry Division during Patton's drive across Europe.

General Stafford would finish the war as the commander of the XII Corps and serve in that position until September 1945.

Postwar and retirement

After the war, Irwin returned to the United States and became commander of V Corps in 1946 and director of the Military Intelligence Division in 1948. He finished his military career as the commander of U.S. Army forces in Austria from 1950 to 1952 when he retired due to medical problems.

Lt. Gen. Irwin died in 1955 of a coronary occlusion in Asheville, North Carolina.

Military education

In addition to attending West Point, Irwin attended the Field Artillery School in 1926, Command and General Staff School 1926-1927, and the Army War College in 1937.

Personal life

Irwin married in 1921 to Helen (Hall) Irwin and together they had one son, Francis LeRoy. After Helen died in 1937, Irwin remarried in 1941 to Clare (Moran) Irwin. His second marriage also produced a son.

Decorations

Lieutenant General Irwin´s ribbon bar:

1st Row	Army Distinguished Service Medal
2nd Row	Silver Star			Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster			Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster			Army Commendation Medal
3rd Row	Mexican Service Medal			World War I Victory Medal			American Defense Service Medal			American Campaign Medal
4th Row	European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with eight service stars			World War II Victory Medal			Army of Occupation Medal			National Defense Service Medal
5th Row	Commander of the Order of the British Empire			Officer of the Legion of Honour			French Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 with Palm			Officer of the Belgian Order of Leopold II
5th Row	Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940-1945 with Palm			Luxembourg War Cross			Military Order of the White Lion			Czechoslovak War Cross 1939-1945

External links

• Arlington Cemetery Web Site retrieved 5/12/09
• Time Magazine December 1955 retrieved 5/12/09
• Field Artillery Magazine Jan/Feb 1949 retrieved 5/12/09
• Unithistories.com U.S. Army Officers of WWII retrieved 5/12/09