World War II Honoree

Paul Woolever Newgarden

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

As Major General, he commanded Combat Team A of the 2nd Armored Division. He was then assigned to organize and train the 10th Armored Division at Fort Benning. Received the Legion of Merit. On July 14, 1944, while traveling in a military aircraft from an Armored Force conference at Fort Knox, Kentucky, to his Division Headquarters at Fort Benning, Georgia, he learned that one of his junior officers could have a few hours with his family by rerouting the plane through Chattanooga, Tennessee. He approved the change. The new route was unexpectedly blanketed with a violent storm, resulting in a fatal crash. He and five other Army men, including two colonels perished.