SIGNED LETTER FROM WW2 LT. GEN. WILLIS CRITTENBERGER - 5TH ARMY, ITALIAN FRONT

Description

HERE WE HAVE AN UNFOLDED, ORIGINAL LETTER SIGNED BY LIEUT. GENERAL WILLIS CRITTENBERGER, DATED SEPT 29, 1947. LETTER RESPONDS TO A REQUEST FOR AUTOGRAPHED PHOTO, AND ON HEADQUARTERS OF COMMANDING GENERAL, CARIBBEAN DEFENSE COMMAND. LETTER AND AUTOGRAPH HAVE BEEN AUTHENTICATED BY PSA AUTHENTICATION SERVICES.
CRITTENBERGER GRADUATED FROM USMA IN 1913 AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 3RD CAVALRY REGIMENT IN TEXAS. HE DID NOT SERVE OVERSEAS DURING WW1. JUST PRIOR TO WW2 HE WAS PROMOTED TO BRIGADIER GENERAL WITH THE 2ND ARMORED BRIGADE, 2ND ARMORED DIV. UNDER GEN. PATTON. AFTER PEARL HARBOR HE TOOK COMMAND OF THE 2ND ARMORED DIVISION WHEN PATTON WAS GIVEN COMMAND OF THE 1ST ARMORED CORPS. IN AUGUST HE WAS PROMOTED TO MAJOR GENERAL AND ORGANIZED AND TRAINED THE III ARMORED CORPS AT CAMP POLK, LA. THAT
ORGANIZATION WAS REDESIGNATED XIX CORPS AND SHIPPED TO ENGLAND IN JANUARY 1944.  HE WAS PROMOTED AND GIVEN COMMAND OF THE IV CORPS IN THE 5TH ARMY AND SERVED IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN. THE UNIT SERVED IN COMBAT FOR 390 DAYS.
AFTER THE WAR HE WAS COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE CARIBBEAN DEFENSE COMMAND, AND LATER THE U.S. CARIBBEAN COMMAND. HIS LAST COMMAND WAS AS COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE 1ST ARMY. AFTER HIS RETIREMENT HE SERVED AS A NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT EISENHOWER.
HE DIED IN 1980 AT THE AGE OF 89 AND IS BURIED AT ARLINGTON.  HE WAS GIVEN NUMEROUS AWARDS BY THE U.S, FRANCE, AND OTHER COUNTRIES.
SELDOM SEEN WW2 AUTOGRAPH. CONDITION OF LETTER -UNFOLDED WITH SHARP EDGES. APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN STAPLED INTO AN AUTOGRAPH BOOK AT THE VERY TOP AND DOES NOT AFFECT LETTERHEAD OR CONTENTS.  COA STICKER FROM PSA ON REVERSE OF LETTER.