Command and General Staff College Foundation News Fall 2017 - 10

FEATURE

Two officers inducted
into Fort Leavenworth
Hall of Fame

Major General William
Giles Harding Carter

Fort Leavenworth inducted leaders
Hall
of Fame in a ceremony at the Lewis and
Clark Center May 11. Deceased Major
General William Giles Harding Carter
who served from the Civil War to World
War I and retired Brigadier General Huba
Wass de Czege were this year's honorees.
Maj. Gen. Carter's great grandson
William H. Carter accepted the award on
his behalf.
Carter was born in Nashville in 1851
and educated at Kentucky Military
Institute. As a youth he served as a
messenger during the Civil War. In 1873
he graduated from the United States
Military Academy and soon served with
the 6th Cavalry Regiment. In 1881, he
received the Medal of Honor for heroism
in action at the Battle of Cibicu Creek in
the Arizona Territory.
Carter spent time at Fort Leavenworth
from 1893-1897 and ultimately became
an advocate of reform in Army education.
After departing Fort Leavenworth he
became a close adviser to the Secretary
of War and was instrumental in bringing a
general staff system to the Army in 1903
and pushing for the creation of a war
college to better prepare senior officers.
He retired from the Army in 1915 after
serving as commanding general of the
Hawaiian Department but was recalled
to active duty in 1917. During this period
he commanded the Central Department
in Chicago until his second retirement in
February 1918. Carter was the last officer
on active duty with Civil War service. He
from two distinct eras into its

died on May 24, 1925 in Washington,
D.C. and was buried in Arlington National
Cemetery.
Fellow inductee Brigadier General Huba
Wass de Czege shared Carter's interest in
better education for military leaders. Much
of Wass de Czege's military career was
involved with Fort Leavenworth where
he is most remembered for being the
first director of the School of Advanced
Military Studies. He said, "The doctrinal
reforms of 1980 to '86 and the formation
of SAMS were not the accomplishment of
one individual. I was lucky to be at Fort
Leavenworth and I was lucky to serve
with capable professionals under very
supportive bosses. And also, I was lucky
to get away with a little bit of heresy now
and then."
Born in Hungary in 1941,Wass de
Czege escaped to West Germany
just as the Soviet armies approached.
Immigrating to the United States in 1951
he graduated from the United States
Military Academy in 1964 and was
commissioned an infantry officer. He
served in Vietnam in 1967 and again in
1968, then later graduated from CGSC
in 1976. After several assignments and
a battalion command tour with the 9th
Infantry Division, he returned to Fort
Leavenworth and became the principle
author of the 1982 edition of FM 1005, "AirLand Battle." He also became
the first director of the School of
Advanced Military Studies in 1983. After
commanding a brigade at Fort Ord, Calif.,
he was promoted to brigadier general and

PHOTOS COURTESY ARMYU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

by Harry Sarles, Army University Public Affairs

Brigadier General Huba
Wass de Czege

spent the next three years in Europe
working with NATO and SHAPE. In his
final assignment, Wass de Czege served
as the assistant division commander for
the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley and
retired from active service in 1993.

For the full story and links to more photos, see: http://www.cgscfoundation.org/two-leaders-inducted-into-hall-of-fame/

10 - CGSC FOUNDATION NEWS | www.cgscfoundation.org

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Command and General Staff College Foundation News Fall 2017