William Abram Mann | |
|---|---|
 Mann circa 1916, at about the time of his assignment as commandant of the School of Musketry. | |
| Born | (1854-07-31)July 31, 1854 Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | October 8, 1934(1934-10-08) (aged 80) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1875–1918 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Service number | 0-13117 |
| Commands | 6th Infantry Regiment Department of Dakota Recruit Depot,Jefferson Barracks,Missouri 3rd Infantry Regiment 1st Brigade, Department of the East 2nd Cavalry Brigade School of Musketry and Field Artillery Militia Bureau 42nd Division Department of the East |
| Battles / wars | American Indian Wars Spanish–American War Pancho Villa Expedition World War I |
| Awards | Silver Star |
| Other work | Executive,Equitable Trust Company of New York |
William Abram Mann (July 31, 1854 – October 8, 1934) was ageneral officer in theUnited States Army. He served as the commander of the 17th Infantry Brigade in theSpanish–American War and the42nd Division ("The Rainbow Division") inWorld War I.
After he retired from military service, he became an executive at theEquitable Trust Company of New York. He resided inWashington D.C., until his death on October 8, 1934.
A World War II troop carrier was named for him. The USSW. A. Mann (AP-112), was commissioned in 1943 and served inWorld War II, theKorean War, and theVietnam War.
Mann was born on July 31, 1854, inAltoona, Pennsylvania, the son of Anna (Bockus) Mann and Charles J. Mann.[1] Charles J. Mann was an attorney and judge, and served as mayor of Altoona from 1884 to 1886.[1] William A. Mann attended the schools of Altoona and obtained an appointment to theUnited States Military Academy. He graduated in 1875[2] and received a commission as asecond lieutenant ofInfantry.[3][4]
He served in the western United States throughout the 1870 and 1880s, mostly in assignments with the7th Cavalry. As part of the17th Infantry Regiment, he took part in theSioux Indian campaign of 1890 to 1891.[5]
Mann served with the 17th Infantry Regiment in theSpanish–American War, participating in theBattle of El Caney and theSiege of Santiago.[6] He received aSilver Star for gallantry in action at El Caney.[7] Mann also served in thePhilippines in 1899 and the early 1900s.[8] He graduated from theArmy War College in 1905.[9]
From 1907 to 1909 Mann commanded the6th Infantry Regiment atFort William Henry Harrison,Montana, also temporarily commanding theDepartment of Dakota on several occasions. From 1910 to 1911 he commanded the Recruit Depot atJefferson Barracks,Missouri.[10]
In 1911 he was assigned to the Army's General Staff, and from 1912 to 1913 he was chief of staff for the Eastern Department inNew York City. He served as chief of staff for the division based inTexas City, Texas from 1913 to 1914.[11]
From 1914 to 1915 Mann commanded the3rd Infantry Regiment atMadison Barracks, New York, and in 1915 he was assigned as commander of 1st Brigade, Department of the East inAlbany, New York, receiving promotion tobrigadier general.[12][13]
In 1916 General Mann assumed command of the2nd Cavalry Brigade in Texas during thePancho Villa Expedition, and later took command of the School of Musketry and Field Artillery atFort Sill,Oklahoma.[14]
In late 1916 he was named to head the Army's Militia Bureau (now theNational Guard Bureau), receiving promotion tomajor general.[15]
Mann left the Militia Bureau in 1917 to organize and train a division for overseas serviceand was succeeded byJesse McI. Carter. He became the first commander of the42nd Division, nicknamed the Rainbow Division, which was composed ofNational Guard units from 26 states and theDistrict of Columbia. The 42nd Division's activation was important in the development of the National Guard because it was the first time National Guard units from multiple states were organized together and it was the first time smaller Guard units were formed into a division.[16][17][18]
Mann was within a year of mandatory retirement in November 1917, by which time he and his division had arrived inSt. Nazaire,France, where it became part of theAmerican Expeditionary Forces (AEF).[19] He began to suffer from poor health after the organization moved to its new location atVaucouleurs inLorraine, making chief of staffColonelDouglas MacArthur thede facto commander.[20] After Mann's superior, GeneralJohn J. Pershing,Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the AEF, made an on-site visit and observed Mann's infirmities, he cabled theWar Department requesting that Mann be relieved.[21][22] Mann was relieved in command of the 42nd by Major GeneralCharles T. Menoher, a West Point classmate of Pershing's, and soon returned to the United States and commanded theDepartment of the East until he retired from the army in July 1918.[23][24]
After leaving the military Mann became an executive at theEquitable Trust Company of New York.[25]
In retirement Mann resided inWashington, D.C., and he died there on October 8, 1934.[26] He was buried atArlington National Cemetery, Section 3, Site 1996.[27]
On September 10, 1884, Mann married Elsie Moir (1862–1936) ofElora, Ontario.[28] They remained married until his death and had no children.[1]
TheUSS General W. A. Mann (AP-112), aWorld War II troop carrier, was named for him. TheGeneral Mann was commissioned in 1943, used in World War II, theKorean War and theVietnam War, and remained in service until 1965.[29]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George W. McIver (Acting) | Chief of the National Guard Bureau 1916–1917 | Succeeded by |