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DeSaussure, Edward, MG.
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Date of Passing Jul 11, 2002
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Major Geneneral Edward H. deSaussure, the 10th Commander of White Sands Proving Ground/Missile Range, the son of Colonel, USA, Retired, and Mrs. Edward H. deSaussure, was born on 26 November 1918, in El Paso, Texas. He grew up on various military posts in the United States and the Philippines and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1941. He served in the Pacific in the early days of World War II with the 4th Field Artillery Battalion and with various field artillery battalions in the United States for the remainder of the war.
In 1946, he served as Aide de Camp to General Jacob L. Devers, while the latter was commanding Army Ground Forces.
From 1947 to 1949, he studied at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and received a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering.
From 1951 to 1953 he commanded the 20th Field Artillery Battalion, 4th Division, in Germany; and from 1953 to 1954 he served as Group Executive Officer in the 30th Field Artillery Group in Germany. During the next six months he was assistant commandant of the Artillery OCS at Ft. Sill.
From 1955 to 1956, Major General deSaussure was on the Department of the Army General Staff, and from 1956 to 1959, he served as Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary, of Defense.
From 1959 to 1960, he attended the Army War College and then spent a year of duty in Korea.
In 1961 he returned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where his duties included that of director of the Guided Missi1e Department in the Artillery School and Commanding Officer of the 9th Field Artillery Missile Group. During both of these assignments, he participated in training the Army's Sergeant and Pershing Missile Battalions for deployment to Europe and the Pacific.
From June of 1964 to May of 1965, he served as the Army's member of the Chairman's Staff Group in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His next assignment was as Assistant Division Commander/Support of the 25th Infantry Division. MG deSaussure then commanded the 196th Infantry Brigade from August 1966 to December 1966. From then until March 1967, he commanded the 1st Field Force Artillery and from March to July 1967 was Assistant Division Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division.
Upon his return to the United States, MG deSaussure was deputy chairman and then chairman of the JCS Special Studies Group from August 1967 to September 1968. From September 1968 until be assumed command of White Sands Missile Range, MG deSaussure commanded the Joint Task Force Eight and the Test Command, Sandia Base, NM. He assumed command of White Sands Missile Range on 8 April 1970.
MG deSaussure is married to the former Frances Pelzer Huger of Charleston. South Carolina. The couple has five children, Frances, Eleanor, Anita, Ted and Margaret.
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase III Campaign (1967-68)
From Month/Year
June / 1967
To Month/Year
January / 1968
Description This campaign was from 1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968.The conflict in South Vietnam remains basically unchanged. As Operation JUNCTION CITY ended, elements of the U.S. 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions, the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and the forces of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam swung back toward Saigon to conduct another clearing operation, MANHATTAN. This took peace in the Long Nguyen base area just north of the previously cleared "Iron Triangle."
South Vietnamese Armed Forces became more active and capable under U.S. advisors. During the year the Vietnamese Special Forces assumed responsibility for several Special Forces camps and for the CIDG companies manning them. In each case all of the U.S. advisors withdrew, leaving the Vietnamese in full command.
With an increased delegation of responsibility to them, the South Vietnamese conducted major operations during 1967, and, in spite of VC attempts to avoid battle, achieved a number of contacts.
Despite the success of U.S. and South Vietnamese Army operations, there were indications in the fall of 1967 of another enemy build-up, particularly in areas close to Laos and Cambodia. In late October, the VC struck again at the Special Forces Camp at Loc Ninh. Fortunately Vietnamese reinforcements saved the camp. At the same time, approximately 12,000 VC troops converged on a Special Forces camp at Dak To. This camp was located in northern Kontum Province, where the borders of Laos, Cambodia, and South Vietnam meet. In response to this potential threat, the U.S. and South Vietnam committed a total of sixteen battalions to the region to counter a disturbing enemy resurgence at Kontum and Loc Ninh.
