Stanton Babcock

Stanton Babcock was a career military officer who came from a renowned American military family. His grandfather, John Breckinridge Babcock, received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1869 for gallantry during the Indian Wars. His father, Conrad Babcock, Sr., served in the Spanish-American War, in the Philippines, and during World War I, and received the Distinguished Service Medal and two Silver Stars.

Stanton Babcock graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1925 and then served in the Cavalry at Fort Riley, Kansas, which sharpened his equestrian skills in preparation for the 1936 Olympics. Babcock was a military attaché in Tokyo in 1942 at the outbreak of World War II and he was interned there until late 1942. In 1945 he was involved in the landings and operations on Okinawa, serving with the 6th Marine Division, and Babcock was badly injured, which kept him out of further combat. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1954 and Major General in 1956. Babcock served as Commanding Officer of the 7th Cavalry, as Assistant Division Commander of the 7th Infantry Division, as Commanding General of the 2nd Armored Division and as Commander of the VIIIth Army Corps. He also served as an aide to Secretary of State John Foster Dulles.