Background
Smith, Walter Bedell was born on October 5, 1895 in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Son of William Long and Ida Frances (Bedell) Smith.
army officer corporation executive
Smith, Walter Bedell was born on October 5, 1895 in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Son of William Long and Ida Frances (Bedell) Smith.
Graduate Infantry School, 1930, Command and General staff schedul, 1935, Army War College, 1937. Doctor of Letters (honorary), Louvaine, 1945. Doctor of Science Military (honorary), Pennsylvania Military College, 1949.
Doctor of Civil Law (honorary).
Colgate University, 1950. Doctor of Laws, Duquesne University, 1949, Hofstra College, 1949, Butler University, 1950, Amherst College, 1951, Wesleyan University, 1952, Washington and Jefferson College, 1953, University of New Hampshire (U.S.), 1953, University of South Carolina., 1953.
LL. Doctorate., Lafayette College, 1954. Doctor of Laws, Yale, 1955.
LL. Doctorate., New York University, 1955.
Doctor of Laws., University of California, 1955.
Served as private, advancing to first sergeant, Indiana National Guard, 1910-1915. Second in command Lieutenant, Infantry, Officers Reserve Corps, November 1917, First lieutenant, United States Army, September 10, 1918. Advanced through the grades to Lieutenant general (temporary), January 11, 1943.
Major general (permanent), October 1945.
General, 1951. General Staff Corps, 1940. United States secretary Combined Chiefs of Staff and secretary United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1941-1942.
Chief of Staff, Allied Force Headquarters, North. Africa, 1942-1944, South.H.A.E.F., East.T.O., 1944-1945, United States Forces, European Theater, June-December, 1945. United States Ambassador, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, 1946-1949.
Director of Central Intelligence Agency, 1950-1953.
Undersecretary of State 1953-1954. Vice chairman American Machine and Foundry Company, since 1954. Member of the board of directors, National Broadcasting Company, Radio Corporation of America, United Fruit Company, Corning Glass Works.
Decorations: Order of Merit (Chile).
Most Exalted Order of White Elephant 1st class (Thailand). Distinguished Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Service Medal (Navy), National Security Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star.
Knight Commander, Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross, Order of British Empire (Great Britain). Grand Officer, Legion of Honor.
Croix de Guerre (2) (France).
Order of Kutuzov, 1st class (The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). Knight Grand Cross, Order of Lions (Netherlands). Grand Cross of Order of Crown.
Croix de Guerre (Belgium).
Grand Officer, Order of Polonia Restituta, Silver Cross of Order of Virtuti Militari (Poland). Grand Officer, Order of White Lion, Croix de Guerre (Czechoslovakian).
Grand Cross, Order of Cauronne de Chene, Croix de Guerre (Luxembourg). Grand Officer, Order of Military Merit (Brazil).
Grand Officer, Order of Alouite (Morocco).
Grand Officer. Order of Nishtan Iftikar (Tunisia). Honorary citizen of Brussels, Schaubeek.
Silver Medal, Cities of Amsterdam and New York Author: My Three Years in Moscow.
Eisenhower’s Six Great Decisions: Europe (1944-1945). 1956. Address: 4400 Garfield Saint North.W., Washington 6.
Served as private, advancing to first sergeant, Indiana National Guard, 1910-1915. Member of the board of directors, National Broadcasting Company, Radio Corporation of America, United Fruit Company, Corning Glass Works. Decorations: Order of Merit (Chile).
Married Mary Cline, July 1, 1917.