William Carey Lee (1895-1948) - Find a Grave Memorial

United States Army General. He entered World War I as a Second Lieutenant and served for 18-months in Europe where he was promoted to the rank of Captain. During his service in World War I he developed an interest in the Glider and Parachute Troops he had seen in Germany. This interest leads to his developing the modern day airborne divisions. In August of 1942, he wrote the Airborne Doctrine and under his direction the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were formed and located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. By the time the United States entered World War II he had been promoted to Brigadier General and was placed in command of the 101st Airborne Division. He served as an advisor to General Dwight Eisenhower and wrote the tactical plan for the D-Day invasion of Europe. Prior to the invasion General Lee suffered a heart attack and returned to his home in Dunn, North Carolina where he watched the successful implementation of his plan. As a result of his illness, General Lee retired from military service and lived out his remaining days in his hometown of Dunn, North Carolina.

Bio by: S.G. Thompson