Troy H. Middleton
Troy Houston Middleton (born October 12, 1889 in Hazelhurst , Mississippi , † October 9, 1976 in Baton Rouge , Louisiana ) was an American Lieutenant General (Lieutenant General) and respected instructor of the Army. Middleton served as corps commander in Europe during World War II and became President of Louisiana State University (LSU) after the war ended in 1950 .
Middleton served in the United States Army from 1912 and was promoted to Colonel in 1918 . At that time he was the youngest officer of this rank in the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). During the First World War , Middleton was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for bravery in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive .
Middleton then became an instructor at the Infantry School at Fort Benning ; the United States Army Command and General Staff College , Fort Leavenworth , the United States Army War College in Washington, DC , and finally at Louisiana State University. In 1937, Middleton retired from the army to accept an offer as dean on the university administration and later as vice president.
In 1942 Middleton was called up again into active service and commanded the 45th US Infantry Division, which he led in missions during World War II in North Africa , Sicily (→ Operation Husky ) and in the battles around Salerno . In December 1943 he was given command of the 8th US Corps , with which he played an important role during Operation Cobra and then in the Battle of Brittany after landing in Normandy in June 1944 (→ Operation Overlord ) .
Middleton's outstanding leadership quality was particularly noticeable in the Battle of the Bulge , in which he made far-sighted decisions and thus achieved great recognition with the Allied High Command.
After his active service in the US Army after the end of the war, Middleton became President of the LSU from 1950. He remained loyal to the army in many advisory functions. Middleton, who lived in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , died in 1976.
Awards
Selection of decorations, sorted based on the Order of Precedence of Military Awards :
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Middleton, Troy H. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Middleton, Troy Houston (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American Lieutenant General in World War II |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 12, 1889 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Hazelhurst , Mississippi |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 9, 1976 |
| Place of death | Baton Rouge , Louisiana |