George LeRoy Irwin
{{short description|United States Army general}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= George LeRoy Irwin
|nickname=
|birth_date= {{birth date|1868|04|26}}
|death_date= {{death date and age|1931|02|19|1868|04|26}}
|birth_place= Fort Wayne (Detroit), Detroit, Michigan
|death_place= Trinidad
|placeburial=
|placeofburial_label= Place of burial
|image=George LeRoy Irwin.jpg
|caption=
|allegiance= {{flagicon|United States}}United States of America
|branch= File:United States Department of the Army Seal.svg United States Army
|serviceyears=1889–1931
|rank=30px Major General
|commands=57th Field Artillery Brigade
|unit=
|battles=Spanish–American War
Philippine–American War
Cuban Pacification
World War I
|awards= Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Honor
|relations=
{{plainlist|
- BG Bernard J. D. Irwin (Father)
- LTG General Stafford L. Irwin (Son)
}}
|laterwork=
}}
George LeRoy Irwin (April 26, 1868 – February 19, 1931) was a major general of the United States Army. Fort Irwin National Training Center is named in his honor.{{cite web |title=Fort Irwin official websites - History |url=http://www.irwin.army.mil/Visitors/Info/Pages/FortIrwinHistory.aspx |publisher=irwin.army.mil |accessdate=17 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017153514/http://www.irwin.army.mil/Visitors/Info/Pages/FortIrwinHistory.aspx |archivedate=17 October 2014 }}
Early life
Irwin was born on April 26, 1868, at Fort Wayne (Detroit) in Detroit, Michigan.{{cite web|title=Hall of Valor|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/17731|publisher=militarytimes.com|access-date=17 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021234225/http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=17731|archive-date=21 October 2014|url-status=live}} His parents were colonel (later Army Brigadier General) Bernard J. D. Irwin, a surgeon in the Army Medical Corps who received the Medal of Honor in the Apache Wars, and his wife Antoinette Elizabeth Stahl Irwin.
Career
Irwin graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1889. He served in the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Cuban Pacification and World War I.Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. p. 196. {{ISBN|1571970886}}. OCLC 40298151 Irwin graduated from the United States Army War College in 1910.
File:111-SC-44690 - NARA - 55248147 (cropped) (cropped).jpg, Maine-et-Loire, France, December 17, 1918.]]
During World War I, Irwin, then a brigadier general, commanded the 57th Field Artillery Brigade of the 32nd Infantry Division under the command of Major General William G. Haan. Irwin distinguished himself during the Second Battle of the Marne, Oise-Aisne Offensive and Meuse–Argonne offensive and received the Army Distinguished Service Medal.
After the war, Irwin reverted to his permanent rank of colonel in 1919. He was promoted to brigadier general again in 1923 and then to major general in 1928.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CO0cAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA329 |title=Official Army Register |date=January 1, 1930 |page=329 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |access-date=27 August 2022}}
Personal life and family
Irwin married Maria Elizabeth Barker on April 30, 1892. Irwin's son, Stafford LeRoy Irwin, retired as a lieutenant general.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cNeqibq2y1EC&pg=337 |chapter=Class of 1915—Register of Graduates |title=Register of Graduates and Former Cadets 1802–1971 of the United States Military Academy |date=1971 |page=337 |publisher=The West Point Alumni Foundation Inc. |access-date=15 July 2022}}
Death and legacy
Irwin died on February 19, 1931, on Trinidad.{{cite web|title=West Point Deceased Search|url=http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/3305/|publisher=apps.westpointaog.org|accessdate=17 October 2014|archive-date=24 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024172211/http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/3305/|url-status=dead}} The general and his wife were buried at the West Point Cemetery next to his parents.{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/search-all/results/1/CgVJcndpbhIFTWFyaWEaCUVsaXphYmV0aA--/ |title=Irwin, Maria Elizabeth |website=Army Cemeteries Explorer |publisher=U.S. Army |access-date=15 July 2022}}
In 1942, the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range (today: Fort Irwin National Training Center) was named in his honor.{{cite web |url=https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/in-depth-overview/fort-irwin |title=Fort Irwin In-depth Overview |website=Military Installations |publisher=U.S. Department of Defense |access-date=15 July 2022}}
Decorations
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Spanish War Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Philippine Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army of Cuban Pacification ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}
|World War I Victory Medal with 3 Battle Clasps |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg|width=60}} |
Citation
File:Coat of Arms of Bernard J. D. Irwin.svg
The citation for Irwin's Army Distinguished Service Medal reads:
:General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 19 (1920)
:Action Date: World War I
:Name: George LeRoy Irwin
:Service: Army
:Rank: Brigadier General
:Company: Commanding General
:Regiment: 57th Field Artillery Brigade
:Division: 32d Division, American Expeditionary Forces
:Citation: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General George LeRoy Irwin, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. General Irwin Commanded with ability the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, 32d Division, during the Marne-Aisne, Oise-Aisne, and Meuse-Argonne offensives. At all times he displayed keen judgment, high military attainments, and loyal devotion to duty. The success of the Division whose advance he supported was due in a large measure to his eminent technical skill and ability as an artillerist.
References
{{Commons category|George LeRoy Irwin}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140717013902/http://www.irwin.army.mil/Pages/default.aspx Official Homepage of the National Training Center Fort Irwin]
- [https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/17731 Militarytimes.com - Official Army Distinguished Service Medal Citation]
;Notes
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Category:19th-century United States Army personnel
Category:United States Military Academy alumni
Category:Military personnel from Detroit
Category:American military personnel of the Spanish–American War
Category:American military personnel of the Philippine–American War
Category:United States Army War College alumni
Category:United States Army generals of World War I
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
Category:American recipients of the Legion of Honour