Andrew O'Meara, 98, retired U.S. general

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Andrew Pick O'Meara, a retired Army general and former commander in chief of the U.S. Army Europe, died Sept. 30 of a stroke at his home in Arlington. He was 98.

Born in West Bend, Wis., Gen. O'Meara graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, the Field Artillery School, the Command and General Staff College and the National War College.

He served in the Army's 4th Armored Division during Pearl Harbor, and in 1942 wrote the doctrine for the armored field artillery and the first manual for tank gunnery while at the Headquarters Armored Force in Fort Knox, Ky.

Gen. O'Meara was assigned to the staff of Gen. Omar Bradley's Army Group before the Normandy Invasion in World War II.

He was made deputy commander of VII Corps Artillery when the Germans counterattacked in the Ardennes.

In 1946, he became director of the Gunnery Department at the Field Artillery School and oversaw the consolidation of gunnery methods used in World War I and World War II.

He is the only officer to have headed the Gunnery Departments in both the Armored and Field Artillery Schools.

Gen. O'Meara was promoted to brigadier general in 1952 and took command of the 7th Division Artillery during the Korean War.

In 1959, Gen. O'Meara became director of military assistance in the U.S. European Command, Paris, with responsibility for all NATO countries, North Africa, the Middle East and Pakistan.

He was promoted to lieutenant general in February 1961 and became the U.S. unified commander responsible for Latin America.

In 1963, he was promoted to general and ejected rioters in Panama from the Canal Zone in 1964.

He was named commander in chief of the U.S. Army Europe and NATO Central Army Group in 1965. He retired on June 1, 1968.

Gen. O'Meara's military awards include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit with cluster, the Bronze Star with V and cluster, the Air Medal and awards from 10 foreign countries.

He is survived by a daughter, Louisa Heiberg; a son, retired Army Col. Andrew O'Meara; 13 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

His wife, Ellen Aldridge Fraser, died in 1995, and a daughter, Ellen Johnson, died in 2000.

Funeral services will be held at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow at the Old Post Chapel at Fort Myer. Interment with full military honors will follow immediately at Arlington National Cemetery.

Donations may be made to the Knights of Malta, Federal Association U.S.A., 1730 M St. NW, Suite 403, Washington, D.C. 20036.