Ray E. Porter

Ray E. Porter
Ray E. Porter
Birth name	Ray Edison Porter
Born	July 29, 1891; Fordyce, Arkansas
Died	August 10, 1963 (aged 72); Little Rock, Arkansas
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1917–53
Rank	Major General
Unit	V Corps; 38th Infantry Division; ; 34th Infantry Division; Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (War Dept)
Commands held	Fifteenth United States Army; 75th Infantry Division; US Army, Caribbean; 101st Airborne Division
Battles/wars	World War I; World War II; African campaign; Colmar Pocket
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross; Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star; Purple Heart; Croix de Guerre

Ray Edison Porter (July 29, 1891 – August 10, 1963) was a U.S. Army Major General. In World War II he served on the Africa campaign, in the War Department, and then led the 75th Infantry Division. Dwight D. Eisenhower named him as one of fifty who took over the Army Service Forces' Project Planning Division, the Special Planning Division or SPD.

Biography[]

Major General Ray E. Porter, U.S. Army, Retired was born at Fordyce, Arkansas on 29 July 1891, the son of William and Hattie E. Porter. He received his education at Fordyce High School and at the University of Arkansas. On 21 May 1921, he was married to Maude Garner, daughter of John W. Garner and Mrs Effie Garner of Fordyce. He had three children: Colonel Ray E. Porter, Jr, Mrs. Peggy Northington, and Mrs Patricia Burke. General Porter, his son, Colonel Ray E. Porter jr, and grandson, Colonel Ray E. Porter III are the first third generation graduates of the US Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA. (1937, 1961, & 1988)

Porter entered the military service with the First Officers' Training Camp, Fort Logan H. Roots, Arkansas, 15 May 1917, receiving his first Army commission in the Officers' Reserve Corps 15 August of the same year. He was appointed a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army on 26 October 1917 and progressed through the successive grades of the Regular Army to his appointment as a Major General, 21 September 1943.

During World War I, Porter participated in combat in the European Theater of Operations with Company E, 34th Infantry, 7th Division. He was awarded the American Distinguished Service Cross and the French Croix de Guerre for gallantry in action 1–2 November 1918.

Between the World Wars Porter graduated from the Company Officers Course (1928) and the Advanced Course (1932) of the Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia; The Command and General Staff School (1935), Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Army War College (1937), Washington, D.C. Other service of that period included duty as Professor of Military Science and Tactics, Ouachita Baptist College, Arkadelphia, Arkansas; (1922–1927) a tour of foreign service with the 19th Infantry in Hawaii, (1928–1931) and instructor at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1937-1940.

In World War II he took part in the assault landing of the Allied Forces at Algiers, North Africa in November 1942 and served as Deputy Chief of Staff at General Eisenhower's Advance Headquarters during the Tunisian Campaign. Returning to the United States after the German surrender in North Africa, he was assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (Organization and Training), War Department General Staff. When the Germans attacked in the Bulge during December 1944, Porter was flown immediately to the European Theater of Operations where he commanded the 75th Infantry division in combat until the end of hostilities in that theater. Shortly after V-E Day he was called home for duty as Chief of the Special Planning Division, War Department Special Staff.

From 1948 to 1951, Porter commanded the United States Army in the Caribbean with his headquarters at Fort Amador, Canal Zone. His command included the United States Army forces and activities in Panama and Puerto Rico and the United States Army Missions in the numerous republics of Central and South America.

He was retired from Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where he had commanded the Replacement Training Center and the 101st Airborne Division, 30 June 1953.