Russell Burton Reynolds – Major General, United States Army

Information Courtesy of His Great-Niece, Cynthia Ellis-Stoll: December 2005

Russell Burton Reynolds, Army Officer and Author.  Born in the city of Dundee, Michigan, December 24, 1894, the son of Sydney Howard and Nellie (Johnson) Reynolds.

He was a student at the University of Wisconsin, 1913-15; a graduate of the United States Army Infantry School, 1922; a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff School, 1938.

He was married Florine Janney, January 12, 1918, and they had one son, Russell Burton Reynolds, Jr.

He ws commissioned Second Lieutenant, United States Army, 1917 and advanced through the grades to Major General (temporary) in 1944.

During his career he served as Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics, University of Pennsylvania, 1925-29, Ripon College, 1936-37; instructor, United States Army Infantry Infantry School, 1929-33, the United States Army Medical Field Service School, 1938-41. He served in the Army General Staff Corps, 1942 to November 1944.  Director, Military Personnel Division, Army Service Forces, 1942 to November 1944; Commanding General, Sixth Service Command, Chicago, Illinois, November 1, 1944 to June 7, 1945. Served on the staff,, U. S. Army Forces, Western Pacific, June 7, 1945 to March 20, 1946 and as Chief, Special Services, Department of the Army, 1946-49.

Awarded Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.

He was a Republican, a Congregationalist, and a Mason.  His clubs were Columbia Country (Chevy Chase, Maryland); Army-Navy (Washington,D.C.).

He was the author of the of The Officer’s Guide, 3rd Edition, 1939, 28th Edition, 1962 and other publications about the Army.

Home: 6401 Kennedy Drive, Chevy Chase, Maryland.


He presided over the military commission which tried Japanese General Yamashita following World War II:

“October 8, 1945, the day of the arraignment. At the arraignment, the charges were formally read to Yamashita, who was present in the courtroom with his counsel. He stood before Major General Russell B. Reynolds, the President of the Commission, and announced loudly in Japanese “Not guilty,” when the charges had been translated to him in his own tongue. The arraignment was over in a few minutes and just 21 days later, on October 29, 1945, the trial opened . . . a trial which marked the first time in history that the United States as a sovereign power had tried a General of a defeated enemy nation for alleged war crimes.”

General Reynolds died on 8 December 1970 and was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.  His wife, Florine Janney Reynolds is buried with him.

rbreynolds-gravesite-photo-01
REYNOLDS, RUSSEL BURTON
MG, USA

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 12/24/1894
  • DATE OF DEATH: 12/08/1970
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 4  SITE 7
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

REYNOLDS, FLORINE JANNEY W/O RUSSEL B

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 07/27/1896
  • DATE OF DEATH: 04/03/1969
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 4  SITE 7
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

rbreynolds-gravesite-photo-april-2004-001

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