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- Leroy Hugh Watson (November 3, 1893 – February 12, 1975) was a career officer in the United States Army who attained the rank of major general. A 1915 graduate of the United States Military Academy ("The class the stars fell on"), Watson served in the Pancho Villa Expedition and World War I. During World War II, Watson commanded the 3rd Armored Division from August 1942 to August 1944. Concerned that he was not leading the division effectively during combat in France, his superior, Omar Bradley, a West Point classmate and lifelong friend, relieved him of duty. Rather than request a stateside assignment that would allow him to keep his temporary rank, Watson agreed to accept a reduction in rank in order to remain in France. Watson was reduced in rank to colonel and assigned to the staff of Bradley's Twelfth United States Army Group. Soon afterwards, Brigadier General Norman Cota was transferred from assignment as assistant division commander of the 29th Infantry Division to commander of the 28th Infantry Division and promoted to major general. Watson was selected to replace Cota at the 29th Infantry Division. In November 1944, he was again promoted to brigadier general, reclaiming general officer's rank less than three months after his demotion. In August 1945, Watson was appointed to command the 79th Infantry Division, which he led until it was inactivated in December 1945. Following the war, Watson served as commander of the International Military Tribunal Command in Germany, where he worked to enhance security and ensure that none of the Nazis on trial for war crimes were able to escape. His later assignments included chief of Civil Affairs for the U.S. Far East Command and commander of US Defense Advisory Group, Japan. In early 1953 he was promoted to major general, and he retired later that year. After retiring, Watson lived in Beverly Hills, California, where he served on the city council and was mayor from 1962 to 1963. He died in Beverly Hills on February 12, 1975 and was buried at West Point Cemetery. (en)
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- 3rd Armored Division
- 79th Infantry Division
- 3rd Battalion,33rd Infantry
- 3rd Battalion,42nd Infantry
- 40th Armored Regiment
- Chief ofCivil Affairs,U. S. Far East Command
- Combat Command A,3rd Armored Division
- Fort Lewis
- International Military Tribunal Command, Germany
- Southern District,Sixth United States Army
- U.S. Defense Advisory Group, Japan
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- Leroy Hugh Watson (November 3, 1893 – February 12, 1975) was a career officer in the United States Army who attained the rank of major general. A 1915 graduate of the United States Military Academy ("The class the stars fell on"), Watson served in the Pancho Villa Expedition and World War I. After retiring, Watson lived in Beverly Hills, California, where he served on the city council and was mayor from 1962 to 1963. He died in Beverly Hills on February 12, 1975 and was buried at West Point Cemetery. (en)
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