Walter Bedell Smith
General Walter Bedell " Beetle" Smith KBE, KCB ( born October 5, 1895 in Indianapolis, Indiana; † August 9, 1961 in Washington, DC) was Dwight D. Eisenhower's Chief of Staff during his tenure as commander of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, 1950 to 1953, director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. In addition, he served from 1946 to 1949 as the United States Ambassador in the Soviet Union.
Smith's first service in the military was as a private in the National Guard of Indiana. During the First World War he served in the 4th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army Reserve as an infantryman.
As General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the Army, was he appointed Smith to Assistant Secretary of the General Staff. In September 1941 he was appointed secretary and in February 1942 the Secretary of the Combined Chiefs of Staff. Before the invasion of North Africa Marshall sent him to Britain, where he was chief of staff of Dwight D. Eisenhower. He remained in this position until the V -E Day. As representatives of the allies he signed on 3 September 1943 ceasefire Cassibile with the Kingdom of Italy, and on May 7, 1945, the unconditional surrender of the German armed forces.
Smith left the Army, U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union to become. He was ambassador from 1946 to 1949 and then returned as a four- star general in the Army. After that, he was from 1950 to 1953 director of the CIA. On February 9, 1953, he resigned from the Army and was the successor of David KE Bruce Under Secretary of State. He was, until October 1, 1954 Deputy Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.
On August 9, 1961 Smith died in the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington on a myocardial infarction. His body was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Awards
Selection of decorations, sorted on the basis of the Order of Precedence of Military Awards:
- Army Distinguished Service Medal (3 x)
- Navy Distinguished Service Medal
- Legion of Merit
- Bronze Star
- Grand Cross of the Belgian Order of the Crown
- Grand Officer of the French Legion of Honour
- Croix de Guerre with Palm
- Croix de Guerre with Palm
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Grand Cross of the Luxembourg Order of the Oak Crown
- Grand Cross of the Moroccan Alaouite Ouissam
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
- Silver Cross of the Polish Virtuti Militari
- Commander with Star of the Order of Poland Reborn
- Kutusoworden 1st class
- Commander of the Czechoslovak Order of the White Lion
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Tunisian Fame