William S. Key

William S. Key was born on October 6, 1889, in Dudleyville, Alabama, as the son of Cullen R. and Hadassah Key. Both of his grandfathers had served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He completed high school in Opelika, Alabama and enlisted the Georgia National Guard as private on April 7, 1907. He was commissioned second lieutenant in summer 1910, but left the National Guard one year later, when his family moved to Oklahoma. Key settled in the town of Wewoka and established the Key Hardware Co. and the Wewoka Gas Co. and enlisted the Oklahoma National Guard. He was commissioned again and promoted to first lieutenant on July 12, 1912, and to captain in summer 1916. Key then assumed command of Company G, 1st Oklahoma Infantry Regiment stationed in Wewoka and served on the Mexican Border during the Pancho Villa Expedition, when his unit was called up for federal service in March 1917 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Following the United States' entry into World War I, Key was promoted to the rank of major and embarked for France. He was attached to the headquarters, 7th Division under Brigadier General Charles H. Barth and served as divisional quartermaster during Champagne Defensive, Château-Thierry, Saint-Mihiel and the Meuse–Argonne offensive. While in France, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and then to colonel. ==Civil career during interwar period==

Key returned to the United States in early 1919, re-entering both the hardware business and the Oklahoma National Guard. During the rising racial tensions in Okmulgee and Tulsa counties, Governor Jack C. Walton declared martial law and Key commanded Oklahoma City military district. Key was appointed warden at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester in early 1924 and held that job until late 1927. He was also president of the Wardens Association of the United States in 1926 and chaired the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board from 1928 to 1932. ==Military career during the Interwar period==

Key remained active in the Oklahoma National Guard during the 1920s and 1930s. Following his return from France, Key reverted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and served as commanding officer of the 160th Field Artillery Regiment until July 1925. Following his promotion to brigadier general on August 18, 1928, he was appointed commanding general, 70th Field Artillery Brigade. In February 1937, Key was appointed commanding general of the 45th Infantry Division, and was promoted to major general in April of that year. ==World War II==

Due to worsening situation in Europe, Key was called up into active service in September 1940 and led his command during the Louisiana Maneuvers in the fall of the year. He then received additional duty as commanding general, Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was responsible for the training and preparation of 45th Infantry Division for service overseas. Key then assumed duty as commanding general, Iceland Base Command and was responsible for the defense of the island and administration of garrison of 40,000 soldiers. He remained in that assignment until December 1944 and received numerous decorations including Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal and Army Commendation Medal. The citation for his Army DSM reads: Key was also appointed Knight of the Order of the Bath by the United Kingdom and Knight Commander of the Order of the Falcon by the Government of Iceland. In January 1945, Key was ordered to Hungary and appointed chief of the Military Control Commission. While in this capacity, he was responsible for the directing of the repatriation of displaced persons; supervision of the demobilization of Hungarian armed forces; return of property taken by Germany and regulation and supervision of the execution of the armistice terms. Key was succeeded by Brigadier General George H. Weems in August 1946 and received his second Army Distinguished Service Medal for his service. ==Postwar period==

Key was subsequently ordered back to the United States and retired from active duty. He remained active in Oklahoma National Guard as secretary to adjutant general until October 1949 and received Oklahoma Distinguished Service Medal for his long meritorious service with the guard. He then assumed job as director of Oklahoma Natural Gas Company and simultaneously served as president of the board of directors of Oklahoma Historical Society. In 1948 the University of Oklahoma presented Key with a Distinguished Service Citation, and later the university awarded him an honorary LLB degree. The main entrance at Fort Sill, Oklahoma is named after Key. Key was a Freemason and raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason in 1913 at Seminole Lodge No. 147 and was made Sovereign Grand Inspector General of Oklahoma in 1951. Major General William S. Key died on January 5, 1959, aged 69, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and was buried at Memorial Park Cemetery there. He was married to Irene Genevieve Davis Key and they had two sons and one daughter. Their older son, Robert Carleton Key (1926–1988), served in the U.S. Army and retired as major. ==Decorations==

Here is Major General Key's ribbon bar: ==References==