William E . Potts William E . Potts ( November 9 , 1921 – August 16 , 2005 ) was an American military general . Early life and World War II . William Edward Potts was born on 9 November 1921 in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma . He attended the Oklahoma Military Academy ( now named Rogers State University ) and was the highest ranking graduate in 1941 . In 1942 he was commissioned as a cavalry 2nd lieutenant in the U . S . Army . Lieutenant Potts entered active duty at Fort Riley , Kansas and completed the Officers ' Basic course at the United States ( U . S . ) Army Cavalry School . On 2 February 1943 Lieutenant Potts was assigned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry ( Mechanized ) Regiment and sent to Europe . He served as a platoon leader and then commanding officer of Troop B . On 13 September 1944 Potts was transferred to the 42nd Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron stationed near Coincourt , France . He was wounded by a mine while leading a raid to take the town and spent over a year in the hospital and physical therapy . Post World War II . On 10 October 1945 Major Potts was assigned to the Staff and Faculty , U . S . Army Armored School , Fort Knox , Kentucky . On 10 February 1946 Captain Potts was sent to attend the Command and General Staff School ( College ) at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . After completing his studies he was sent to Korea as the Assistant G - 3 ( Operations ) for Headquarters , XXIV Corps and U . S . Army Forces , Korea . In January 1949 he was again assigned to the Staff and Faculty of the Armor School , Fort Knox , Kentucky and then attended the Officers ' Advanced Course . After graduating in June 1950 , he was assigned to the Army General Staff , Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 2 in Washington , D . C . In June 1953 he was sent back to Korea and the Commanding Officer , 72nd Tank Battalion , 2nd Infantry Division . In April 1954 Potts was re - assigned as a G - 3 advisor to the First Republic of Korea ( ROK ) Army . Returning to the United States in November 1954 , Potts was assigned as Deputy Director , Combat Developments , Armored School and Center , Fort Knox , Kentucky . He remained in this position until attending the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk , Virginia , July 1957 . After graduating in January 1958 , he was assigned to command the 3rd Battalion , 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment and subsequently the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment , both in Germany . In September 1959 he was reassigned to Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 3 , VII Corps , in Germany . Vietnam War . In September 1960 , Colonel Potts returned to the U . S . to attend the National War College , Fort McNair , Washington , D . C . After graduating in June 1961 he was a moderator for the National Defense Strategy Seminar in July and then assigned to the Office , Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence , Department of the Army . In this position Potts was Chairman of a Department of the Army Committee on Counterinsurgency , served on the Rosson Board for Special Warfare , and traveled extensively through Laos and Vietnam . Potts was assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Duty with the United States Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) Military Committee and Standing Group in July 1962 . In May 1965 , Potts was selected as the first Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 3 , for the United States Army , Vietnam . In February 1966 Potts was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and Administration and as Special Assistant to the Commanding General , United States Army , Vietnam . Colonel Potts returned to the United States in August 1966 and assigned as the Chief of Staff , United States Army Security Agency and after promotion to Brigadier General , assumed the duties of Assistant Chief of Staff , G - 2 , for the Commander in Chief , United States Army Pacific in September 1967 . In February 1969 General Potts was transferred to Vietnam as the Assistant Chief of Staff , J - 2 , United States Military Assistance Command , Vietnam ( USMACV ) . In September 1972 General Potts returned to the United States as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence , Department of the Army and on 2 August 1973 was assigned as the Deputy Director , Defense Intelligence Agency , Department of Defense . Lieutenant General Potts retired from active duty on 31 August 1974 . Post - retirement . Following his retirement , Potts worked for General Research Corporation as a project manager where he contributed to the Indochina Refugee Authored Monograph Program regarding the Vietnam War . Other projects included a comparative analysis of US / USSR capabilities to project power as well as a study of Concealment and Deception for Amphibious Operations during the Midrange ( 1985 – 1990 ) . Potts later worked for Electrospace Systems Incorporated where he continued to work on projects related to military intelligence and counterintelligence . He died on 16 August 2005 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery . Promotions . Potts received a wartime promotion from 2nd lieutenant to lieutenant colonel during World War II . He was named 1st lieutenant 9 Nov 1945 , captain , 1 Jul 1948 , major , 6 Jul 1954 , lieutenant colonel , 27 Aug 1962 , colonel , 7 Jul 1967 , brigadier general 26 Oct 1967 , major general 29 Dec 1970 , lieutenant general , Aug 1973 . Awards . Potts ' awards included : Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster , Silver Star , Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters , Bronze Star with four Oak Leaf Clusters and V Clasp , Air Medal with four Oak Leaf clusters , Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster , Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster , Purple Heart , French National Order of the Legion of Merit ( Rank of Officer ) , French Croix - de - Guerre with Silver Star , Republic of China Special Cravat of the Order of Cloud and Banner , Thailand Knight Grand Cross of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant , Philippine Outstanding Achievement Medal , National Order of Vietnam Fourth Class , Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal First Class , Vietnam National Police Honor Medal First Class , Korean Order of Military Merit ( Chungmu ) , Korean Chungmu Distinguished Service Medal with Gold Star , Vietnam Civil Actions Medal First Class , Vietnam Military Social Service Honor Medal First Class , Vietnam Navy Service Medal Honor Class , Republic of Korea Presidential Citations , American Campaign Medal , European - African - Middle East Campaign Medal , World War II Victory Medal , Army of Occupation Medal , National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster , Korean Service Medal , Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ( Laos ) , Vietnam Service Medal , United Nations Service Medal , Vietnam Campaign Medal , and Vietnam Gallantry Cross Citation with Palm .