Background
Gillem, Alvan Cullom was born on August 8, 1888 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Son of Alvan Cullom and Lillian Courts (Cummins) Gillem.
Gillem, Alvan Cullom was born on August 8, 1888 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Son of Alvan Cullom and Lillian Courts (Cummins) Gillem.
Student of University of Arizona, 1908, University of the South, 1908-1909, Army staff schedul, 1922-1923, Army War College, 1925-1926.
Enlisted, Regular Army, January 19, 1910. Second in command Lieutenant United States Army, February 11, 1911, advanced through grades to major general, Infantry, July 12, 1941, and assigned to command III Armored Division. Activated and took command II Armored Corps, January 17, 1942.
Commanded Desert Training Center, August-October 1942, directing first United States Army maneuvers held solely for armored and mechanized troops.
Appointed commanding general, Armored Force, May 14, 1943, and commanding general, Armored Command, July 2, 1943, promoted Lieutenant general, 1945. Commander XIII Corps, European Theater of Operations.
American commissioner executive headquarters, Peiping, China, October 1946-April 1947. Commanding general 3d Army, June 15, 1947-1950.
Member Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Omicron Delta Kappa.
Married Virginia Lucille Harrison, June 14, 1916. Children: Alvan Cullom, II, Mary Virginia, Richard Douglas.