World War II Ware was
drafted into the
United States Army in July 1941. He was sent to
Officer Candidate School in 1942, emerging a platoon leader stationed at
Fort Ord, California. He saw extensive service in the
European Theater of Operations during World War II, rose to the rank of
lieutenant colonel by December 1944, and was appointed to command the 1st Battalion,
15th Infantry Regiment,
3rd Infantry Division. On 26 December 1944, Ware's battalion was attacking a heavily fortified German hilltop position. Finding one of his assault companies stalled and digging in under heavy fire, Ware went forward and made a close reconnaissance of the German positions, deliberately drawing their fire in order to determine their location. After two hours, he returned to the company and organized a small force of eleven men including two officers and a tank in order to renew the attack. Leading the advance, he personally assaulted four enemy
machine guns, enabling the tank and the rest of his detachment to destroy the German position. Ware was wounded, and five soldiers of his group were killed before the hill was secured. In April 1945, he was awarded the
Medal of Honor for his heroism.
Interbellum Unlike most draftees, Ware remained in the army after demobilization, becoming a career soldier and one of the first former draftees to reach
general officer rank. Ware remained in Europe and took part in the post-war occupation of Germany. He then attended the
United States Army Command and General Staff College, after which he was assigned to the
Military District of Washington. During this assignment he met his future wife, Joyce; they were married in May 1947. Ware attended the European Staff Officers' Course at
Columbia University, and then studied at
George Washington University in preparation for a teaching assignment. Ware was then assigned to the
United States Military Academy as an instructor in psychology and leadership, after which he attended the
Armed Forces Staff College. After a posting in South Korea from 1955 to 1957, Ware attended the
National War College. He then served as an army congressional liaison and completed an assignment in Europe. In 1963 Ware was assigned as assistant division commander of the
2nd Armored Division at
Fort Hood,
Texas, and was promoted to brigadier general. From 1964 to 1967 Ware was the army's deputy chief of information and then chief of information. In 1966 he was promoted to major general.
Vietnam War Ware volunteered for service in Vietnam and arrived in South Vietnam in early 1968, serving as the deputy commander of
II Field Force. On the morning of 31 January 1968, at the start of the
Tet Offensive, II Field Force commander Lieutenant General
Frederick C. Weyand directed Ware to establish a tactical command post at
Camp Lê Văn Duyệt, next to the
Army of the Republic of Vietnam's Capital Military District headquarters. Once operational this headquarters, known as Hurricane Forward, would assume tactical control over all United States units entering the
Saigon–
Gia Định Province zone. Following this, Ware was assigned to command the
1st Infantry Division in March 1968.
Death On 13 September 1968, during the
Battle of Lộc Ninh, elements of the 1st Infantry Division were preparing to attack Hill 222 (), 6 km north of the town. Ware's command group were flying in his command and control helicopter to view the battle when heavy
anti-aircraft fire brought the helicopter down 5 km south of
Lộc Ninh. Ware, his three command staff, and the four helicopter crew were all killed in the crash. Ware was the second United States Army general officer to die in the
Vietnam War, after Brigadier General
Alfred Judson Force Moody died of a heart attack in South Vietnam on 19 March 1967. On 25 October 1968, Ware was posthumously awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross. Ware is buried at
Arlington National Cemetery. ==Legacy==