1. MG David G. Barr
The Career of the
Library’s
Namesake
2. • Born in Nanafalia, Alabama on 16 June 1895.
• Attended Alabama Presbyterian College
• Graduated from Officer Candidate School 27 November 1917, and
was called to Active Duty on that same date.
• Served with the 18th Infantry, 1st Division, in France beginning
September 1918, and served with them for several years.
• Commissioned as a First Lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army
on 01 July 1920.
• Graduated from the Tank School at Camp Meade, Maryland in
1924 and the French Tank School in Versailles in 1926.
• Promoted to Captain, 1 March 1930.
• Became Adjutant of the Mechanized Force in October 1930 and
participated in its move from Fort Eustis, Virginia to Camp Knox,
Kentucky.
3. • Assigned to the Command and
General Staff School, Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas, August 1933,
graduating after completing the
Advanced Course in June 1936.
• Graduated from the Command and
General Staff College in 1936.
• Promoted to Major, 20 December 1938.
• Graduated from the Army War College in 1939.
• Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, 19 April, 1941.
• Promoted to Colonel (temporary), 1 February, 1942.
4. • Named Chief of Staff of the Armored Forces with Headquarters at
Fort Knox, June 1942.
• Promoted to Brigadier General (temporary), 25 June 1942.
• Assigned to Headquarters European Theater of Operations, London
England, serving as Deputy Chief of Staff and later as Chief of Staff.
• Named Chief of Staff, Headquarters Mediterranean Theater of
Operations, January, 1944.
5. • Promoted to Major General
(temporary), 23 February 1944.
• Became Chief of Staff of the
Sixth Army Group, stationed in
France, September 1944.
• Promoted to Major General
LTG Jacob Devers, left, promotes
(permanent), BG Barr to Major General in
15 October 1944. January 1944.
• Assigned Chief, Army Advisory Group in China,
July 1945.
• On 8 May 1949, assigned to Eighth Army as Commanding General,
7th Infantry Division, garrisoned at Sapporo, Japan.
6. • Commanded the 7th Infantry Division
first in Japan and then in Korea during
the first 7 months of the Korean War,
to include participating in the
Inchon Landing and subsequent invasion of
North Korea culminating with the march
to the Yalu River in November 1950.
• Named Commanding General of the Stars & Stripes reporter, SGT
Armored Center at Fort Knox on Ted Jorgenson, interviews
MG Barr prior to his
22 February 1951. departure from Japan.
7. • On 5 April 1951, illness forced his replacement at Fort Knox
• Retired on 29 February 1952.
• Died on 26 September 1970 and was buried in Arlington
National Cemetery.
8. MG Barr’s Decorations
• During his career, MG Barr was awarded numerous
decorations, both by the United States Army and its Allies.
The following illustrate just a few of those honors.
20. MG Barr’s Decorations
Chinese Order of
the Precious Tripod
1st Class
Generalissimo Chiang
Kai-shek shakes hands with
MG Barr shortly after the
General’s January 1948 arrival
in China.
22. MG Barr’s general’s flag, indicating his 2
star rank
The 7th INF DIV reaches
the Yalu River border
between China & North
Korea in late November
1950.
23. Helmet worn by MG Barr during combat
operations in Korea
Conferring over a field map near
Seoul, South Korea.
