William Westmoreland: Commander of U.S. Forces in Vietnam Dies at 91

General William Westmoreland commanded U.S. military forces in Vietnam from 1964 to 1968. Born on March 26, 1914, in Saxon, South Carolina, he graduated from West Point in 1936.

He oversaw the buildup from about 16,000 to more than 500,000 U.S. troops and a strategy of attrition. After the 1968 Tet Offensive, his request for more troops helped turn American opinion further against the war. Time named him Man of the Year in 1965. He served as Army Chief of Staff from 1968 to 1972.

Westmoreland sued CBS for libel in 1982 over a documentary about intelligence estimates, and dropped the case in 1985. He died in Charleston, South Carolina, on July 18, 2005, at age 91.

Achievements: Army Chief of Staff (1968-1972), Time Man of the Year (1965).

Birth: March 26, 1914 - Saxon, South Carolina.

Profession: Military officer.

Interesting Facts: He was the youngest major general in the Army when promoted in 1956.