Samuel V. Wilson

You must be able to describe, to put in simple, effective words, who you are, what you stand for, why you are doing what you are doing. That means you must first be able to answer these questions for yourself, in your own mind, in your own heart.

Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughan Wilson (September 23, 1923 – June 10, 2017), also known as General Sam, was a United States Army lieutenant general who completed his active military career in the fall of 1977, having divided his service almost equally between special operations and intelligence assignments.

In his post-military career, he began working at Hampden-Sydney College in 1977, first as a Professor of Political Science, then as its 22nd President, and subsequently as Wheat Professor of Leadership at the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest. Wilson altogether was part of Hampden-Sydney for forty years.

Quotes

The most important person walking the grassy knolls of this campus is the student. He is followed closely, almost lockstep, by the second most important person, the teacher. And the most important event transpiring on this campus is the colloquy between that student and teacher. All else is secondary and supporting.

• Well, as some of you already know, this is home for me. Hampden-Sydney College has been in my blood since I was a small boy. I am overwhelmed with delight to be here. And I have no particular message other than to note my primary conviction as far as the mission of this College is concerned. It is that the most important person walking the grassy knolls of this campus is the student. He is followed closely, almost lockstep, by the second most important person, the teacher. And the most important event transpiring on this campus is the colloquy between that student and teacher. All else is secondary and supporting. That's the direction in which I'm headed, folks, and I hope you'll be with me.
  • First address as the 22nd President of Hampden-Sydney College on 29 July 1992. As quoted by Drew Prehmus, H-SC Class of 2008, in General Sam: A Biography of Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughan Wilson (2011), p. 234

• You, my fellow warriors, must be able to describe, to put in simple, effective words, who you are, what you stand for, why you are doing what you are doing. That means you must first be able to answer these questions for yourself, in your own mind, in your own heart.
  • From a 2002 address to a class of new members of the United States Army Special Forces, as quoted by Drew Brooks in "Warrior, diplomat and academic: Lt. Gen. Samuel V. Wilson dies at age 93", Fayetteville Observer, 12 June 2017[1]

• Ninety percent of intelligence comes from open sources. The other ten percent, the clandestine work, is just the more dramatic. The real intelligence hero is Sherlock Holmes, not James Bond.
  • As quoted by Paulson, Terrance M., Intelligence Issues & Development (1 May 2008), Nova Publishers, p. 78

Quotes about Wilson

Be good, do good, and you might just get to Hampden-Sydney someday.

General Sam's leadership style is not something that can be reproduced and mass-distributed. Leadership does not function in that manner. Each individual must work to find his or own strengths and weaknesses and learn from them to fashion a leadership style. General Sam successfully did exactly that. ~ Drew Prehmus

General Samuel Vaughan Wilson offers each of us a glimpse into our own potential- if we have the will to reach for it. ~ Drew Prehmus

• Be good, do good, and you might just get to Hampden-Sydney someday.
  • Advice given by various individuals to Samuel Vaughan Wilson while he was growing up in Rice, Virginia, on a farm twelve miles from Hampden-Sydney College. Known for his lengthy U.S. Army career as "General Sam," Wilson served as the 22nd President of Hampden-Sydney College from 1992 to 2000. As quoted by Drew Prehmus, H-SC Class of 2008, in General Sam: A Biography of Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughan Wilson (2011), p. 235

• General Samuel Vaughan Wilson was a highly decorated veteran of World War II, Cold War intelligence officer, commander in Vietnam, and president of Hampden-Sydney College for eight years. Wilson spent more than 35 years working for the United States military, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant general. Over the course of his career, General Wilson worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency and played a prominent role in formulating the army's counter-insurgency (COIN) doctrine.
  Wilson was born September 23, 1923 in Rice, Virginia. He was the son of Jasper Dennis "Cap'n Jack" Wilson (1879-1959) and Helen Wilson (1893-1955). Sam's family had deep roots in rural Virginia and the Prince Edward County area. After graduating from high school in 1940, and inspired by a speech by Winston Churchill, Sam enlisted in the Virginia National Guard, though he lied about his age in order to enter the service (originally as a bugler). He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a second lieutenant by the age of 18.
  During World War II, Sam volunteered for the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), better known as “Merrill's Marauders.” The Marauders gained fame in what was then Burma. The 3,000 man force fought Japanese troops behind the lines with the help of English, Indian, and Burmese forces. The Marauders suffered more than 95% casualties. Sam was among those who were wounded, killed, or who fell ill in the tropical and mountainous conditions. He served only a few months in the Marauders, but his experiences were formative. He won the respect of his men for his scouting missions, which often found him miles ahead of Japanese forces. For his conduct, Sam was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, but he had to wait years to get it. Later, Sam served as a historical advisor to the 1962 Sam Fuller film Merrill's Marauders and had a speaking role in the movie.
  • Hampden-Sydney College Archives & Special Collections online biography of Wilson[2]

• After the war, Sam joined the ranks of U.S. intelligence, tasked with containing communism and maintaining the balance of power in Europe. Sam was a student at Columbia University, where, as an officer in OSS (Office of Strategic Services), he studied Russia and Russian history. He became fluent in Russian and German and later spoke other languages as well. Despite his intelligence and accomplishments, Sam never obtained a college degree, though later in life he received various honorary degrees.
  In the 1950s, now a major, Wilson worked in Germany as a spy, a job that not only put his life in danger, but placed extraordinary pressure on his family, who traveled with him. Nevertheless, by the 1950s, Sam's career had established a pattern: he would travel across the globe, while also working for long stretches in the United States. Over the course of his career, he served at various military posts, including Fort Bragg, Fort Leavenworth, and Fort Benning.
  In the early 1960s, Colonel Wilson worked with Ed Lansdale in Washington, D.C., to formulate the United States' counterinsurgeny doctrine. In Vietnam, Sam would help implement this doctrine. Sam believed the war against communism could not be won in Vietnam without the support of the local population. Winning the "hearts and minds" of civilians, therefore, was essential to victory. Eventually, Sam was put in charge of pacification efforts in Long An province in 1967. He served in that capacity for several months before returning to the States in late 1967 to teach Special Forces at Fort Bragg. Decades later, Sam served as a commentator for Ken Burns’s critically acclaimed documentary on the Vietnam War.
  • Hampden-Sydney College Archives & Special Collections online biography of Wilson[3]

• Sam continued to rise in the ranks, earning promotion to major general and then lieutenant general before retiring in 1977. He spent extended periods of time in the 1970s in the Soviet Union as an intelligence officer. He also developed close relationships with men in government such as George H. W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld. Sam's last post was as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. His decision to retire was not just for his benefit, but done out of concern for the health of his wife, Brenda.
  After retiring from the military, at the behest of his friend Earl “Frosty” Lockwood, Sam worked as a consultant for the small, D.C. area intelligence firm Betac. Despite pressure from some admirers, Sam mostly kept out of politics and avoided calls for running for office. He spent most of his time on his farm and taught college courses on politics and government at Longwood University and HSC. A man of faith, he also taught Sunday School in the Farmville area. A warm and outgoing man who liked to tell stories, Sam was an accomplished musician, who liked to play piano and guitar for the many visitors to the farm.
  • Hampden-Sydney College Archives & Special Collections online biography of Wilson[4]

• In 1992, Sam was chosen to be president of Hampden-Sydney College and served in the position until 2000. As president, one of Sam's first accomplishments was refurbishing campus buildings that had fallen into disrepair. He also was responsible for significantly growing the HSC endowment. In 1996, HSC gained national attention for its decision, after a long and highly publicized debate, the college chose to remain an all-male college. Sam was also responsible for bringing many celebrities to campus for major events. In 1993, HSC held a symposium on the Vietnam War attended by General William Westmoreland, film director Oliver Stone, and journalist Morley Safer, among others. Other celebrities that visited during Sam's tenure included actor James Earl Jones, authors Doris Goodwin and Tom Clancy, and controversial former military officer and aspiring politician Oliver North.
  After retiring from the presidency, Sam continued to teach and remain active in the Farmville area. He worked with HSC undergraduate Drew Prehmus to complete the biography "General Sam." Sam died on June 10, 2017 of lung cancer at the age of 93.
  Sam was married twice, the first time to Frances Brenda Downing (1926-1987), whom Sam met while stationed at Fort Benning shortly after the war. They had four children: Sam Jr. (1946-), Susi (1949- ), Jackson (1952-), and David (1957-). After the death of Brenda in 1987, Sam remarried to Susi Wilson (born Virginia Howton), who was herself a native of the South and an officer in the U.S. military.
  • Hampden-Sydney College Archives & Special Collections online biography of Wilson[5]

• General Sam's leadership style is not something that can be reproduced and mass-distributed. Leadership does not function in that manner. Each individual must work to find his or own strengths and weaknesses and learn from them to fashion a leadership style. General Sam successfully did exactly that. Perhaps an undergraduate's attempt to capture the personality of a man who used his innate physical and intellectual resources to react effectively to the stressful problems that life threw at him offers a more complete picture of leadership in action than a series of PowerPoint slides. I am wagering that a complex narrative portrait of this man will teach us more and will affect us more deeply than a sequence of culled principles or reductive rules.
  • Drew Prehmus, General Sam: A Biography of Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughan Wilson (2011), p. 276

• Having the opportunity to know and to help others know a man who was able to act effectively in morally complex circumstances has been a privilege for which I am grateful. The greatest value of my project has been the opportunity to come to know, appreciate, and perhaps, in some measure, dramatize for others the life and achievements of an honest and passionate man, a patriotic American, General Samuel Vaughan Wilson. For that I will be forever grateful to him.
  From the forests and fields of Depression-era Southside Virginia to the swampy jungles of World War II Burma, from the pinstripe suits of the White House to the shadows and mirrors surrounding the Kremlin during the Cold War, this narrative describes the journey of a man who spent his whole life in service. He learned early that by putting one foot in front of another, much can be achieved, and in the face of daunting challenges, he accomplished with unwavering determination what lesser men would call impossible. His innate abilities as a leader shone equally in his varied military career, his role as an educator and college President, his contributions to his community, and his devotion to family and to God. General Samuel Vaughan Wilson offers each of us a glimpse into our own potential- if we have the will to reach for it.
  • Drew Prehmus, General Sam: A Biography of Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughan Wilson (2011), p. 276

Award Citations

• The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Samuel Vaughn Wilson (ASN: 0-36566/0-1290347), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 5307th Composite Unit in action in North Burma on 15 March 1944. Because of command inefficiency, two platoons of a combat team were pinned down, unable to return fire, retreat, or evacuate their wounded. Lieutenant Wilson, although not a member of this team, acting on his own initiative and with utter disregard for his own life, took over command. Setting up mortars, Lieutenant Wilson personally crawled to the Japanese lines and using radio, directed mortar fire on the enemy. As a result the platoons were able to withdraw, though still under heavy fire. Lieutenant Wilson, under this fire, carried back two wounded men of one of the platoons that had withdrawn to a safe position. He immediately reorganized the team, saving the entire unit from being routed and badly shot up. Lieutenant Wilson’s actions are representative of the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
  • Citation for the first Silver Star medal awarded to Wilson, for actions on 15 March 1944, issued by Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces, China-Burma-India, General Orders No. 131 (12 October 1944)[6]

• The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Samuel Vaughn Wilson (ASN: 0-36566/0-1290347), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 5307th Composite Unit on the night of 28 March 1944, at ****, Burma. Lieutenant Wilson with utter disregard for his own life, returned to a previously evacuated area under a terrific Artillery barrage to aid some of his wounded men who could not be evacuated that night.
  • Citation for the second Silver Star medal awarded to Wilson, for actions on 28 March 1944, issued by Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces, China-Burma-India, General Orders No. 63 (19 June 1944)[7]

• SUBJECT: Recommendation for Citation
  TO:Commanding Officer, 5307th Composite Unit Provisional
  For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy, 1st Lt. SAMUEE [sic] V. WILSON, 01290347, Infantry, during the period 23 February – 6 March 1944, in the Hukawng Valley, North Burma:
  From 23 to 28 February, Lt. Wilson was operating with his I & R platoon under direct control of the Commanding Officer, 5307th, with the mission of reconnoitering possible routes leading to the rear of the enemy’s front lines in the general vicinity of Tanja, Ga and Pup, Ga. Lt. Wilson, on the night of 26 February, having successfully penetrated to the Tawang River without encountering the expected enemy opposition and having selected suitable river crossing sites Southeast of Tanja, Ga, found himself unable to establish radio contact with CO, 5307th. Although he had heard several firefights developing during the afternoon of 26 February from directions to his rear which indicated enemy patrol elements may now have moved between him and his parent unit, Lt. Wilson – aware of the importance of the information he had gained – resolved to report back on horseback to CO, 5307th, who was by now in the general vicinity of Warong, Ga. Accordingly, Lt. Wilson left his platoon disposed at the crossing sites along the Warong River and rode back alone at night some 22 miles through a hostile jungle area patrolled by the enemy to report his findings to CO, 5307th. The latter, acting on the basis of Lt. Wilson’s trail reconnaissance and the new information on enemy dispositions, proceeded quickly to move the entire 5307th to locations behind the enemy lines, from which locations the successful series of engagements against the enemy in the Hukawng Valley were launched.
  During the period 3 to 5 March, Lt. Wilson, again under the control of CO, 5307th, was engaged in combat patrolling in the area generally north of road blocks established by the 2d and 3d Bns. in the vicinity of Walawbum. At about 1000 [hours] on the morning of 4 March, Lt. Wilson was leading two of his I & R sections along the west bank of the Nambyu Hka River approximately two and one-half miles north of Shimak, Ga, when his patrol came under pointblank rifle and automatic weapons fire from an enemy ambush party hiding along the stream bank. Lt. Wilson, who was nearest the enemy positions, had his canteen shot away in the initial burst of enemy fire. As he was taking cover, he was badly stunned by an enemy grenade which exploded within five feet of him, blowing his helmet off. In the ensuing firefight, Lt. Wilson’s patrol found itself pinned down and temporarily unable to move because of the heavy enemy rifle and automatic fire from concealed positions along the stream bank. Lt. Wilson, recovering his senses, and noting the plight of his men, leaped to his feet and led his patrol in a charge against the enemy positions, killing an enemy major with his carbine as he ran forward. The enemy was completely routed and fled along the stream bank, leaving two dead. Blood on the bushes indicated that some of those who escaped were wounded. There were no casualties in Lt. Wilson’s patrol. Lt. Wilson posted security and held a critique on the spot. He showed his tommy gunners how they could have destroyed the escaping enemy had the patrol moved in faster.
  During the afternoon of 6 March, the 5307th Command Group and elements of the 1st Battalion at Lagang, Ga began to come under severe enemy artillery fire from the direction of Walabum. Although the 5307th was lacking in artillery to retaliate, U.S. fighter [planes] were in the area and available for air strikes on call. About mid-afternoon, Lt. Wilson requested and received permission from CO, 1st Battalion to take a small patrol across the Numpyek Hka River to fix the location of the enemy artillery positions for the fighter planes.
  Lt. Wilson moved southwest from Lagang, Ga along the east bank of the Numpyek Hka River with his patrol. Upon reaching a suitable crossing point, he decided his chances for avoiding detection and [sentries] in an area controlled by the enemy would be better if he continued the reconnaissance alone. Leaving his patrol on the near bank of the river to cover his crossing, Lt. Wilson crossed to the west bank and wormed his way for approximately one mile through a thickly jungled area infested with enemy troops and reached a point sufficiently close to the enemy artillery position that he could hear the fire commands and the breech blocks of the pieces being opened and closed. He plotted the enemy artillery position on an aerial photo, returned a different route to his waiting patrol on the east bank of the Numpyek Hka, and carried his information to CO, 1st Battalion to be relayed to the fighter planes for an air strike.
  The intrepid courage, boldness and daring of this young officer, along with his amazing proficiency at scouting and patrolling, resulted in marked contributions to the success of the 5307th in the first phase of the North Burma Campaign. It is felt that the instances cited above meet in every respect the “extraordinary criterion” for the award of the Distinguished Service Cross.
  CAIFSON JOHNSON
  Major, Infantry
  CO., White Combat team
  • Citation for the Distinguished Service Cross awarded to Wilson, originally written on 10 March 1944 and subsequently revised on 28 March 1944[8]

• The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughn Wilson (ASN: 0-36566), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States in positions of great responsibility and trust from April 1973 to August 1977, serving successively as Deputy Director for Estimates, Deputy Director for Attache Affairs, Deputy to the Director; and Director, Defense Intelligence Agency. During this period, which represents the capstone of an illustrious and distinguished military career, spanning more than 36 years of active service, Lieutenant General Wilson exemplified professional capabilities and personal traits of leadership, initiative, and integrity essential for maximum contribution to the security of the United States. By his superb leadership of this large and complex joint organization of 4,400 military and civilian persons, worldwide, he steered the Agency through some of its most difficult times since its establishment in 1961. His assessments and evaluations in Strategic Arms Limitation, Mutual Balanced Force Reductions in Europe, Panama Canal Treaty negotiations, Soviet threat in the third world, impact of the US force reductions in South Korea, and the prospects for peace in the Middle East assisted the President and Secretary of Defense in making critical decisions. His initiative led to greatly improved intelligence support of contingency planning by the unified and specified commands and their service components. His professionalism, resourcefulness, and leadership in international events and crises contributed significantly to the preservation of national security. His superior performance of duty as Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, culminates a distinguished and heroic service as soldier, leader, and statesman and reflects the highest credit upon him, the Department of Defense, and the United States Army.
  • Citation for the third Army Distinguished Service Medal awarded to Wilson, for service over the span of April 1973-August 1977[9]

• Under the provisions of Executive Order 11545, July 9, 1970, the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America take pleasure in awarding the Defense Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General Samuel Vaughn Wilson (ASN: 0-36566), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious achievement while serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Intelligence) (Resources and Management) and then concurrently as Director, Defense Intelligence Agency, and Deputy Director of Defense Intelligence (Production, Plans and Operations) during the period March 1976 to January 1977. During this period he displayed superlative leadership qualities and professional competence of the highest order in the realignment of Department of Defense intelligence activities and planning, direction, and management of the Defense Intelligence Agency. As a member of the Defense Intelligence Board, he was instrumental in an active dialogue between Defense intelligence users and producers, insuring production of quality products responsive to user needs. To provide better focus on production and management activities, General Wilson carried out he most extensive reorganization of the Defense Intelligence Agency since its founding, initiating a complete manpower survey and a number of in-depth management improvement studies to achieve optimum use of diminishing resources. The singular distinctive achievements of General Wilson reflect the highest credit upon himself, the Department of Defense, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the United States Army.
  • Citation for the Defense Distinguished Service Medal awarded to Wilson, issued under Military Personnel Awards Memorandum 77-1 (14 January 1977)[10]