General Sam Sims Walker (b. 1925) matriculated at VMI in 1941 with the Class of 1945. In 1943 he transferred to West Point, from which he graduated in 1946. He served in the U. S. Army from 1946 until his retirement as a four-star general in 1978. Among the many assignments during his distinguished military career were Commanding General, 3rd Infantry Division, USA in Europe; U. S. Commander, Berlin; Deputy Commanding General, U. S. Army Forces Command; and Commander, Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe. He graduated from the Command and General Staff College in 1957 and from the National War College in 1964, and earned a Master's degree from George Washington University. General Walker became VMI's eleventh Superintendent on July 1, 1981 and retired on December 31, 1988.