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Walter Bedell Smith

United States Army general and Director of Central Intelligence (1895-1961) · United States · On the map · Died at 65

General Walter Bedell "Beetle" Smith was a senior officer of the United States Army who served as General Dwight D. Eisenhower's chief of staff at Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) during the Tunisia Campaign and the Allied invasion of Italy in 1943 during World War II.

Walter Bedell Smith is read about 269 times a day, in 25 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026

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A life in dates

1961Died9 August 19611950Named Director of Central IntelligenceOffice7 October 1950 to 9 February 19531946Named United States Ambassador to the Soviet UnionOffice3 April 1946 to 25 December 19481943In historyItalian Surrender & Armistice: Walter Bedell Smith and Giuseppe Castellano meetWith Pietro Badoglio 1 moreSignatory1895Born5 October 1895

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Photos 9

Allied leaders in the Allied invasion of Sicily. General Dwight Eisenhower meets in North Africa with (foreground from left to right): Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, General Sir Harold R.L.G. Alexander, Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, and (top row): Mr. Harold Macmillan, Major General W. Bedell Smith, and several unidentified British officersAllied leaders in the Allied invasion of Sicily. General Dwight Eisenhower meets in North Africa with (foreground from left to right): Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, General Sir Harold R.L.G. Alexander, Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, and (top row): Mr. Harold Macmillan, Major General W. Bedell Smith, and several unidentified British officersSecret Emissaries to Lisbon (left to right) Brigadier Kenneth W. D. Strong, Generale di Brigata Giuseppe Castellano, Smith, and Consul Franco Montanari, an official from the Italian Foreign OfficeSecret Emissaries to Lisbon (left to right) Brigadier Kenneth W. D. Strong, Generale di Brigata Giuseppe Castellano, Smith, and Consul Franco Montanari, an official from the Italian Foreign OfficeSmith and his wartime secretary, Ruth Briggs, who was also Smith's executive assistant when he was a postwar ambassador to the Soviet UnionSmith and his wartime secretary, Ruth Briggs, who was also Smith's executive assistant when he was a postwar ambassador to the Soviet UnionMeeting of the Allied Supreme Command in February 1944. Left to right:Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, General Dwight Eisenhower, General Sir Bernard Montgomery, Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory and Lieutenant General Bedell SmithMeeting of the Allied Supreme Command in February 1944. Left to right:Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, General Dwight Eisenhower, General Sir Bernard Montgomery, Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory and Lieutenant General Bedell SmithSenior Allied commanders at Reims shortly after the German surrender. Present are (left to right): Major General Ivan Susloparov, Lieutenant General Frederick Morgan, Lieutenant General Bedell Smith, Captain Kay Summersby (obscured), Captain Harry C. Butcher, General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower, Air Chief Marshal Arthur TedderSenior Allied commanders at Reims shortly after the German surrender. Present are (left to right): Major General Ivan Susloparov, Lieutenant General Frederick Morgan, Lieutenant General Bedell Smith, Captain Kay Summersby (obscured), Captain Harry C. Butcher, General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower, Air Chief Marshal Arthur TedderSmith as the U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1946-48Smith as the U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1946-48Smith (center) with top CIA leaders, including outgoing Director of Central Intelligence Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter (to Smith's left, in the light suit), 7 October 1950Smith (center) with top CIA leaders, including outgoing Director of Central Intelligence Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter (to Smith's left, in the light suit), 7 October 1950

Awards

Bronze Star Medal
Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Grand Cross of the Order of Wissam Alaouite
Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
Legionnaire of Legion of Merit
Order of Kutuzov, 1st class
Commander with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta
Croix de guerre 1940-1945 (Belgium)
Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour
Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Netherlands Lion
Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari
Grand Cordon of the order of Nichan Iftikhar
Croix de guerre 1914-1918
Croix de Guerre
World War II Victory Medal
Order of the Cross of Grunwald, 2nd class
Inter-Allied Victory Medals

About this person

He was Eisenhower's chief of staff at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) in the campaign in Western Europe from 1944 to 1945.

Country
United States
Type
Other
Status
Deceased
Dates
Lived 1895 to 1961 · aged 65

Where to find them

IMDb