With the death of Lieutenant General Samuel D. Sturgis Jr., on 5 July 1964, our Class, the Corps, the Service, and our Country lost one of our finest. None has ever been more dedicated in his devotion and application to whatever task was assigned him, or on whatever duty he was engaged, and none has performed with greater distinction even against the greatest odds. Sam was, and will forever be, an inspiration to us all.
Born on 10 July 1897 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sam was the product of a proud military and West Point heritage. His grandfather, Brigadier General Samuel D. Sturgis, USMA Class of 1847, fought with distinction in command of a division at the battle of Antietam in the Civil War. His uncle, Lieutenant James Garland Sturgis, Class of 1875, fought and died with General Ceorge Custer at the Little Big Horn. His father, Major General Samuel D. Sturgis, Class of 1884, was the gallant commander of the 87th Division in World War I. It was but natural, therefore, that Sam should be endowed with the same traits of leadership, courage, and devotion to duty as these distinguished forebears.
We of his Class of June ’18 have many happy memories of Sam, who, though rising to the resplendent cadet rank of battalion adjutant, never lost his sense of droll humor or the twinkle in his eye as he related, to any and all within the compass of his sunny personality, his latest story.
Upon graduation on 12 June 1918, Sam was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers as a second lieutenant, first lieutenant, and captain (temporary), in that distinguished branch in which he was to serve so ably throughout his lifetime—ultimately rising to become its outstanding Chief.
In January 1922, Sam married Frances Jewett Murray, the charming daughter of Brigadier General Peter Murray, USMA Class of 1890.
Sam had many interesting details during his Engineer service, including a tour as a mathematics instructor at West Point, and another as adjutant of the 14th Engineers in the Philippines. (This latter duty was to prepare him well for a subsequent, highly important assignment as Chief Engineer of Sixth Army during World War II.)
For four years, 1929-1933, Sam, who was also an able and enthusiastic horesman, served happily at Fort Riley, Kansas, in command of the 9th Mounted Engineers. Following his graduation from the Command & Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, he served on the major Passamaquoddy Tidal Power Project and as executive officer of the Huntington, West Virginia Engineer District. In 1940 he was graduated from the Army War College. He then served as District Engineer of the important Vicksburg, Mississippi, Engineer District until December 1942.
With the outbreak of World War II, Sam had been champing at the bit for combat service. He realized that ambition when General Walter Krueger, who was to lead Sixth Army so ably in the Southwest Pacific Theatre, selected Sam as his Chief Engineer. A whole book could well be written of Sam’s exploits in that highly important post. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, recognizing the problems and difficulties of the vast and undeveloped terrain with which our ground, air, and naval forces, all with inadequate means, were faced, and appreciating the importance of the Engineer role in solving them, had said: "It was an Engineers’ War.’’ Sam, as Chief Engineer of our spearhead force, the Sixth Army, met every challenge in that important post, bringing to it a standard of complete and absolute dedication, application, and leadership. His Distinguished Service Medal, his Silver Stars and other awards were well-merited, though only partial, recognition of his great accomplishments.
After World War II, he served in a succession of top commands: Air Engineer for Air Force Headquarters; Deputy Director of Operations and Training on the General Staff; Division Engineer of the vast Missouri River Division; Commanding General, 6th Armored Division; and Commanding General of the Communications Zone, European Command.
On 17 March 1953, Sam attained the pinnacle of achievement for an Engineer officer when he was appointed Chief of Engineers. Again he demonstrated his complete dedication and able leadership in responsible charge of the vast military construction and civil works program undertaken by the Corps during that critical period when the nature of its future was at stake. In spite of a developing physical handicap, he still fought the courageous fight, forcing himself to the limit, until his retirement in 1956, for physical disability. As he had throughout his career, he gave of himself without stint in carrying out his heavy responsibilities.
Even after retirement, Sam continued to serve. In recognition of his outstanding engineering ability, and because of his earlier association with the Passamaquoddy Tidal Power Project, he was named as Chairman of the United States Section of the International Joint Commission, Passamaquoddy Engineering Board.
One might almost say that Sam’s display of courage and optimism during his last few years made up his “finest hours.” The average man would have given up against the terrific physical handicaps he faced. His grit, his determination to fight through his limitations, his cheerful and philosophic disposition in the face of such crippling handicaps, served as an inspiration to all of us, and gave further insight into the fine stuff of which he was made.
Though Sam is no longer with us, he lives on none the less. The major projects built or engineered under his direction, his great engineer contribution to victory in the Southwest Pacific, his example of leadership in top military and engineering posts, and his demonstration of fortitude and courage in his last years through crippling and disabling handicaps, leave with us a living image of that fine son of West Point and of our Class of June 1918—Samuel D. Sturgis.
Our sympathy extends to his widow, Frances, and to their daughter, Harriet, tempered by the knowledge that their sorrow is eased by their loving memories of him, and by their just pride in his great contributions to his Country—and to his Alma Mater.
-H. J. C.