Harvey Herman Fischer

Lieutenant General
Harvey Herman Fischer
LTG Fischer, 93, of Southminster Retirement Community, Charlotte, died May 2, 2004, at Carolinas Medical Center, Pineville. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Monday, May 17 at Southminster. A burial service will be conducted at 10:45 a.m. in the Old Post Chapel, Fort Myer, VA, on Thursday, June 24. Immediately thereafter, he will be interred with full military honors next to his beloved wife Dort in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
General Fischer was born in Dunsmuir, CA, August 16, 1910, the oldest of three children. He graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, on June 10, 1932 and was commissioned a second lieutenant of infantry. His initial assignment took him to Fort Sam Houston, TX, where he met and married Dort, Dorothy Sue Lain, of Tulsa, OK.
During General Fischer's 35-year Army career, he commanded every type of infantry organization from platoon to division. Early assignments were in Georgia, Puerto Rico, Missouri, Washington, DC, and London. During World War II, he served in Italy and China. After the war, he served with General Marshall's Peace Mission in Peiping. During the Korean War, he commanded the elite 5th Regimental Combat Team, earned the Silver Star for valor, and received the first of his three general officer stars. At the conclusion of the Korean War, he had the honor of leading his command, the 45th Infantry Division, in a welcome home ticker tape parade down Broadway where he was presented the key to New York City. In 1954, he became assistant division commander of the famed 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY, and became the first general officer to graduate from the division's parachute school.
Returning to Italy in 1956, General Fischer assumed command of the Southern European Task Force in Verona, where he was the first American to command nuclear capable forces overseas. Promoted to major general in 1958, he returned to the United States and assumed command of the renowned 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, KS. After serving in various staff assignments in Washington, DC, he returned to the Far East with his third star and took command of I Corps in Korea, a unit which included combat forces of Thailand, Turkey, Korea, and the United States. One year later, he assumed command of III Corps and Fort Hood, TX. His final tour of duty was as the Deputy Commanding General, United States Continental Army Command, Fort Monroe, VA. He retired from the Army on July 29, 1967.
Following his military career, General Fischer was employed by the Community College System of North Carolina, focusing on long range program planning. He also served on various corporate boards and was the Chairman of the Olmstead Foundation before retiring to Lampassas, TX. After the death of Dort in 1984, he moved to River Hills on Lake Wylie, SC, and in 1991 he moved to Southminster.
General Fischer is survived by his three daughters, Sue Fischer Shields and her husband Frank of Lake Wylie, SC; Ann Fischer Karrer and her husband Donald of Sanford, NC; and Katina Fischer Young and her husband Edgar of Wilmington, DE. He has seven grandchildren, Rebecca Fockler, Frank Shields, Jr., Sarah Horton, and Sue Collins: Ann Maddrea and William Gavan: and Gavan Young. There are nine great-grandchildren. In addition to Dort, he was predeceased by his brother, Sidney Fischer of Dunsmuir, CA, and his sister, Helen Woodside of Sacramento, CA. He was also predeceased by his close friend, Mildred Gane Robinson, a resident of Southminster.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or the Shriners Children's Hospital, c/o Oasis Shrine, 604 Doug Mays Place, Charlotte, NC 28262.
Harry & Bryant Co. is serving the family of LTG Fischer.