William E. Gillmore was born in Lorain, Ohio, on November 29, 1876. He attended the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, from June 18, 1896, to March 18, 1897, and during the Spanish-American War served as a first lieutenant, 5th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered out on November 5, 1898, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army on February 2, 1901.
SERVICE
In 1901 he was on duty with recruits at Columbus, Ohio, and in January 1902 sailed for the Philippine Islands, where he served with the 15th Infantry. In October 1902 he returned to the United States for station with that regiment at the Presidio of Monterey, California, where he remained until September 1904. He then served successively at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, with the 28th Infantry until November 1904; at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, until March 1905; and on recruiting duty at Columbus, Ohio, until March 1907.
For April to December 1907, he was on duty at Matanzas, Cuba, with the 28th Infantry, a component of the Army of Cuban Pacification. Returning from Cuba with his regiment, he was stationed at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, until August 1911, during which time he was on detached service at Sparta, Wisconsin, as Constructing Quartermaster of the target range located at that place.
His next detail was Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, in which capacity he served until December 1912, when he again was ordered to the Philippine Islands for duty with the 13th Infantry. He served in the Philippines until October 1915, when he returned to the United States for station with the 24th Infantry at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, until March 1916. His next assignment was to border duty with the 24th Infantry until February 1917.
Shortly after the entrance of the United States into the World War, he was ordered to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, as an instructor at the Officers’ Training Camp. In November 1917 he was detailed to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps and ordered to Washington, D.C., where he served until September 1918, in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, and later as Chief of Personnel in the Office of the Director of Air Service.
He then was transferred to Kelly Field, Texas, which he commanded for two months in the latter part of 1918. In December 1918 he returned to Washington, D.C., where he remained on executive duties in the Office of the Chief of Air Service until June 1922. He then served for two years at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, as Air Officer, Ninth Corps Area.
In August 1924 he returned to Washington, D.C., where he served as Chief of the Supply Division in the Office of the Chief of Air Service until July 1926, when he was appointed a brigadier general, Assistant to the Chief of Air Corps.
He was retired from active duty on June 30, 1930, at his own request, after over thirty years’ service. On the date of his retirement, he was Chief of the Material Division in the Office of the Chief of Air Corps, Washington, D.C.
General Gillmore died on November 7, 1948, at Walter Reed General Hospital, Washington. D.C.
He was rated an Airplane Pilot.
PROMOTIONS
Cadet, U.S. Military Academy, June 18, 1896, to March 18, 1897; First Lieutenant, 5th Ohio Infantry, May 11, 1898, to November 5, 1898; Second Lieutenant, Infantry, February 2, 1901; First Lieutenant, September 8, 1904; Captain, July 21, 1915; Major (temporary), August 5, to November 27, 1917; Lieutenant Colonel, Signal Corps (temporary), November 28, 1917, to June 30, 1920; Colonel, Air Service, U.S.A., August 20, 1918, to June 30, 1920; Major, July 1, 1920; transferred to Air Service on August 1, 1920; Lieutenant Colonel, July 1, 1920; Brigadier General, Assistant to Chief of Air Corps, July 17, 1926; retired June 30, 1930; Active Duty, July 7, to September 4, 1943.