Wwii Brigadier General West Point Uniform Group

West Point Uniform Grouping of Brigadier General John Herbert Holdridge. The uniforms are complete with Overcoat and Helmet and in excellent condition. Named to the interior. Excellent. Herbert Charles Holdridge (March 6, 1892 – September 29, 1974) was an American military officer, who was best known for being the only United States Army General to retire during World War II, and for having several times sought presidential nominations on fringe party tickets after retirement. He was the father of diplomat John H. Holdridge and the adoptive father of actress Cheryl Holdridge. Early life: Holdridge was born Herbert Charles Heitke on March 6, 1892, in Wyandotte, Michigan. His parents were German immigrants Emil Heitke and Ida Petzke, who came to the United States in 1881. Herbert Heitke grew up on the family farm, along with his four brothers and three sisters. He was able to secure an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated with the class of April 1917, after the American entry into World War I, 55th in a class of 139. While at West Point, he legally changed his surname to "Holdridge", a move precipitated by the rising anti-German sentiment in America during its entry into World War I. Upon graduation, he married Marie Gunther (1896–1981), a New York factory worker's daughter. Military career: Holdridge was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1917, and assigned to the Quartermaster Corps of the Army's Reserve (II Corps) at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He was promoted to first lieutenant by 1920, and made captain two years later, at which time he was assigned to duty with Headquarters Army Trains, with the First United States Army in New York City. This move reunited him with his wife, who had remained behind in New York after his posting to Georgia, and led to the birth in 1924 of their only child, John H. Holdridge. By 1925, Holdridge had transferred to the Cavalry, while still assigned to the Reserve Corps in New York. He was later appointed as assistant professor of History and Social Sciences at West Point, and also taught summer sessions at Columbia University during 1928. Before 1930, Holdridge had been transferred to the Army's Cavalry School at Fort Riley, Kansas, his wife and son this time accompanying him. Holdridge remained with Training Commands for the rest of his Army career. He was promoted to colonel and headed the Plans Training Division of the Adjutant General's Department at the onset of World War II, and was assigned as commandant of the Adjutant General School at Fort Washington, Maryland, on January 19, 1942. He also became director, schools training, Army Administration Schools, and was promoted to brigadier general in early 1942. In this position, Holdridge was responsible for implementing the opening of Officer Candidate Schools at colleges around the country, to provide twelve-week courses of instruction for the massive increase in the US Army's officer corps during 1942–1944. Holdridge saw that many of these schools were opened at smaller public and private colleges and universities that had been hard hit by loss of students to military service, helping to ensure their financial viability during the war years. For his efforts, he was awarded a Doctor of Laws degree by Grinnell College on January 24, 1943. Controversy: In May 1944, Holdridge became the only U.S. general officer to retire during World War II. The reasons for this early retirement are not known. Speculation has centered on his later political actions; among his relatives it was rumored that he was denied permission to publish a book of economic theories and chose to retire. Political career: Within six months of having retired, Holdridge gave a speech at a Socialist Party meeting in New York City, decrying the ideas of the two presidential contenders, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Thomas E. Dewey. Holdridge was quoted as saying: In electing Dewey, instead of Roosevelt, you don't change horses in the middle of the stream, you merely change jockeys of the same old capitalistic horse, both competing for the privilege of leading the country into Fascism. Unexpected as this opinion might be coming from a recently retired general, it at least expressed a fairly orthodox Socialist position. From this point on, however, Holdridge's public statements would become increasingly unorthodox and inconsistent, reflecting no coherent ideological basis. Opposition to mental health reform and the Roman Catholic Church, commitment to pacifism, and championship of returning Native American tribes to government by traditional chieftains, were among the few positions that he did hold consistently over the years. 1948 presidential election: Notwithstanding his support for the Socialist ticket in 1944, Holdridge put himself forth as a candidate for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1948. His candidacy was brought to an abrupt halt over a lawsuit Holdridge filed against then Represen