William E. R. Covell
William E. R. Covell | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Billy |
| Born | 29 November 1892 Washington D.C. |
| Died | 16 August 1975 (aged 82) Fort Ord, California |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1915–1940 1941–1946 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Service number | 0-3768 |
| Unit | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Commands | Director of Fuels and Lubricants Services of Supply, China Burma India Theater |
| Conflicts | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal (2) |
| Spouses |
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| Relations | Beverly Covell Ferguson, daughter |
Major general William Edward Raab Covell (29 November 1892 – 16 August 1975) graduated first in the 1915 West Point class that later became known as the class the stars fell on due to the high number of cadets who went on to attain general officer rank; this was more than any other class in the history of the academy. For comparison, out of 164 cadets, two Generals of the Army were Omar Bradley (44th) and Dwight D. Eisenhower (61st). Covell served two stints in the U.S. Army, the first was from 1915 to 1940; he was recalled to active service during World War II from 1941 to 1946.