|
West Point Cadet Cavalry breeches dated 1930 named to E. A. Walker. This is for US Army Major General Edwin Anderson Walker (November 10, 1909 – October 31, 1993) who graduated West Point in 1931.
The garment is in poor to fair condition, soiled, and numerous moth holes in the woolen fabric. Even so, this is a very unique garment with a wonderful association with a very colorful civilian and military hero. They should be in a museum.
Label inside (see images) is marked, "No. 2503, Date 9-12-30" / CADET STORE / WEST POINT / Name WALKER, E.A.". Various other numbers inside on right pocket, below label.
Brief Background Biography on Edwin Anderson Walker -
Edwin Anderson Walker was born in Center Point, Kerr County, Texas on November 10, 1909. He was a graduate from Schreiner Institute of Kerrville and later the New Mexico Military Academy. He was cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1927 to 1931, being a graduate with the Class of 1931.
After West Point - trained at Randolph Field, Texas 1931-1932; assigned to the 15th Field Artillery, 2nd Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Sam Houston, Texas 1932-1933; assigned to the 16th Field Artillery at Fort Meyer, Texas 1934-1936 and while stationed there was on special duty with the US Army Polo Team 1934-1935; Staff & Faculty duty and the Field Artillery School, 18th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Sill, Oklahoma 1936-1939; Battery Commander 2/13 Field Artillery Hawaii Division Schofield Barracks, Territory of Hawaii 1939-1941.
World War II Service - Staff Operations 4th Infantry Division Artillery & Commanding Officer 20th Field Artillery Battalion Camp Gordon 1942-1943; Commanding Officer 345th Field Artillery Battalion, 83rd Infantry Division Camp Atterbury & Commander 77th Field Artillery Battalion 2nd Cavalry Division, Fort Clark 1942-1943; Commanding Officer 3rd Regiment, 1st Special Service Force Aleutians & Italy 1943-1944 and Italy & France 1944-1945 (the 1st Special Service Force or FSSF was the fore-runner to the US Army Green Berets known today). For his WWII service he received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantry medals.
After WWII he was Executive and Assistant Director Combat Arms Department Field Artillery School 1946; Command & General Staff College 1947; Air War College, Alabama 1948; Staff Officer European & Middle Eastern Brigade Operations Group, Officer of the Chief of Staff US Army 1948-1949; Secretary General Staff 4th Artillery Fort Sam Houston 1949-1950; Commandant Ranger Training Command Fort Benning 1950-1951.
Korean War Service - Commanding Officer 2nd Division Artillery, Combat Liaison Officer, Headquarters 8th Artillery 1951-1953; Commanding Officer 7th Infantry 3rd Infantry Division 1951-1952; Depot Commanding General 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg 1953-1955. For his Korean War Service he received the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and Combat Infantry medals as well as the Commendation Ribbon.
After the Korean War he was Chief Artillery Secretary Military Assistance Advisory Group, Taiwan & Adv Commander in Chief Chinese National Artillery 1955; Commanding General 25th Division Artillery Schofield Barracks, Territory of Hawaii 1955-1957; Chief of US Army Military District Little Rock, Arkansas & Commander IX Corps (Reserve) 1957-1959; Commanding General 24th Infantry Division Germany 1959-1961; Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff Operations Headquarters US Army Europe 1961; retired/resigned 1961 as a Two-Star Major General and during this time received his second Legion of Merit medal.
In his civilian role after retirement from the Army, he became politically active and was opposed to the Kennedy Administration. In 1961, in the State of Mississippi, after making a public statement with the state’s Governor opposing desegregation/integration a riot ensued in which six Federal Marshalls were hurt and two civilians killed. Walker called for calm during the melee and climbed upon a statute situated on the campus and made a forceful public plea for the violence to stop and for the protestors to return home. The Kennedy Admistration seized the opportunity within days to use this against Walker, who they deemed was a political threat. Attorney General Robert Kennedy later issued a warrant for Walker's arrest on charges of seditious conspiracy, insurrection, and rebellion (of which none of the charges stuck). This was not the first time the Kennedy's had attacked Walker's character. It happened once before when then General Walker was admonished for indoctrinating his troops with right wing propaganda (basically teaching them the US Constitution so they would know what they were fighting for - true Democracy).
Later, Edwin Walker unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Texas. He is also noted for being a target, just barely escaping death, of Lee Harvey Oswald in April 1963, just months before President Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963. This connection was not discovered until December 1963.
There were a number of attempts at discrediting General Walker in both military and later civilian life by political opponents. His treatment at the hands of the Kennedy and subsequent liberal administrations and politicians was - and still is - despicable.
|
