Francis Honeycutt

Francis Webster Honeycutt (May 26, 1883 – September 20, 1940) was an American fencer and military officer. He won a bronze medal in the team foil event at the 1920 Summer Olympics. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General in 1940 and assumed command of 9th Infantry Division, before he was killed during an aircraft accident two weeks later.[1][2]

Francis Webster Honeycutt
Born	May 26, 1883 San Francisco, California
Died	September 20, 1940 (aged 57) Woodbine, Georgia
Buried	United States Military Academy Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1904-1940
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	Field Artillery Branch
Commands held	9th Infantry Division 15th Field Artillery Regiment
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	World War I Victory Medal American Defense Service Medal

Francis Honeycutt

Sport
Sport	Fencing
Medal record Men's fencing Representing  United States Olympic Games 1920 Antwerp Foil, team

Biography

Francis W. Honeycutt was born on May 26, 1883 in San Francisco, California as the son of John Thomas Honeycutt and Jennie Webster. His father was a West Point graduate and Captain in the United States Army, who died of typhoid fever as Commander of Fort Clinch, Florida in October 1898. Following the high school, Francis received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and was active in fencing team.

He was a classmate and friend of Joseph Stilwell, the future American commanding general in the China-Burma-India theater of World War II.[3] Also many of his classmates became general officer later in their careers including Lesley J. McNair, Robert C. Richardson, Jr., Jay Leland Benedict, Innis P. Swift, Henry Conger Pratt, Charles F. Thompson, Fulton Q. Gardner, George R. Allin, William Bryden, Walter R. Fulton, George V. Strong, Pelham D. Glassford, Irving J. Phillipson, Donald C. Cubbison and Thomas M. Robins.

Honeycutt graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in May 1904 and was commissioned second lieutenant in the Field Artillery branch. He served in the various field artillery assignments and commanded 338th Field Artillery Regiment as the part of 88th Division during the World War I, where he trained the replacements at Camp Dodge, Iowa until June 1918.[4]

Following the war, he rose through the ranks and commanded 1st Battalion, 18th Field Artillery Regiment in Oklahoma City from July 1927 to August 1928 and later served on the faculty of the Army War College.[4]

In August 1935, Honeycutt was ordered to Fort Sam Houston, Texas and commanded 15th Field Artillery Regiment until March 1937, when he was ordered to the Philippines for service as Commanding officer, 12th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Stotsenburg.[4]

Honeycutt returned to the United States in early September 1940, was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and assumed command of 13th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Following the reactivation of 9th Infantry Division at Fort Bragg, he assumed additional duty as Commanding general of the division and also held command of Fort Bragg.[3][4]

On September 20, 1940, General Honeycutt was killed in Army plane crash accident near Woodbine, Georgia, while returning from Jacksonville, Florida, where he was for a conference on military matters. Two other men killed in the crash were: Capt. George F. Kehoe, pilot of the craft, and Corporal Robert J. Schmitz, radioman and mechanic. Honeycutt was buried with full military honors at United States Military Academy Cemetery.

He was married to Margaret Harmon (1882–1979), a daughter of Colonel Millard F. Harmon and sister of lieutenant generals Millard F. Harmon Jr. and Hubert R. Harmon. From his marriage with Margaret, Honeycutt had one son, future Major general John T. Honeycutt and two daughters, Jane (1919–2011), a wife of Colonel William W. West, III and Margaret (1913-1972), a wife of Major general Donald P. Graul.[5]

References

1. "Olympics Statistics: Francis Honeycutt". databaseolympics.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
2. "Francis Honeycutt Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
3. Tuchman, Barbara (1970). Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45. United States of America: Grove Press. p. 199. ISBN 0-8021-3852-7.
4. "U.S. Army Order of Battle 1919-1941, Volume 2. The Arms: Cavalry, Field Artillery and Coast Artillery" (PDF).
5. "BG Francis W. Honeycutt (1883 – 1940) – Find A Grave Memorial".