Alexander R. Bolling

Alexander R. Bolling
Lieutenant General Alexander R. Bolling
Nickname(s)	Beet
Born	(1895-08-28)August 28, 1895 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	June 4, 1964(1964-06-04) (aged 68) Satellite Beach, Florida
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1917–1955
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	Third United States Army 84th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Operation Overlord Battle of the Bulge
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart

Alexander Russell Bolling (August 28, 1895 – June 4, 1964) was a lieutenant general in the United States Army during World War II and the Cold War.^[1]

Military career[]

Bolling was a student at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis from 1915 to 1916, but he left the academy and enlisted in the United States Army.^[1] He was sent to France during World War I, where he earned a battlefield commission. While in command of a company of the 4th Infantry, 3rd Division, in the Boise-des-Nesles, on the night of July 14, 1918, Second Lieutenant Bolling earned the Distinguished Service Cross by "continually exposing himself to heavy gas and shell fire by going from one platoon to another."^{[citation needed]}

After World War I, Bolling was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he chased Mexican Bandit Pancho Villa along with fellow Lieutenants Dwight Eisenhower, George S. Patton, and Douglas MacArthur. He was promoted to the rank of captain, which he held for 12 years.

Bolling commanded the 84th Infantry Division in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. After the war, Bolling was promoted to lieutenant general in 1952 and assumed command of the Third United States Army.

Personal[]

Bolling's awards included the Distinguished Service Cross, Army Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, and Purple Heart.

Upon his retirement in 1955, Bolling made his home in Satellite Beach, Florida. He died on June 4, 1964, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.^[2][3]

Bolling was the father of Major General Alexander R. "Bud" Bolling Jr., the father-in-law of Major General Roderick Wetherill and Lieutenant Colonel C.L. Thomas, and grandfather of Lieutenant Colonel

References[]

• Encyclopedia of the Korean War. Spencer C. Tucker, ed. Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2000. ISBN 1-57607-029-8.
• The Forgotten War. Clay Blair, New York, Random House, 1987.^{[ISBN missing]}