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cancer. He was given less than a year to live, and offered a full medical disability in exchange for retirement. Wetzel refused. The Army reluctantly permitted him to stay on, but only after he signed a full waiver. Judging Wetzel to be at death's door, the Army sent him back to the United States.
413:
Wetzel's first position back in
Germany was Deputy Commander in Chief of U.S. Forces in Europe. The NATO allies had finally approved the Pershing II plan. Immediately upon his arrival, it became Wetzel's job to receive and deploy the Pershing II missiles in the midst of anti-war demonstrations all
418:
historians (relying on the candid confessions of defeated
Russian leaders) credit the deployment of the Pershing II missiles as one of three key factors that broke the Soviets' back and ended the Cold War (the other two being the Reagan defense build-up and SDI specifically).
382:
missiles, which could hit Moscow in the event of war, allowing only minutes for the
Soviets to react. During the next four years domestic political battles began in NATO countries as to whether the Pershing II missiles would actually be deployed.
844:
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273:, graduated from high school in 1948 and was planning to study engineering at Purdue University. Instead he chose the opportunity to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point.
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deterrence and
Western security. During this year together, Haig, Wetzel and the rest of the staff crafted what became the West's strategic response - deployment in western Europe of the
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From 1978-79, Wetzel served as Haig's chief-of-staff in
Belgium. Just before Wetzel's arrival at Haig's office, the Soviets had deployed their
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Returning from the front, Wetzel eventually married an
American Vietnam widow with five young children. He was promoted to
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Wetzel was commissioned from West Point in 1952 as an infantry officer. He was immediately deployed to the
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359:. When this command concluded, the commander of all European and American forces in Europe, General
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However, he made a full recovery. He was soon placed in command of the infantry training center in
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Wetzel earned a B.S. degree from the
Military Academy in 1952 and an M.B.A. degree from
577:
Register of
Graduates and Former Cadets 1802–1971 of the United States Military Academy
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603:. Vol. I. Washington, D.C.: Department of the Army. January 1, 1966. p. 599
394:. Wetzel led his division to victory in the annual war games staged in West Germany.
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325:, the "Polar Bears". After an enemy bullet nicked him on the forehead, he declined a
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30:"Robert Wetzel" redirects here. For the American limnologist and ecologist, see
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theater nuclear missiles in eastern Europe. This upset the entire balance of
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732:"Lt. Gen. Sam Wetzel laid to rest at Fort Benning; 'We lost a mountain'"
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434:, West Germany. That was Wetzel's last assignment before retirement.
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on
January 28, 2022, the 19th general officer to be buried there.
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504:"Retired Fort Benning commanding general Sam Wetzel dies at 91"
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After serving as Haig's Chief of Staff, Wetzel commanded the
845:
Recipients of the
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
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He then began a rapid ascent. He was given command of the
579:. The West Point Alumni Foundation Inc. 1971. p. 633
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Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
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George Washington University School of Business alumni
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In 1961, Captain Wetzel was the aide of Major General
550:. Headquarters, Department of the Army. Dec 14, 1985
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Wetzel died on January 20, 2022. He was interred at
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795:Military personnel from Clarksburg, West Virginia
860:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
825:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
410:and he returned to the troops in West Germany.
321:in 1968 as the commander of the 4th Battalion,
810:United States Army personnel of the Korean War
702:. Random House Publishing Group. p. 316.
530:"Retired General Officer Leads Veterans Cause"
304:, where he saw action as a company commander.
625:A Different Path: The Story of an Army Family
8:
397:In 1981, Wetzel was diagnosed with terminal
600:U.S. Army Register: Active and Retired List
254:(October 6, 1930 – January 20, 2022) was a
696:; Persico, Joseph E. (December 29, 2010).
659:Westmoreland: The General Who Lost Vietnam
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482:and Combat Infantryman's Badge with Star.
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336:and soon assumed command of a brigade in
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323:31st Infantry Regiment (United States)
27:United States Army general (1930–2022)
840:United States Army War College alumni
805:United States Military Academy alumni
622:Creighton, Neal (September 5, 2008).
573:"Class of 1952—Register of Graduates"
7:
820:Air Command and Staff College alumni
730:Williams, Chuck (January 28, 2022).
628:. Xlibris Corporation. p. 112.
18:Robert Lewis "Sam" Wetzel
656:Sorley, Lewis (October 11, 2011).
528:Kari Hawkins (February 19, 2009).
406:. In 1983, Wetzel was promoted to
363:, then personally pinned Wetzel's
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850:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
209:Army Distinguished Service Medal
870:Burials in Georgia (U.S. state)
444:Fort Benning Main Post Cemetery
280:in 1966. He graduated from the
109:Fort Benning Main Post Cemetery
340:. In 1975, he was promoted to
269:Robert Lewis "Sam" Wetzel, of
1:
835:Recipients of the Silver Star
284:Advanced Course in 1959, the
548:"Army Executive Biographies"
464:Joint Superior Service Medal
454:Wetzel's awards include the
426:succeeded him in command of
286:Air Command and Staff School
278:George Washington University
219:Joint Superior Service Medal
855:United States Army generals
830:Recipients of the Air Medal
502:Rice, Mark (Jan 20, 2022).
456:Distinguished Service Medal
886:
344:and sent to West Germany.
29:
558:– via Google Books.
476:Meritorious Service Medal
271:Clarksburg, West Virginia
235:Meritorious Service Medal
80:Clarksburg, West Virginia
46:
800:Purdue University alumni
757:Army Cemeteries Explorer
388:Third Infantry Division
349:First Infantry Division
317:Wetzel was deployed to
450:Awards and decorations
172:31st Infantry Division
536:. United States Army.
404:Fort Benning, Georgia
338:Fort Carson, Colorado
136:Years of service
414:over Europe. Today,
309:William Westmoreland
699:My American Journey
662:. HMH. p. 59.
252:Robert Lewis Wetzel
53:Wetzel in the 1980s
753:"Wetzel, Robert L"
408:lieutenant general
315:Lieutenant Colonel
259:lieutenant general
256:United States Army
148:Lieutenant General
130:United States Army
342:brigadier general
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248:
230:Bronze Star Medal
214:Silver Star Medal
97:Columbus, Georgia
16:(Redirected from
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468:Legion of Merits
438:Death and burial
296:Military service
290:Army War College
288:in 1966 and the
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90:January 20, 2022
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41:Robert L. Wetzel
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32:Robert G. Wetzel
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282:Infantry School
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224:Legion of Merit
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170:4th Battalion,
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761:. Retrieved
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713:. Retrieved
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673:. Retrieved
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639:. Retrieved
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605:. Retrieved
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581:. Retrieved
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552:. Retrieved
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534:www.army.mil
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453:
441:
424:Colin Powell
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357:West Germany
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327:Purple Heart
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251:
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181:Battles/wars
166:Fort Benning
92:(2022-01-20)
790:2022 deaths
785:1930 births
759:. U.S. Army
715:January 24,
675:January 24,
641:January 24,
472:Bronze Star
460:Silver Star
380:Pershing II
365:second star
193:Vietnam War
59:Nickname(s)
779:Categories
486:References
480:Air Medals
302:Korean War
188:Korean War
116:Allegiance
73:1930-10-06
432:Frankfurt
422:In 1986,
353:Goppingen
292:in 1970.
265:Education
240:Air Medal
139:1952–1986
763:July 16,
607:July 16,
583:July 16,
478:, seven
416:Cold War
399:melanoma
392:Würzburg
367:on him.
154:Commands
124:Service/
554:Dec 14,
428:V Corps
334:colonel
161:V Corps
706:
666:
632:
466:, two
202:Awards
126:branch
104:Buried
99:, U.S.
82:, U.S.
372:SS-20
765:2022
736:WRBL
717:2018
704:ISBN
677:2018
664:ISBN
643:2018
630:ISBN
609:2022
585:2022
556:2020
376:NATO
144:Rank
87:Died
67:Born
430:in
390:in
242:(7)
226:(2)
62:Sam
781::
755:.
744:^
734:.
685:^
575:.
564:^
532:.
512:^
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458:,
355:,
261:.
767:.
738:.
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679:.
645:.
611:.
587:.
506:.
75:)
71:(
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
