William Roy Jr. Wolfe

Major General William R. Wolfe Jr. US Army Retired passed away June 27, 2002 in San Antonio, Texas. General Wolfe was born June 13, 1924 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The son of a career Army officer, he grew up on Army posts across the West and was appointed to the United States Military Academy in 1942. Following graduation from West Point in 1945, General Wolfe was assigned to post war Japan as a staff officer and battery commander in the I Corps Artillery where he met and married Sarah Frances Herbers. Returning stateside, he earned a Masters degree from Vanderbilt University and was subsequently assigned to Fort Riley, Kansas. In 1953, he assumed duty as Operations Officer in the 75th Field Artillery in Korea. Following assignment with the 612th Field Artillery in Okinawa, General Wolfe again returned stateside where he served on the faculty of the United States Military Academy until 1960. From 1961 to 1964, General Wolfe served as a NATO staff officer in Naples, Italy. He was reassigned to Fort Riley, Kansas where he commanded the 2nd Battalion, 33rd Field Artillery. Following assignment to the Army Staff at the Pentagon, he commanded the lst Cavalry Division Artillery in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. Upon selection for Brigadier General, he assumed duties as Deputy Commander, US Army Alaska and Chief of Staff, Alaskan Command from 1969 to 1972. He was promoted to Major General and served short tours in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and US Army Combined Arms Center. In 1974, General Wolfe assumed duties as Chief of the US Mission for Military Aid to Turkey. This was followed by assignment to Vicenza, Italy as Commander of the Southern European Task. He returned stateside in 1979 where he served his final assignment as Chief of Staff, 5th United States Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. General Wolfe retired on July 31, 1980 and took up permanent residence in San Antonio. General Wolfe is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sarah H. Wolfe of San Antonio, Texas; son, LTC Ret. William Roy Wolfe III and wife, Paige of Shreveport, Louisiana; daughters, Anita C. Knabb and husband, John of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Mary Lee Kornelis and husband, Keith of Kenai, Alaska, Barbara Emily Wolfe and husband Steve Silbas of San Antonio, Texas; grandchildren, Sarah Bartlett and husband Capt. Martin Bartlett, USMC of Camp Pendleton, California, Katherine Hay and husband, Thomas of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania., John A. Knabb Jr. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Katherine Kornelis of San Antonio, Texas, Kyle Kornelis of Kenai, Alaska and Hannah Wolfe, Ella Wolfe, William R. Wolfe IV all of Shreveport, Louisiana; three great grand children, Shaun and Abigail Hay and Rebecca Bartlett; sister, Frances Lillo and husband James of West Lafayette, Indiana; brother, Col. Robert A. Wolfe Retired and wife Judy of Kansas City, Missouri.