# Talk:William Hood Simpson

This review is transcluded from Talk:William Hood Simpson/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.
Reviewer: Eddie891 (talk · contribs) 14:14, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
I'll take this one on. Eddie891  Talk Work  14:14, 28 March 2020 (UTC)


### comments
I've done some light CE, feel free to revert anything you don't like
Some closure in the lede would be nice (i.e. what he did with his life after 1980)
He didn't have any life after 1980. He died that year.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
sorry, I meant after 1945 and before 1980 Eddie891  Talk Work  21:38, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
Y Oh. Added a bit to the intro.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 01:34, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
who was eager to appoint a local boy from Parker County Was there a particular reason for his eagerness? If not, maybe remove... I think that naturally congressmen are eager to appoint people from their constituencies. In the same way, why is it relevant to say "a local boy"? Would the congressman appoint a non-local boy?
Y Well in fact they have to, although people have been known move to a district with less competition. Today, the congressional district consists of Parker and Tarrant counties, but it may have been larger back then. Originally, each Congressman could only have one cadet at West Point at a time, but this was relaxed slightly in 1905, allowing Gillespie to make a second appointment if he could find a suitable candidate. Removed this bit.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
He passed, clarify whether he passed the physical or educational exams (or both)
Y Both. Added.
now numbered 120 had it previously numbered something else?
Yes; 149 cadets entered in 1905, and 29 dropped out in the first year. Numbers changed each year as cadets dropped out, and a few were held back.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
September 11, what year?
Y 1909. Added. Cadets had a short furlough after graduation before taking up their regimental appointments.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
The regiment moved to El Paso, Texas when?
Y Between 24 April and 1 May 1914. Apparently the move too a week to accomplish. Added.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
Assistant Chief of Staff (G-3) clarify what G-3 means for readers who don't closely follow military affairs, even if just with a link.
Y Added a link.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
as assistant to its G-2 ditto
Y Added a link too.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal and Silver Citation Star, and the French Croix de guerre and Legion of Honour in the grade of Chevalier. are there dates for these awards?
Only for the Army Distinguished Service Medal, which was awarded in 1921.
what makes arlingtoncemetary.net (the self-proclaimed "Unofficial Site Devoted To America's Most Hallowed Ground And To The Heroes And The Pathfinders Who Rest In Eternal Peace And Honored Glory There") a reliable source?
It has a photograph of his grave stone. This use is permissible.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
Substituted a link to the official site. Added the photo to the article.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 01:34, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
and served as the Assistant Division Commander (ADC) what's the point of showing the abbr if it's never used?
Y Just a piece of legacy text. Removed.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
The army was re-formed clarify when it was 'de-formed' and which army exactly was re-formed.
Y Fourth Army. Added this. The Western Defense Command was formed on 11 December 1941. Whereas the Fourth Army had a mission of training troops in the western United States and preparing them for deployment overseas, the Western Defense Command was a theater command that had the task of defending the west against a Japanese invasion. (From memory, the plan was to conduct a fighting withdraw to the Mississippi, and make a stand there.) In the event, the only operations it conducted were in the Aleutian islands. The two had the same headquarters and the same commander until they were separated in September 1943.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
An advance party of the Ninth Army headquarters was Simpson part of the ninth army now? I thought it wasn't re-designated until after.
Y Not yet. Removed.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
was brought forward. brought from where to where, exactly?
Y Added "from dumps in Normandy and the UK"  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
The Ninth Army would envelop did this happen or was it based on anyone's plans? if so, mention who/what... or maybe just clarify with the preceding sentence.
Y added that it was the plan. Montgomery's plan. American sources credit Eisenhower, as he was the one who ordered it implemented.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
due to the flooding threat posed by dams upstream upstream of which river? Was it a natural threat or military? (second question is just personal interest, first maybe could be addressed in the article)
Y The Roer. Added. Further explanation follows in the article  further on. Moved it up.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
without operational experience in the current war the current war? As opposed to historical wars? Perhaps better as "experience in the war..."
Y I meant as opposed to the Great War. Changed as suggested.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
was sufficiently impressed impressed by what?
Y Simpson's performance. Added.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
The British attack, Operation Veritable, what was the goal of this operation?
Y Added some words on this, and a map.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
It was a momentous decision according to whom?
Y Trimmed.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
come the Commanding General, Field Forces, and deputy theater commander why is the first role capitalized and the second isn't?
One is in title form and the other isn't.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
For his services as commander of the Ninth Army, Simpson was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and a second Army Distinguished Service Medal. He also garnered foreign decorations that included being made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the UK, a Grand Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau by the Netherlands, and a Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold with palm by Belgium. He also received the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 from France, the Soviet Union's Order of Kutuzov, and the Croix de Guerre 1940 with palm from Belgium. again, are there dates for these awards?
Only the Distinguished Service Medal, which is dated 1945.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
Looks like the French ones were in March 1945. [1]  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 01:34, 29 March 2020 (UTC)
Alamo National Bank and the , it seems like something is missing here...
Y Deleted "and the".  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
but the staff did their best to make him comfortable. yes, that is the job of staff. I'd recommend removing
Y I wouldn't have thought so, but removed.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
his second wife Kay and his daughter, Jean Vincent might be a little unnecessary given his advanced age at his second marriage, but clarify which wife the child was with.
Y Added.  Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:21, 28 March 2020 (UTC)
Fine with everything else (copyvio, reliability, pictures, etc.) Nice work.Eddie891  Talk Work  13:30, 29 March 2020 (UTC)

Simpson's West Point nickname, used by classmates only, was Greaser, because he spoke Spanish.  The nickname Big Simp was given him when he joined the 6th Infantry, to distinguish him from another officer of the regiment named Simpson, who was considerably shorter.  "Simp" was never a nickname anyone used to Simpson's face.  The press sometimes referred to him as "Texas Bill", but that never really caught on.
Source is Thomas R. Stone, "William H Simpson: General's General" 207.32.244.214 (talk) 18:10, 19 August 2025 (UTC)

Y Added. Hawkeye7 (discuss) 20:36, 19 August 2025 (UTC)