General Walter Krueger
U.S. Army, Sixth Army Commanding General

Background
Walter Krueger was born January 26, 1881 to parents Julius Krüger and Anna Hasse Krueger Schmidt in Flatow, West Prussia in the German Empire (today Wielkopolskie, Poland). When father passed away, his mother and siblings immigrated to the United States to live near her uncle in St. Louis, Missouri and the family name was Americanized to Krueger. At age 8, his mother married Emil Carl Schmidt and moved to Madison, Indiana. He attended Madison's Upper Seminary for high school. Although he wanted to join the Navy, his mother objected and he studied to become a blacksmith. After graduation, enrolled at the Cincinnati Technical High School and studied blacksmithing and took science and mathematics to enter engineerings school.

On June 17, 1898 enlisted in the U.S. Army as a volunteer during the Spanish-American War with the 2nd United States Volunteer Infantry and was deployed to Santiago in Cuba a few weeks after the Battle of San Juan Hill and spent eight months on Cuba and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. During February 1899 mustered out as a volunteer and returned home and planned to become a civil engineer.

PARTIAL HISTORY

World War II
In January 1943, the newly formed 6th Army was created in the South West Pacific Area (SWAA) and General Douglas MacArthur selected Krueger to be the Commanding Officer (C.O.). Although the two had known each other for forty years, they were not close.

On February 16, 1943 the Sixth Army was established under the command of Lt. General Walter Krueger and includes I Corps under the command of General Eichelberger, 2nd Engineer Special Brigade and 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (503rd PIR) with the 1st Marine Division (1st MAR DIV) attached.

On June 20, 1943 Krueger opens ALAMO (U.S. Sixth Army) headquarters at Milne Bay in New Guinea. On June 30, 1943 the Sixth Army ALAMO Force begins offensive operations with unopposed landings at Nassau Bay plus Kiriwini Island and Woodlark Island where forward airfields will be constructed.

On January 13, 1945 Krueger takes command ashore on Luzon in the Philippines.

Memorials
Krueger passed away August 20, 1967 at age 86 in Valley Forge, PA. ON August 24, 1967 he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery at section 30 site 794.

References
Hall of Valor Project - Walter Krueger Distinguished Service Cross, Army Distinguished Service Medal, Army Distinguished Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf cluster and Navy Distinguished Service Medal citations
Arlington National Cemetery (ANC Explorer) - Walter Krueger (grave photos)
FindAGrave - Walter Krueger (photo, grave photo)

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