Brigadier General
Willis R. Slaughter

Brigadier General Willis R. Slaughter was born in Lynchburg, Virginia on August 24, 1895 and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1917. He served the Ordnance Corps faithfully and with distinction on active duty and in retirement since 1922.

His valuable contributions to the Ordnance corps and the U.S. Army include a tour of duty as Commanding General of The Ordnance Training Command, with responsibility for and control of all matters pertaining to the training of military personnel and units under the jurisdiction of the Chief of Ordnance. While commander of the training center, he simultaneously served as Commandant of The Ordnance School, to include the Ordnance Guided Missile School and several units. Under his guidance and direction, various doctrinal publications, to include tables of organization and equipment, were developed for the employment of Ordnance troops.

He was the only officer to twice serve as the Ordnance School Commandant, first from 1943 to 1945, and again from 1952 to 1954. He was a pioneer in Ordnance, producing officers, enlisted personnel, and units prepared for outstanding service to the U.S. Army. After his retirement in 1954, he continued to work diligently and unrelentingly to maintain the status and reputation of the Ordnance Corps. General Slaughter died on January 2, 1981.