Edward Charles Meyer was born in St. Mary?s, Pennsylvania, on 11 December 1928; graduated from the United States Military Academy, 1951; was commissioned a second lieutenant and attended the Infantry School at Fort Benning, 1951; was a platoon leader, Company C, 25th Armored Infantry Battalion, in Korean operations, 1951?1952; was promoted to first lieutenant, July 1952; was a platoon leader, company commander, and battalion staff officer, 224th Infantry, in Korean operations, 1952?1953; served in the 1st Officer Candidate Regiment, Infantry School, 1953?1954; married Carol McCunliffe, 1954; was aide to the assistant commandant, Infantry School, 1954, and instructor in operations there, 1954?1957; was promoted to temporary captain, July 1956; graduated from the infantry officers advanced and basic airborne courses, 1957; was commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 501st Infantry, 1957?1958, and commander of Company D, 1958?1959; graduated from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, 1960; was promoted to permanent captain, February 1958, and to temporary major, October 1960; was manpower control officer, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, G?1, United States Army, Europe (Rear), 1960?1961; was assistant executive and aide to the chief of staff at Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe, 1961?1963; graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College, 1964; was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel, May 1964, and permanent major, June 1965; served in the Coordination Division of the Office of the Chief of Staff, 1964?1965; was deputy commander of the 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), in Vietnam operations, 1965; was commander of the 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry, in Vietnam operations, 1965?1966; graduated from the National War College, 1967; served in the Plans and Operations Division, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1967?1969; was promoted to temporary colonel, November 1968; was commander of the 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), and division chief of staff in Vietnam operations, 1969?1970; was a federal executive fellow at the Brookings Institution, 1970?1971; was promoted to temporary brigadier general, August 1971, and permanent lieutenant colonel, June 1972; was assistant division commander (support) of the 82d Airborne Division, 1971?1972; was deputy commandant of the Army War College, 1972?1973; was deputy chief of staff for operations, United States Army, Europe, and Seventh Army, 1973?1974; was promoted to temporary major general, August 1973; was commanding general of the 3d Infantry Division, United States Army, Europe, 1974?1975; was assistant deputy chief and deputy chief of staff for operations and plans, United States Army, 1975?1979; was promoted to permanent colonel, March 1976, and temporary lieutenant general, October 1976, and general, June 1979; was chief of staff of the United States Army, 22 June 1979?21 June 1983; prosecuted an Army-wide modernization program with emphasis on quality over quantity, stressed the need for a long-term investment in land force materiel, and launched a unit-manning system to reduce personnel turbulence and to enhance readiness; retired from active service, June 1983.