James Alexander Ulio

James Alexander Ulio (June 29, 1882 – July 30, 1958) was an officer in the United States Army who served as Adjutant General from 1942 to 1946.

James Alexander Ulio
Born(1882-06-29)June 29, 1882
Walla Walla, Washington, US
DiedJuly 30, 1958(1958-07-30) (aged 76)
Place of Burial
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1900–1946
Rank Major General
Commands heldAdjutant General of the U.S. Army
Battles/wars
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal

Biography

Early life and career

Ulio was born at Fort Walla Walla in the state of Washington in 1882. He was the son of Major James Ulio (1836–1912), an immigrant from Ireland, whose birth name was James Graham, a veteran of the American Civil War and a Companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Ulio enlisted in the 10th Infantry Regiment on September 1, 1900 and was appointed as a battalion sergeant major in the 2nd Infantry shortly before he was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the Infantry branch on October 5, 1904.

Ulio was assigned to the 1st Infantry Regiment and served in the Philippines from 1906 to 1908. Following his promotion to first lieutenant, he served in Hawaii from 1912 to 1916. Ulio was promoted to captain in 1916 and served in the 23rd Infantry.

World War I
Ulio during World War I

Following the United States entering World War I, he received a temporary promotion to major in 1917 and was assigned on August 15 as the division adjutant of the 29th Division until February 26, 1918. He then attended the Army General Staff College of the American Expeditionary Force until May 31, 1918.

In June 1918 he served as Assistant Chief of Staff (G-1) for the 4th Army Corps until December 14, 1918. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in September 1918. In 1919 he received the Distinguished Service Medal for his service in this last assignment as well as honors from several allied governments. After the Armistice was signed in November 1918, he served with the Army of Occupation in Germany.

Interim
Ulio (left) at the White House in 1933, while serving as military aide to Franklin D. Roosevelt

In April 1920 Ulio reverted to his permanent rank of captain but was promoted to major in July. He served in the Office of the Adjutant General of the Army from 1926 to 1929. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1928.

Following his graduation from the Command and General Staff College in 1931 he was again assigned to the Office of the Adjutant General of the Army from 1931 to 1935. During this assignment, he served as the military aide to President Franklin Roosevelt and attended the Army War College from 1933 to 1934.

Following his promotion to colonel in 1935, he was assigned to the Hawaiian Department from 1935 to 1937 where he headed the Service Command Section. This was followed by service as the Executive Officer in the Adjutant General´s Office in Washington from 1938–39.

World War II

In December 1939 Ulio was appointed as the Assistant Adjutant General of the United States Army with the rank of brigadier general and, in March 1942 became the Adjutant General with the rank of major general.

As adjutant general during World War II, he had overall responsibility for the personnel administration for over 10 million soldiers in the Army, to include tens of millions of promotions and reassignments, millions of awards, and over 250,000 death notifications. Due to Ulio's position, his name appeared on tens of millions of official documents – possibly more than any other individual in history.

In September 1942 he attended the national convention of the American Legion and accepted the Legion's Distinguished Service Medal on behalf of General Douglas MacArthur, who was serving in Australia at the time.

Retirement and death
Grave at Arlington National Cemetery

Ulio retired from the Army in January 1946, five months after the surrender of Japan and shortly before he reached the mandatory retirement age of 64. He had served in the Army for over 45 years and served in three wars.

Ulio died in 1958 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[1]

Awards

United States

Foreign awards

Distinguished Service Medal
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) James A. Ulio (ASN: 0-1984), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during the World War. As Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, of the 4th Army Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Ulio showed marked organizing and administrative ability. By his tireless efforts and ceaseless energy, he contributed in a large degree to the successes achieved by the 4th Army Corps in the Toul sector and in the battles of the St. Mihiel salient. Later he handled with great success the evacuation and feeding of French civilians in the occupied territory recovered from the enemy, rendering invaluable services to the American Expeditionary Forces.

General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 89 (1919), Amended by Supplement 1

Oak Leaf Cluster
Major General James A. Ulio (ASN: 0-1984), United States Army, was awarded a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility.

War Department, General Orders No. 67 (1945)

Dates of rank
  • Enlisted – 1 September 1900
  • 2nd Lieutenant – 5 October 1904
  • 1st Lieutenant – 11 March 1911
  • Captain – 1 July 1916
  • Major, National Army – 5 August 1917
  • Lieutenant Colonel, Emergency – 9 September 1918
  • Reverted to permanent rank of Captain – 19 April 1920
  • Major – 1 July 1920
  • Lieutenant Colonel – 13 November 1928
  • Colonel – 1 August 1935
  • Brigadier General – 28 December 1939
  • Major General – 1 March 1942
  • Retired – 31 January 1946 [2]

See also
  • List of Adjutant Generals of the U.S. Army

References
  1. Burial Detail: Ulio, James A – ANC Explorer
  2. Official Register of Commissioned Officers of the United States Army, 1948. Vol. 2. p. 2474.
  • Ancell, R. Manning; Miller, Christine Marie, eds. (1996). The Biographical Dictionary of World War II Generals and Flag Officers. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 328.
Military offices
Preceded by
Emory S. Adams		 Adjutant General of the U. S. Army
March 1, 1942–January 31, 1946		 Succeeded by
Edward F. Witsell
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