Harold R. Bull

{{short description|United States Army general}} {{one source|date=February 2016}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox military person |name = Harold Bull |image = Lt. Gen. Harold R. Bull.jpg |birth_name = Harold Roe Bull |birth_date = {{birth date|1893|1|6}} |birth_place = Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age|1976|11|1|1893|1|6}} |death_place = Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. |allegiance = {{flag|United States}} |branch = {{army|United States}} |service_years = 1914–1952 |service_number = 0-3707 |rank = 25px Lieutenant General |unit = 25px Infantry Branch |commands = National War College 4th Infantry Division III Corps 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry |battles = World War I World War II Cold War |awards = {{nowrap|Army Distinguished Service Medal (3)}} Silver Star Legion of Merit Bronze Star |signature = Signature of Harold Roe Bull (1893–1976).png }} Lieutenant General '''Harold Roe''' "'''Pink'''" '''Bull''' (January 6, 1893 – November 1, 1976) was a general in the United States Army and served as Assistant Chief of Staff (G-3) at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) from 1943 to 1945.

==Biography== thumb|left|125px|At West Point in 1914

Bull was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and graduated, 58th in a class of 107 cadets, from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in June 1914.<ref name=tribute>{{cite news |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/assembly/id/19498/rec/3 |title=Harold Roe Bull |date=December 1980 |volume=XXXIX |issue=3 |page=126 |magazine=Assembly |access-date=December 31, 2022}}</ref> Among his fellow graduates included men such as William H. Holcombe, James B. Cress, Charles P. Gross, Brehon B. Somervell, Robert W. Crawford, Dabney O. Elliott, Arthur R. Harris, LaRhett L. Stuart, John B. Anderson, Harry C. Ingles, James L. Bradley, John H. Woodberry, Harold F. Loomis, Carl Spaatz, Charles M. Milliken, Joseph W. Byron, Paul C. Paschal, Francis R. Kerr, Vicente Lim, Sylvester D. Downs Jr., Orlando Ward, Benjamin G. Weir, Ralph Royce, William O. Ryan, Frank W. Milburn, John B. Thompson and Jens A. Doe. All of them would later rise to the rank of brigadier general or higher in their later military careers.

Commissioned as an infantry officer, Bull was initially assigned to the 30th Infantry. From September 1914 to March 1918, he served with the regiment in California, New York state, Texas and North Carolina. From April to October 1918, Bull served with the 3rd Division in France. Promoted to captain in May 1917, he served as a temporary major from June 1918 to March 1920. From October 1918 to August 1920, Bull was assigned to the Washington, D.C. area. He then served as an instructor in the Department of English and History at West Point from August 1920 to August 1923.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/p16919coll3/id/17418/rec/5 |title=Biographical register of the officers and graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York since its establishment in 1802: Supplement, 1910–1920 |date=September 1920 |volume=VI-B |page=1697 |publisher=Seemann & Peters, Printers |access-date=December 31, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Cullum 1930"/>

Promoted to major in February 1923, Bull commanded the 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii from October 1923 to January 1925. He graduated from the Infantry School Advanced Course in May 1927 and the Command and General Staff School in June 1928.<ref name="Cullum 1930">{{cite book |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/p16919coll3/id/23352/rec/6 |title=Biographical register of the officers and graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York since its establishment in 1802: Supplement, 1920–1930 |date=March 1931 |volume=VII |page=1027 |publisher=R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, The Lakeside Press |access-date=December 31, 2022}}</ref> Bull served as an instructor at the Infantry School from August 1928 to July 1932. He graduated from the Army War College in July 1933 and the Naval War College in June 1934.<ref name="Cullum 1940"/>

Bull served with the 26th Infantry at Plattsburg Barracks in New York state from July 1934 to July 1935 as executive officer and 3rd Battalion commander. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 1935, he then served at the War Department in Washington, D.C.<ref name="Cullum 1940">{{cite book |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/p16919coll3/id/18255/rec/2 |title=Biographical register of the officers and graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York since its establishment in 1802: Supplement, 1930–1940 |date=April 1941 |volume=VIII |page=280 |publisher=R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, The Lakeside Press |access-date=December 31, 2022}}</ref> From August 1939 to July 1941, he was professor of military science and tactics at the Culver Military Institute. Receiving temporary promotions to colonel and then brigadier general in July 1941, he served as assistant commander of the 4th Motorized Division at Fort Benning in Georgia from August to December 1941.<ref name="Cullum 1950">{{cite book |url=http://digital-library.usma.edu/digital/collection/p16919coll3/id/20777/rec/1 |title=Biographical register of the officers and graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York since its establishment in 1802: Supplement, 1940–1950 |date=December 1955 |volume=IX |pages=182–183 |publisher=The Association of Graduates, U.S. Military Academy |access-date=December 31, 2022}}</ref>

===World War II=== Temporarily promoted to major general in May 1942, Bull served as commanding general of III Corps in Georgia and Tennessee from June to October 1943.<ref name="Cullum 1950"/>

He served as Assistant Chief of Staff (G-3) at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) under Dwight D. Eisenhower from October 1943 until SHAEF was dissolved in July 1945. He later served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff of U.S. Forces in Europe (USFET) until returning to the United States Department of War in September 1946.

As head of the Operations (G-3) section of SHAEF, Bull had a major role in the planning of military operations in Europe. His office prepared most of the periodic situation reports to the Combined Chiefs of Staff and the SHAEF Operational Directives which were issued by Eisenhower's headquarters. Bull's office included the SHAEF meteorological staff which compiled weather reports for use in planning military operations. A favorable weather report by Bull's staff helped General Eisenhower decide to launch the invasion of Normandy on the morning of June 6, 1944. From September 20 to September 29, 1944, Bull was commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division.

His promotion to colonel was made permanent in October 1942, brigadier general in June 1946 and major general in January 1948.<ref name="Cullum 1950"/>

==Post-war== Bull was promoted to lieutenant general in July 1949 and served as Commandant of the National War College until his retirement from the Army in July 1952. He then spent five years at the Central Intelligence Agency.<ref name=tribute/><ref name=obit/>

Bull died at his home in the Westmoreland Hills neighborhood of Bethesda, Maryland on November 1, 1976, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.<ref name=obit>{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/146499299 |title=Retired Lt. Gen. Harold Bull dies at 83, Former National War College Chief |date=November 3, 1976 |page=B12 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 31, 2022|id={{ProQuest|146499299}} }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112284663/rites-for-gen-bull/ |title=Rites for Gen. Bull |newspaper=Rutland Herald |location=Fair Haven |page=4 |date=1976-11-06 |access-date=2022-10-30 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

==Decorations== {| |{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Army Distinguished Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Silver Star ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Silver Star |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Legion of Merit |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Bronze Star Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Mexican Border Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Mexican Border Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |World War I Victory Medal with 3 Battle Clasps |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |American Defense Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |American Campaign Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=7|type=service-star|ribbon=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|width=60}} |European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with seven service stars |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |World War II Victory Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Army of Occupation ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Army of Occupation Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}} |National Defense Service Medal |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Legion Honneur Officier ribbon.svg|width=60}} |Officer of the Legion of Honor |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with palm (France) - ribbon bar.png|width=60}} |French Croix de guerre 1939–1945 with Palm |}

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== *[https://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/B.html Papers of Harold R. Bull, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023224606/https://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/B.html |date=October 23, 2018 }} *[https://generals.dk/general/Bull/Harold_Roe/USA.html Generals of World War II] *[https://www.unithistories.com/officers/US_Army_officers_B01.html#Bull_HR United States Army Officers 1939–1945]

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=John P. Lucas}} {{s-ttl|title=Commanding General III Corps|years=June–October 1943}} {{s-aft|after=John Millikin}} |- {{s-bef|before=Raymond O. Barton}} {{s-ttl|title=Commanding General 4th Infantry Division|years=September 1944}} {{s-aft|after=Raymond O. Barton}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bull, Harold R}} Category:1893 births Category:1976 deaths Category:Military personnel from Springfield, Massachusetts Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:United States Army Infantry Branch personnel Category:United States Army personnel of World War I Category:United States Military Academy faculty Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Category:United States Army War College alumni Category:Naval War College alumni Category:United States Army generals of World War II Category:Recipients of the Silver Star Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Category:United States Army generals Category:People of the Central Intelligence Agency Category:Military personnel from Bethesda, Maryland Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery