Background
Burnham, William Power was born on January 10, 1860 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Major David Roe (United States Army) and Olive E. (Power) Burnham.
Burnham, William Power was born on January 10, 1860 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Major David Roe (United States Army) and Olive E. (Power) Burnham.
Educated Kansas State Agricultural College. At West Point, 1877-1880. Graduated from the United States Infantry and Cavalry School, 1889.
1 son, Edward Meacham. Was enlisted man 14th United States Infantry, 1881-1883. Promoted from ranks July 1883.
Served lieutenant colonel 4th Missouri Volumes, Spanish-American War, and in Philippine Insurrection, 1900-1902.
Major United States Army, August 20, 1906. Member general staff, 1907-1911.
Lieutenant colonel and commandant Army Service Schools, Fort Leavenworth, 1912-1914. Colonel infantry, May 1, 1916.
Commander Puerto Rico Regiment of Infantry and District of Prize ring (The), 1914-1917.
Served in Canal Zone, May-July 1917. Commanded 56th Infantry, July-August 1917. Brigadier general North.A., August 5, 1917.
Assigned to command 164th Infantry Brigade, 82d Division, Camp Gordon, Atlanta, Georgia.
Major general, April 12, 1918. Commanded 82d Division, December 1917-October 5, 1918.
In front line sectors (Toul and Moselle River), June-September 1918, Saint Mihiel offensive, September 12-16, and Battle of Meuse-Argonne, September 26-October 5, 1918. Military attache and American delegate Inter-Allied Military Commission, Athens, Greece, October 20, 1918-June 9, 1919.
Honorary discharge as temporary major general, July 1919, and reverted to rank of colonel, regular army.
Commander Fort McDowell, Angel Island, and Presidio, San Francisco, August 1919-January 1924. Brigadier general January 1, 1924, retired January 10, 1924. Companion of the Bath (English).
Croix de Guerre and Officer Legion of Honor (French).
Medal of Military Merit, 1st class (Greek). Author: Three Roads to a Commission in the United States Army, 1892.
Duties of Outposts, Advance Guards, et cetera, 1893.
Member general staff, 1907-1911.
Married Grace F. Meacham, February 18, 1890.
