{{short description|United States Army general}} {{Use American English|date=April 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox military person |name=Emil Fred Reinhardt |birth_date= {{Birth date|1888|10|27}} |death_date= {{Death date and age|1969|07|24|1888|10|27}} |birth_place=West Bay City, Michigan, {{nowrap|United States}} |death_place=San Antonio, Texas, United States |burial_place=Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas, United States |burial_label= |image=Emil F. Reinhardt.jpg |image_size=200px |caption= |nickname="Ducky" |allegiance={{flag|United States|1912}} |branch={{army|United States}} |service_years=1910–1946 |rank=25px Major General |service_number=0-2887 |commands=41st Machine Gun Battalion<br>20th Infantry Regiment<br>76th Infantry Division<br>XIII Corps<br>VIII Corps<br>69th Infantry Division |unit=25px Infantry Branch |battles=World War I<br>World War II |awards=Army Distinguished Service Medal<br>Bronze Star (2) |other_work= |signature = Signature of Emil Fred Reinhardt (1888–1969).png }} '''Emil Fred Reinhardt''' (October 27, 1888 – July 24, 1969) was a United States Army officer who served from 1910 to 1946 and attained the rank of major general. He is most noted during World War II as commander of the 69th Infantry Division, which became the first American unit to come into contact with units of the Soviet Red Army.
==Early life and military career== thumb|left|125px|At West Point in 1910
Emil Fredrich Reinhardt was born in West Bay City (now Bay City, Michigan) on October 27, 1888, the son of Christoph L. Reinhardt and Seyville L. (Tomhafe) Reinhardt. He graduated from Bay City Western High School in 1906 and subsequently he attended the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York. He graduated four years later in June 1910, at the age of 21, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Infantry Branch of the United States Army.<ref name=unithistories.com>{{cite web|url=https://www.unithistories.com/officers/US_Army_officers_R01.html |title=Officers of the U.S. Army 1939-1945 |publisher=unithistories.com|date=2010-07-04 |accessdate=2022-08-13}}</ref> Among his fellow graduates were Ernest J. Dawley, David McCoach Jr., Burton O. Lewis, John Millikin, Jack W. Heard, Oscar Griswold, Durward Saunders Wilson, James Muir, Oscar Solbert, Harry Chamberlin, all of whom would, like Reinhardt, become general officers in the future.
After his graduation, Reinhardt served initially with the 26th Infantry Regiment at Fort Wayne, Michigan. Subsequent assignments included Texas City, Texas and the Philippines as a member of the 8th Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1916 and captain in 1917.
During World War I, which the United States entered in April 1917, Reinhardt was promoted to temporary major. Recognized as an effective trainer and instructor, he did not see service overseas during the war and instead remained in the United States, where he served at Camp Fremont in California, Camp Pike in Arkansas, and Camp Hancock in Georgia, primarily as an instructor of infantry tactics and in the use of machine guns. In January 1919, just two months after the war came to an end with the signing of the Armistice with Germany, he was assigned as commander of the 41st Machine Gun Battalion at Camp Custer, Michigan. In 1919 and 1920 he also commanded the Camp Custer Convalescent Center.
==Between the wars== After the war Reinhardt was assigned to the 50th Infantry Regiment. He graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School in 1923. He was assigned as Professor of Military Science and tactics at the University of Dayton and the Miami Military Institute in Ohio from 1923 to 1928.<ref>Miami Military Institute. ''The Bayonet, Issue No.2, 1928''. p.8. Retrieved 2023-01-21</ref> and the U.S. Army War College in 1931. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1935 and colonel in 1939.
From 1934 to 1938, Reinhardt served as an instructor with Pennsylvania National Guard, and in 1938 was transferred to Washington, D.C. as the executive officer (XO) of the Washington Provisional Brigade.<ref name=generals.dk>{{cite web|url=https://www.generals.dk/general/Reinhardt/Emil_Fred/USA.html |title=Biography of Major-General Emil Fred Reinhardt (1888 - 1969), USA |publisher=generals.dk|date=2010-07-04 |accessdate=2022-08-13}}</ref>
==World War II== Reinhardt then served as commander of 20th Infantry Regiment until April 1941, when he was promoted to the general officer one-star rank of brigadier general.<ref name=unithistories.com/>
After his promotion, Reinhardt was appointed the assistant division commander (ADC) of the 7th Infantry Division, then under the command of Major General Charles H. White. His next assignment was at Camp Wolters, Texas, where he was appointed commanding general (CG) of the Infantry Replacement Training Center.<ref name=generals.dk/>
In 1942, after the American entry into World War II, Reinhardt attended the Divisional Commanders Course at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and was then promoted to the two-star rank of major general on April 17, 1942, and also appointed the first CG of 76th Infantry Division.<ref>United States Military Academy. ''The Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point: 2004''. Connecticut. Elm Press. 2004. p. 2:110</ref>
From December 7, 1942, to December 1943, Reinhardt commanded XIII Corps.
In September 1944 he was appointed commander of the 69th Infantry Division (United States) at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The division was sent to the Western Front in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) in December 1944 and entered combat in January 1945 when it relieved the battered 99th Division in Belgium. The division then attacked rapidly eastward, crossed the Rhine on March 27, 1945, and captured Leipzig in mid-April.
On April 25, 1945, during the Allies' rapid advance into Germany and towards the end of World War II in Europe, elements of the 69th Division reached the Elbe and became the first American unit to come into contact with the Soviet Red Army. After the end of the war the division was placed on occupation duty in Germany.
Reinhardt returned to the United States in August 1945 and commanded the Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Robinson, Arkansas. He served in this capacity until September 30, 1946, when he retired from the military service.
==Postwar== For his service during World War II, Major General Emil Reinhardt was awarded with Army Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, French Legion of Honour, Grade Officer, French Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 with Palm and Soviet Order of Suvorov, 2nd Class.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/113216|title=Valor awards for Emil Fred Reinhardt|publisher=militarytimes.com|date=2010-07-04|access-date=2013-05-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104015059/http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=113216|archive-date=2014-11-04|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/4931/|title=West Point deceased search|publisher=apps.westpointaog.org|date=2010-07-04|accessdate=2013-05-29|archive-date=November 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104043018/http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/4931/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Reinhardt died in San Antonio, Texas on July 24, 1969, aged 80. He was buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery together with his wife Laura Bishop Reinhardt (1887–1965).<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107513989/reinhardt/ |title=Reinhardt |newspaper=San Antonio Express |page=20 |date=1969-07-28 |access-date=2022-08-13 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Awards and honors== Major General Emil Reinhardt's ribbon bar:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biographical register of the officers and graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., from its establishment, in 1802: Supplement, 1940-1950 |url=https://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/p16919coll3/id/20740/rec/1 |access-date=August 4, 2024 |publisher=The Association of Graduates, U.S. Military Academy |page=145 |language= |publication-date=November 1955}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Empric |first=Bruce E. |title=Uncommon Allies: U.S. Army Recipients of Soviet Military Decorations in World War II |page=59 |year=2024 |publisher=Teufelsberg Press |isbn=979-8-3444-6807-5}}</ref>
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star Medal ribbon1OLC.png|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army of Occupation of Germany ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army of Occupation ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Croix de guerre 1939–1945 stripe bronsepalme.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=SU Order of Suvorov 2nd class ribbon.svg|width=73|alt=}} |} {| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- !1st Row |colspan="4"|Army Distinguished Service Medal |colspan="4"|Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster |colspan="4"|World War I Victory Medal |colspan="4"|Army of Occupation of Germany Medal |- !2nd Row |colspan="4"|American Defense Service Medal |colspan="4"|American Campaign Medal |colspan="4"|European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three service stars |colspan="4"|World War II Victory Medal |- !3rd Row |colspan="4"|Army of Occupation Medal |colspan="4"|Officer of the Legion of Honour |colspan="4"|French Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 with Palm |colspan="4"|Order of Suvorov Second Class (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) |- |}
==In film== Emil F. Reinhardt was portrayed by Stephen Lang in the 2016 World War II film ''Beyond Valkyrie: Dawn of the 4th Reich''.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/finding-aids/pdf/reinhardt-emil-papers.pdf Papers of Emil F. Reinhardt], Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Newly activated post}} {{s-ttl|title=Commanding General 76th Infantry Division|years=June 1942 – December 1942}} {{s-aft|after=William R. Schmidt}} |- {{s-bef|before=Newly activated post}} {{s-ttl|title=Commanding General XIII Corps|years=1942–1943}} {{s-aft|after=Alvan C. Gillem}} |- {{s-bef|before=Daniel I. Sultan}} {{s-ttl|title=Commanding General VIII Corps|years=1943–1944}} {{s-aft|after=Troy H. Middleton}} |- {{s-bef|before=Charles H. White}} {{s-ttl|title=Commanding General IX Corps|years=March–September 1944}} {{s-aft|after=Charles W. Ryder}} |- {{s-bef|before=Charles L. Bolte}} {{s-ttl|title=Commanding General 69th Infantry Division|years=1944–1945}} {{s-aft|after=Robert V. Maraist}} {{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reinhardt, Emil F.}} Category:1888 births Category:1969 deaths Category:United States Army generals Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:United States Army Infantry Branch personnel Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Category:United States Army War College alumni Category:United States Army personnel of World War I Category:Burials at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour Category:American recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Category:Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class Category:United States Army generals of World War II Category:Military personnel from Bay City, Michigan Category:American recipients of the Legion of Honour