Signed photo find of General Samuel Tankersley Williams at Flea Market

[Tonomachi]

Found this framed 8 x 10 signed photograph of General Samuel Tankersley Williams yesterday at the Flea Market. This is a photo of him when he commanded the 25th Infantry Division during the Korean War. I'm guessing a very colorful individual with that helmet liner having a lighting bolt painted on top.

 

Upon looking up his biography I found that he was part of the expedition against Pancho Villa when he enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard in 1916. During WW1 he served as company commander with the 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th ID and was wounded on the Western Front. During WW2 he was CO of the 378th Inf. Reg., 95th ID before he was named Assistant Division Commander of the 90th ID which was the same outfit he served with during WW1. He participated in Operation Overloard at Utah Beach and is most known for what happened afterwards. The VII Corps Commander felt the 90th ID was not performing satisfactory in combat during the Normandy Invasion and sacked the division commander and two regimental commanders. General Williams got into an argument with the new division commander replacement and was reduced in rank from Brigadier General to Colonel. However he worked his way back to General and became the CO of the 25th ID during the Korean War. During the Vietnam War he commanded the Military Assistance and Advisory Group - Vietnam.

 

 

[Ritman]

Nice pickup! Do you have a Flag Officer collection?

[Tonomachi]

Nice pickup! Do you have a Flag Officer collection?

Nope just this and another one as they pop up infrequently at flea markets.

[vintageproductions]

Hanging Sam Williams was the commanding officer of MAAG Vietnam, so 1957-1958

[Tonomachi]

Hanging Sam Williams was the commanding officer of MAAG Vietnam, so 1957-1958

Thanks for the dates.

[Bill McKern]

Any possibility I could obtain that photo of Williams as the 25th ID commander, or a digital scan of it? "On Point" magazine is going to publish an article I wrote about Samuel T. Williams, and the editor is looking for photos to illustrate it. Anything I can send him needs to be 300 dpi resolution. If you can help, please let me know and I'll send you an email address.

 

Regards,

 

Bill McKern

[Tonomachi]

Any possibility I could obtain that photo of Williams as the 25th ID commander, or a digital scan of it? "On Point" magazine is going to publish an article I wrote about Samuel T. Williams, and the editor is looking for photos to illustrate it. Anything I can send him needs to be 300 dpi resolution. If you can help, please let me know and I'll send you an email address.

 

Regards,

 

Bill McKern

PM sent