Edward J. O'Neill (general)

Edward J. O'Neill was born in St. Albans, Vermont, on March 24, 1902,{{cite news |date=April 24, 1942 |title=Proud of 3 Soldier Sons |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115631939/the-burlington-free-press/ |work=The Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=10 |via=Newspapers.com}} a son of Jeremiah O'Neill and Catherine (Aher) O'Neill.{{cite news |date=December 9, 1977 |title=Obituary, Frederick A. O'Neill |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115542362/obituary-for-frederick-a-oneill/ |work=The Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |date=November 19, 1929 |title=Jeremiah F. O'Neill Meets Death When Auto Plunges Into Mississquoi Current |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115631769/oneill/ |work=St. Albans Messenger |location=St. Albans, VT |pages=1, 7 |via=Newspapers.com}} Note: URL for page 7 is https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115631829/obituary-for/ He was educated in St. Albans, and graduated from St. Albans High School in 1920.{{cite news |last=Upton |first=Hiram |date=June 17, 1920 |title=High School Notes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115632018/high-school/ |work=St. Albans Messenger |location=St. Albans, VT |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}

O'Neill attended the University of Vermont (UVM), from which he graduated in 1924 with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree.{{cite news |date=July 12, 1924 |title=Class of 1924 Receives Degrees In Course |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115632416/philosophy/ |work=The Vermont Cynic |location= |pages=1, 8 |via=Newspapers.com}} While at UVM, O'Neill was a member of the debate team, president of the student union, and president of the Boulder Society.{{cite news |date=May 7, 1923 |title=University Notes: Edward J. O'Neill, '24, Elected President of Student Union |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115632932/university/ |work=The Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}} He also belonged to the Wig and Buskin drama society, as well as the Tau Kappa Alpha and Zeta Chi fraternities.

During his college career, O'Neill participated in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps.{{cite news |date=June 4, 1924 |title=Prizes Awarded to Senior Cadet Officers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115633146/prizes/ |work=The Vermont Cynic |location=Burlington, VT |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}} He attained the grade of lieutenant colonel as UVM's top ranked cadet, and was a member of Scabbard and Blade.{{cite news |date=March 8, 1924 |title=Greig and O'Neill to Go to Indianapolis |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115633233/indianapolis/ |work=The Vermont Cynic |location=Burlington, VT |page= |via=Newspapers.com}} At graduation, he was designated an ROTC honor graduate and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry.

O'Neill served in a variety of infantry commands and staff positions in the years between the world wars, with a tour in Hawaii and attendance at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. In 1936 he began attendance at the Command and General Staff School, from which he graduated in 1937.{{cite news |date=August 24, 1936 |title=New Army School Term |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115638626/school/ |work=The Kansas City Star |location=Kansas City, MO |page=9 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |date=July 7, 1937 |title=Personals: Capt. Edward J. O'Neill |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115638761/oneill/ |work=The Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}

At the onset of World War II, O'Neill was a battalion commander in the 1st Infantry Division. In 1941 O'Neill became assistant then chief G-4, or chief of supplies and logistical support for the Fifth United States Army's VI Corps in the North Africa and Italian campaigns. He was responsible for supplying the Allied landing at Anzio, Italy in Operation Shingle. O'Neill ended the war as G-4 (staff officer for supply) for Fifth Army.

O'Neill graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1948.{{cite news |date=June 23, 1948 |title=Armed Forces Colleges Graduating N.E. Men |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115638123/colleges/ |work=The Boston Globe |location=Boston, MA |page=29 |via=Newspapers.com}}

In 1950, O'Neill was Deputy Chief of Staff of the European Command, redesignated Headquarters, United States Army, Europe. In August 1954 he was promoted to brigadier general and later took command of United States Army Communication Zone, Europe, the logistics and support organization for the United States Army, Europe.

In that position on May 12, 1958, O'Neill selected one of 13 casketed remains of unknown United States soldiers from American military cemeteries in Europe to represent the unknowns from the European Theater of Operations during World War II. After a further selection of unknowns from the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, the Unknown Soldier of World War II was interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, 1958. O’Neill next served as Army Chief of Staff in Europe in 1959.

In March 1960, O'Neill was promoted to lieutenant general and assumed his final command of First United States Army at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York. While there, he also served as senior United States Army representative to the United Nations Military Staff Committee. He retired after 31 years of active duty on March 31, 1962.

Retiring to Arlington, Virginia, O'Neill was a consultant for Aerojet General Corporation in Washington, D.C. until 1970.

O'Neill died of a heart attack on January 9, 1979, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080224050723/http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ep.php American Battle Monuments Commission Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial] Selection of Unknown Soldier for European Theater of Operations
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20111020012124/http://www.qmfound.com/tomb_of_the_unknown_soldiers_1964.htm Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers from The Quartermaster Review January–February 1964] In depth article on selection of World War II & Korean War Unknown Soldiers
• {{Citation| last =Mossman| first =B.C.| last2 =Stark| first2 =Warner| year =1971| title =The Last Salute: Civil and Military Funerals 1921–1969| publication-place =Washington, D.C.| publisher =Department of the Army| pages =93–98| url =http://www.history.army.mil/books/Last_Salute/| accessdate =2008-03-19| url-status =dead| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20080113122519/http://www.history.army.mil/books/Last_Salute/| archivedate =2008-01-13}}
• [http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ejoneill.htm Edward J. O'Neill at Arlington National Cemetery]
• {{Citation|title =First Army to Get New Commander|newspaper =New York Times|date=January 31, 1960|url =https://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F20815FD3A591A7A93C3AA178AD85F448685F}}
• {{Citation|title =New Chief for the First Army|newspaper =New York Times|date=March 2, 1960|url =https://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F60816FC35591A7A93C0A91788D85F448685F9}}
• {{Citation|title =Retired Lt. Gen. Edward O'Neill Dies; Supplied Landings at Salerno, Anzio|newspaper =The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1979/01/11/retired-lt-gen-edward-oneill-dies/2f8641cc-c1b3-4edd-bb3c-d75199afba7a/|date=January 11, 1979}}

{{S-start}}

{{S-mil}}

{{Succession box

|title=Commanding General, First United States Army

|before=Blackshear M. Bryan

|years=1960–1962

|after=Garrison H. Davidson

}}

{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneill, Edward J.}}

Category:1902 births

Category:1979 deaths

Category:United States Army personnel of World War II

Category:United States Army generals

Category:University of Vermont alumni

Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni

Category:Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy alumni

Category:People from St. Albans, Vermont

Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)

Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery