During much of this time, the 4th Armored Division, led by the 37th Tank Battalion, was the spearhead for General George S. Patton's Third Army.

"[5] Frequently the spearhead of the Third Army during World War II, Abrams was one of the leaders in the relief effort that broke up the German entrenchments surrounding Bastogne and the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge.

These units were important assignments due to the Cold War concern for potential invasion of western Europe by the Soviet Union.

[9] Abrams was promoted to general in 1964 and appointed Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army.

Lewis Sorley asserted that in contrast to Westmoreland, Abrams implemented counterinsurgency tactics that focused on winning the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese rural population.

A joint military-civilian organization named Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support under CIA official William Colby carried out the hearts and minds programs.

According to a colonel cited in Men's Journal, there was more continuity than change in Vietnam after Abrams succeeded Westmoreland.

The magazine quoted an unidentified military analyst to the effect that, "All this talk of dropping search-and destroy operations in favor of clear-and-hold is just a lot of bull.

"[11] None of the strategy papers produced by Abrams on assuming command of MACV indicated the need for any change in U.S. strategy and U.S. forces continued large-scale operations to engage People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) main force units including the Battle of Hamburger Hill in May 1969.

Abrams disdained most of the politicians with whom he was forced to deal, in particular Robert McNamara and McGeorge Bundy, and had an even lower opinion of defense contractors, whom he accused of war profiteering.

"[13] Troop levels in Vietnam eventually reached 25,000 in January 1973, at the time of the four power Paris Peace Accords.

Although it occurred before he assumed total command, Abrams bore the brunt of fallout from the My Lai massacre in March 1968.

On 4 May 1972, a little more than a month after the onset of the Easter Offensive, Nixon resolved to replace Abrams with his former deputy General Frederick Weyand, but the decision was not publicly announced until 20 June 1972.

[15] He was not confirmed by the United States Senate until October, due to political repercussions involving accusations of unauthorized bombings of North Vietnam.

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, and raised in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam, he was the son of Nellie Louise (Randall) and Creighton Williams Abrams, a railroad worker.

[19] A heavy cigar smoker, Abrams died at age 59, eleven days before his 60th birthday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., from complications of surgery to remove a cancerous lung.