William Arthur Snow – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army

by

William Arthur Snow was born in 1894 and served as Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Engineers, United States Army.  He served in World War I and, for that service, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the French Legion D'Honneur (Chevalier).

Colonel Snow died in 1940 and was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.  His wife, Margaret Payne Snow (1896-1951) is buried with him.

Colonel Snow was a 1916 graduate of the United States Military Academy and his father Major General William Josiah Snow was an 1890 West Point graduate.

His father was the first Chief of Field Artillery during World War One and is buried not to far from his son.

This family is a four generation West Point graduates.

Colonel William A. Snow served with the 2nd Engineers during World War I and won all his decorations with that unit. He died at Walter Reed at the young age of 46.

I would hope you might also add his father to your wonderful site, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal as well as the Companion of the Bath from England and the Legion of Honor from France for service in the World War I.

COLONEL WILLIAM SNOW OF ARMY ENGINEERS
Veteran of the World War and Mexican Campaign Dies in Washington at 46
Decorated for Heroism
He Won D.S.C. for Action in Belleau Wood – Was With Army of Occupation

WASHINGTON, September 26, 1940 – Lieutenant Colonel William A. Snow, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, died in the Walter Reed Hospital last night.  A veteran of the World War, he was born at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, New York, forty-six years ago, and was graduated from West Point in 1916.

Colonel Snow served with the punitive expedition into Mexico from October 1916 to February 1917.  He went to France with the Second Engineers and was at the front in the Verdun Sector, Chateau Thierry, Belleau Wood and Soissons, being wounded in action twice.  He later was with the Army of Occupation in Germany.

After his return to the United States in 1919, he was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, commanding a battalion of the Second Engineers.  While there he erected a steel bridge across the Kansas River.  Later he served in the Officer of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, D.C.  From 1923 to 1924 he was assistant to the District Engineer, Washington.

After his graduation from the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in June 1936, he returned to Washington and was a resident member there on the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors until February 1937, when be became chief of the river and harbors section in the Officer of the Chief of Engineers.  On September 1, 1939, he was made Executive Assistant to the Chief of Engineers, holding that post until his assignment to the First Armored Corps at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in August 1940.

Colonel Snow was also a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which he received his degree of B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1921.

He received the Distinguished Service Cross for “extraordinary heroism in action in Belleau Wood, June 12-15, 1918” and the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster for wounds he received in that action.  There were also awarded to him the Silver Star and the following foreign decorations: the Legion of Honor, the Croix de Guerre with two Palms and the Mexican Campaign Badge.

He leaves a widow, Mrs. Margaret Payne Snow.

SNOW, WILLIAM A.
Major, U.S. Army
2d Engineers, 2d Division, A.E.F.
Date of Action: June 12-15, 1918
General Orders 87, W.D., 1919
Home Town: Washington, D.C.

Citation:

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to William A. Snow, Major, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the Belleau Wood, France, June 12-15, 1918.

In order to consolidate the position of his brigade, Major Snow personally led one company of his battalion through a heavy barrage. After passing through the barrage, he discovered that part of  his company had become separated because of the violent fire. He returned  through the barrage and, in so doing, was wounded in the neck. After having his wound dressed at the aid station, he refused to go to the rear, but went back and conducted the remainder of the  men  through the barrage. Despite his wound, he remained on duty for 16 hours until ordered to the rear.

SNOW, WILLIAM A
LT COL CIVIL ENGINEERS US ARMY

  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
  • DATE OF DEATH: 09/25/1940
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 09/27/1940
  • BURIED AT: SECTION SOU  SITE 4347-A
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

SNOW, MARGARET W/O WILLIAM A

  • DATE OF DEATH: 07/29/1951
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 08/02/1951
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 4347-A
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF WA SNOW, LT COL, USA

wasnow-042304

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment

error: