In early 1916, he took part in the Pancho Villa Expedition on the staff of the army's Southern Department headquarters in El Paso, Texas.

In March 1943, he was appointed president of the War Department Manpower Board, and he served in this position until retiring again in December 1945.

[4][5] His father, a Union Army veteran of the American Civil War, died in 1882,[6] and Gasser and his siblings were raised by guardians in Tiffin, Ohio.

[5][9][10] In July 1893, Gasser enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard's Company E, 2nd Infantry Regiment, and he advanced through the ranks to become a sergeant.

[12] Gasser returned to Tiffin,[9] but in August 1899 he resumed active military service when he was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the 43rd Infantry Regiment, a temporary unit raised for the Philippine–American War.

[13] Before he departed Tiffin, the mayor and other civic leaders presented Gasser with a ceremonial sword and uniform rank insignia, hat and gloves at a well-attended October 5 public gathering.

[14] He joined his regiment at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont,[15] then served in the Philippines as commander of the 43rd Infantry's Company A.

[17] After his discharge from the volunteers, Gasser was appointed a second lieutenant in the regular army with an effective date of February 1901, and assigned to the 21st Infantry Regiment.

[5] Because they had carried out their courtship in secret,[22] Sugrue left Tiffin after telling friends and family that she was going to visit the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St.

[23] They were first notified of the wedding by Sugrue's telegram informing them that she had traveled to San Francisco, where Gasser and she were married at the home of Archbishop Patrick William Riordan.

[25] He was promoted to captain in July 1911,[26] and in September 1911 he was transferred to the 10th Infantry Regiment at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana.

[25] In early 1916, he took part in the Pancho Villa Expedition when he was assigned to temporary staff duty with the army's Southern Department in El Paso, Texas.

[34] In February 1932, Gasser led the 31st Infantry to China, where it took part in the protection of U.S. government and business interests during the American response to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.

[36] In February 1934, Gasser returned to the United States and was assigned as chief of staff of the Fourth Corps Area at Fort McPherson, Georgia.

[42] At his retirement, he received a second award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, which was presented by Secretary of War Harry Woodring.

[43][44] In May 1941, Gasser was recalled to active duty and assigned as the War Department representative at the Office of Civilian Defense, a wartime agency created to coordinate federal activities including nighttime blackouts and air raid warnings intended to protect civilians and wartime industries in the event of an invasion or emergency.

[45] In early 1942, Gasser was promoted to major general and assigned as OCD’s assistant director in charge of civilian protection.

[52] In late 1944 and early 1945, Gasser traveled to Europe to conduct manpower reviews of U.S. Army bases, and he returned to the U.S. in March.

[64] Gasser's effective dates of rank were:[3][11] The citations for Gasser's awards of the Distinguished Service Medal included:[54][65] Service: Army Rank: Major Division: American Expeditionary Forces General Orders: War Department, General Orders No.