William Stevens Lawton William Stevens Lawton ( May 16 , 1900 – February 26 , 1993 ) was a Lieutenant General in the United States Army and served as the Army ' s Comptroller . Early life . Lawton was born on May 16 , 1900 , in Newport , Rhode Island , and graduated from Newport ' s Rogers High School in 1917 . From 1917 to 1918 Lawton attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute . He then transferred to the United States Military Academy , from which he graduated in 1922 . Start of Military Career . In 1923 Lawton graduated from both the Army ' s Primary Flying School and its Advanced Flying School Special Observation Course . After completing his aviator qualification , Lawton was assigned to Coastal Artillery Corps postings , including Fort Adams , Rhode Island . Lawton graduated from the Artillery School Battery Officer Course in 1930 . He then carried out Coastal Artillery postings throughout the US and overseas , including the 61st Coast Artillery Battalion at Fort Sheridan , Illinois , assignment to the Philippines , and a tour of duty at Fort Winfield Scott . In 1939 Lawton graduated from both the Chemical Warfare Field Officer Course and the Command and General Staff College . World War II . From 1941 to 1943 Lawton was Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army ' s Hawaiian Department . He was present at Pearl Harbor attack , and later gave Congressional testimony about his experience and observations . Lawton was Deputy Chief of Staff US Army Forces Mid - Pacific with duty in Hawaii from 1943 to 1946 . Post World War II . In 1947 Lawton was appointed Assistant Commandant of the Army ' s Field Artillery School and Commandant of the school ' s Seacoast Branch . From 1950 to 1951 Lawton served as Chief of Staff of Army Field Forces , with duty at Fort Monroe , Virginia . In 1952 Lawton was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Relations at the US Far East Command , serving until 1953 . Korean War . Lawton was appointed to command the Korean Communication Zone in 1953 , and served in this position until 1954 . In this high profile rear echelon command Lawton took steps to improve the perception of the US military among South Korean civilians by implementing Operation Good Will , a successful effort to generate from members of the US military and American civilians contributions of money and other needed items for orphanages , schools and other institutions . Post Korean War . In 1955 Lawton was assigned as Director of the Budget Division in the Army ' s Office of the Comptroller . Lawton was named Comptroller of the Army in 1957 , serving until his retirement from the military . From 1958 to 1959 General Lawton served as President of the Association of Military Comptrollers . Retirement , Awards and Decorations . General Lawton retired in 1960 . His awards and decorations included multiple awards of the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit , as well as the Bronze Star Medal . In 1973 General Lawton was inducted into the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity ' s Order of Achievement . Subsequent career . After leaving the Army Lawton resided in Bethesda , Maryland . He accepted a position as Vice President and Vice Chairman of the Board for Government Loan Services Savings and Loan Association , Inc . , where he remained until retiring in the 1980s . In 1989 Lawton moved to the Fairfax retirement community at Fort Belvoir , Virginia , where he died February 26 , 1993 .