Lemuel Mathewson
Encyclopedia
Lemuel Mathewson was a United States Army
Lieutenant General
.
on March 29, 1899. A 1917 graduate of Bath's Haverling High School, he graduated from the United States Military Academy
in 1922 and was commissioned as an Artillery
officer.
In the 1920s and 1930s Mathewson served in a variety of assignments in the United States and overseas, including graduate student in Madrid, Spain, professor of Spanish at the United States Military Academy
, instructor at the Fort Sill
, Oklahoma
Field Artillery School, and special projects officer in Latin America
.
From 1938 to 1939 Mathewson attended the Command and General Staff College
.
, and was with him during conferences in Cairo and Tehran.
In 1944 Mathewson was appointed assistant commander of VII Corps Artillery.
Mathewson was then assigned to command XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery, serving from 1944 to 1945.
Mathewson was coordinator for the Inter-American Defense Board
from 1948 to 1949.
In 1949 he became commander of the 11th Airborne Division Artillery, serving until 1951.
From 1951 to 1953 Mathewson served as commander of the U.S. Berlin Command
.
Mathewson commanded the U.S. Communications Zone in Orleans, France from 1953 to 1954.
from 1954 to 1955.
From 1956 to 1957 Mathewson was commander of the U.S. V Corps.
Mathewson served as commander of the U.S. Sixth Army
from 1957 until his 1958 retirement. In 1957 he was assigned as military aide to Queen Elizabeth II during her tour of the United States.
, Legion of Merit
and Bronze Star.
from 1958 to 1961.
. He died at Walter Reed Army Hospital on February 26, 1970. General Mathewson was buried in Section III Site A-24 of the U.S. Military Academy Cemetery
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
.
Early career
Mathewson was born in Bath, New YorkBath (village), New York
Bath is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 5,641 at the 2000 census. Bath is the county seat of Steuben County. The community was named either for the English city or for Lady Bath, daughter of William Pulteney, one of the original landowners.The Village of...
on March 29, 1899. A 1917 graduate of Bath's Haverling High School, he graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1922 and was commissioned as an Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
officer.
In the 1920s and 1930s Mathewson served in a variety of assignments in the United States and overseas, including graduate student in Madrid, Spain, professor of Spanish at the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
, instructor at the Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
Field Artillery School, and special projects officer in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
From 1938 to 1939 Mathewson attended the Command and General Staff College
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...
.
World War II
From 1943 to 1944 Mathewson served as Aide to President Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, and was with him during conferences in Cairo and Tehran.
In 1944 Mathewson was appointed assistant commander of VII Corps Artillery.
Mathewson was then assigned to command XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery, serving from 1944 to 1945.
Post World War II
From 1945 to 1948 Mathewson was Chief of Staff for the Caribbean Defense Command.Mathewson was coordinator for the Inter-American Defense Board
Inter-American Defense Board
The Inter-American Defense Board is an international committee of nationally appointed defense officials who develop collaborative approaches on common defense and security issues facing countries in North, Central, and South America...
from 1948 to 1949.
In 1949 he became commander of the 11th Airborne Division Artillery, serving until 1951.
From 1951 to 1953 Mathewson served as commander of the U.S. Berlin Command
United States Army Berlin
U.S. Army Berlin was a command of the United States Army created in December 1961 at the height of the Berlin Wall crisis. USAB was a combined command with the Headquarters, U.S. Command Berlin . This combined organization was sometimes called the "Berlin Command". USCOB/USAB was a separate...
.
Mathewson commanded the U.S. Communications Zone in Orleans, France from 1953 to 1954.
Later career
Mathewson served as Director of the Joint Staff for the Joint Chiefs of StaffJoint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
from 1954 to 1955.
From 1956 to 1957 Mathewson was commander of the U.S. V Corps.
Mathewson served as commander of the U.S. Sixth Army
U.S. Sixth Army
The Sixth United States Army is a field army of the United States Army.-History:It was first activated in January 1943, commanded by Lieutenant General Walter Krueger. Under the code name Alamo Force, it assumed control of the majority of US Army units involved in Operation Cartwheel, the campaign...
from 1957 until his 1958 retirement. In 1957 he was assigned as military aide to Queen Elizabeth II during her tour of the United States.
Awards and decorations
General Mathewson's awards included the Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
, Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
and Bronze Star.
Later work
Mathewson served as Chairman of the Inter-American Defense BoardInter-American Defense Board
The Inter-American Defense Board is an international committee of nationally appointed defense officials who develop collaborative approaches on common defense and security issues facing countries in North, Central, and South America...
from 1958 to 1961.
Retirement and death
After retiring from the IADB Mathewson resided in McLean, VirginiaMcLean, Virginia
McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....
. He died at Walter Reed Army Hospital on February 26, 1970. General Mathewson was buried in Section III Site A-24 of the U.S. Military Academy Cemetery
West Point Cemetery
West Point Cemetery is a historic cemetery on the grounds of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. It overlooks the Hudson River, and served as a burial ground for American Revolutionary War soldiers and early West Point inhabitants long before 1817 when it was officially...
.