Background
Haislip was born in Woodstock, Virginia on July 9, 1889, and moved at age 2 to Staunton, Virginia.
Haislip was born in Woodstock, Virginia on July 9, 1889, and moved at age 2 to Staunton, Virginia.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry upon graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1912.
Haislip saw action in France with the AEF and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1918. He attended the French War College, an experience which was valuable in working later with Leclerc (following). Haislip was on the WDGS from 1940 (Cullum), and as a brigadier general became G1 (personnel and administration) on 19 Feb 1941. Promoted a few weeks after the attack on Pearl
Harbor (7 Dec 1941), Maj Gen Haislip left Washington after exactly a year as Gl. On 15 May 1942 he assumed command of the newly activated 85th Div at Camp Shelby, Miss. The 85th and 88th Div were the first US divisions formed primarily of draftees, and both friend and foe were anxious to see whether America's “civilians in uniform” would measure up. They did, to the distress of veteran German commanders in Italy (1944-45).
Ham Haislip moved up to head the 15th Corps Hq when it was activated 13 Feb 1943, going overseas on 14 Dec 1943 to join Patton’s 3d Army in England. Because of his French War College background, Haislip was assigned Jacques LeclercC’s 2d French Arrnd Div as a component of his corps.
Maj Gen Haislip led the I5lh Corps from Normandy, being heavily engaged around Falaise, and across France to Strasbourg; he then fought the Rhineland campaign and drove on across central Europe. Promoted to lieutenant general on 15 Apr 45, Haislip got his fourth star in 1949 as US Army vice CofS. The general retired in 1951 to become governor of the Soldiers Home in Washington, DC, until 1966. He died 23 Dec 1971 in Washington.
Member; Clubs: Army and Navy (Washington).
Married Alice Jennings Shepherd, July 14, 1932.