Samuel V. Wilson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Samuel V. Wilson
LTG Samuel V. Wilson
Birth name	Samuel Vaughan Wilson
Born	(1923-09-23)September 23, 1923 Rice, Virginia, U.S.
Died	June 10, 2017(2017-06-10) (aged 93) Rice, Virginia, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1940–1977
Rank	Lieutenant general
Unit	Office of Strategic Services 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) "Merrill's Maurauders"
Commands held	Director, Defense Intelligence Agency 6th Special Forces Group
Battles/wars	World War II Vietnam War Cold War
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Defense Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star (2) with Valor device
Other work	Technical Advisor, Merrill's Marauders Chairman, Special Operations Policy Group (SOPAG) Professor/Political Science & President, Hampden-Sydney College

Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughan Wilson (September 23, 1923 – June 10, 2017) was a highly respected American soldier. People often called him "General Sam." He spent nearly 40 years serving his country. His career was split between special operations and intelligence work.

General Wilson is famous for several important things. He helped create the term "counterinsurgency" (COIN), which means fighting against rebel groups. He also played a key role in setting up the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). This command oversees many special military units. He is also credited with helping to create Delta Force, a top U.S. Army counter-terrorism unit. After his military career, he became the president of Hampden-Sydney College.

Early Life and Joining the Army

Samuel Vaughan Wilson grew up on a farm in Rice, Virginia. He helped with farm chores like growing tobacco and corn. In his free time, he loved hunting, fishing, and reading. His parents were teachers and encouraged him to read, especially history books.

He finished high school in 1940. Just two weeks later, at only 16 years old, he joined the Virginia Army National Guard. He added two years to his real age to be old enough to join.

Education and Language Skills

General Wilson attended several important military schools. These included the Infantry Officer Advanced Course and the Air War College. He was the top student in his class at the Air War College in 1964.

After World War II, he studied at Columbia University. He also went to Europe as part of a special Army program. This program helped him learn several languages, especially Russian. He became an expert on the former Soviet Union.

Military Career Highlights

Sam Wilson started as a private in the 116th Infantry Regiment in 1940. By 1942, he was a squad leader and then a sergeant. He then went to Officer Candidate School (OCS). At just 18, he became a second lieutenant. He was so good that he stayed at Fort Benning, Georgia, as an instructor.

World War II Heroics

In 1943, at age 19, he joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). This was America's spy agency during the war. He volunteered for a "dangerous and hazardous mission." This led him to join Merrill's Marauders. This elite unit operated behind enemy lines in Burma during World War II. He was their chief reconnaissance officer, meaning he scouted out enemy positions.

His experiences in Burma were so important that they were written about in a book called The Marauders. This book was later made into a movie in 1962, also called Merrill's Marauders (film). Wilson even worked as a technical advisor for the film. He also appeared in the film's trailer.

After returning from Burma, Wilson had several health problems. He suffered from malaria and severe malnutrition. Even so, he continued to teach military leadership at the Infantry School. He later became a captain in the Regular Army.

Cold War Intelligence Work

In 1947, Wilson began a program to become a foreign area specialist. He studied Russian language and history at Columbia University. He then spent three and a half years in Europe. He became almost fluent in Russian and learned other languages. During this time, he traveled extensively behind the Iron Curtain. He also worked as an interpreter in cities like Berlin and Vienna.

In 1955, Wilson worked for the CIA. He ran secret operations against the Soviet Union from West Berlin.

Shaping Special Operations

In 1959, Wilson became the Director of Instruction at the US Army Special Warfare School. He did important work on how to fight "small wars" and insurgencies. He even helped during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

Later, he worked with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam. He helped with efforts to bring peace and build up the country. He was even appointed as a special Minister to the US Embassy in Saigon.

In 1967, he returned to military duty as an Army colonel. He commanded the 6th Special Forces Group. He also helped develop training for military advisors.

Defense Attaché in Moscow

From 1971 to 1973, Brigadier General Wilson was the US Defense Attaché in Moscow, USSR. This was during the height of the Cold War. He was the first general to hold this important position. He was known for knowing every Marine at the embassy by name.

His fluency in Russian helped him build strong relationships with Soviet military leaders. His understanding of Soviet strategy was very valuable to US leaders.

Leading the Defense Intelligence Agency

Between 1973 and 1976, Wilson held several high-ranking intelligence positions. In May 1976, he became the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. He led the agency through major world events. These included the death of Mao Zedong and unrest in South Africa.

General Wilson famously said, "Ninety percent of intelligence comes from open sources. The other ten percent, the clandestine work, is just the more dramatic. The real intelligence hero is Sherlock Holmes, not James Bond." This means that most information comes from public sources, not just secret spy work.

He retired from the Army in August 1977 due to his wife's health.

Civilian Career and Later Life

After leaving the Army, Wilson began teaching at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. He also continued to advise intelligence leaders and US presidents.

In 1992, he became the President of Hampden-Sydney College. He served for eight years. During his time, he helped the college through big challenges. He also led a major fundraising effort. He remained involved with the college as a fellow at the Wilson Center for Leadership.

In 1993, Wilson was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. This honor recognized his bravery and service. He is also a member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame. He was featured in Ken Burns' documentary series The Vietnam War in 2017.

General Wilson passed away from lung cancer on June 10, 2017.

Military Awards and Honors

Lieutenant General Wilson received many awards for his bravery and service. These include:

• Distinguished Service Cross
• Defense Distinguished Service Medal
• Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army) (three times)
• Silver Star (twice)
• Legion of Merit (twice)
• Bronze Star (twice)

He also earned many badges, such as the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Master Parachutist Badge.

U.S. military decorations
	Distinguished Service Cross
	Defense Distinguished Service Medal
	Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army) with two Oak Leaf Clusters
	Silver Star awarded for "Gallantry in action" with Oak Leaf Cluster
	Legion of Merit with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
	Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device with Oak Leaf Cluster
	Purple Heart
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
	USSOCOM Medal
	Army Good Conduct Medal
	American Defense Service Medal
	American Campaign Medal
	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 Stars
	World War II Victory Medal
	Army of Occupation Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with 1 Star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Vietnam Service Medal with 4 stars
	Army Service Ribbon
	Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 2
	Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm
	Vietnam Chuong My Medal, 1st class
	Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards
	Army Presidential Unit Citation
	Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Qualification badges
	Combat Infantryman Badge
	Ranger Tab
	Master Parachutist Badge
	Army Staff Identification Badge
	Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
	Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
	Defense Intelligence Agency Badge
	Expert Marksmanship Badge
	Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) Combat Service Identification Badge
National non-military awards
	National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal (2 awards)
	CIA Distinguished Intelligence Medal

Images for kids

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  Lieutenant General Samuel V. Wilson