[1] Among his fellow graduates were Frank W. Milburn, Jens A. Doe, Vicente Lim, Carl Spaatz, Ralph Royce, James L. Bradley, Brehon B. Somervell, Harry C. Ingles, Harold R. Bull, John B. Anderson, Charles P. Gross.

[3] During the quiet interwar period, he continued to serve in the field artillery, but was assigned posts like ROTC instructor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (where Charles Lindbergh was one of his students).

[4] Ward was Secretary to General George C. Marshall, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, from July 1939 to August 1941,[5] a critical time of building up in preparation for the American entry into World War II.

Ward assisted Marshall in finding the resources to build the military while political forces were fighting to keep the United States out of the war and to help Britain.

He displayed high executive ability and judgment in organizing the secretariat of the General Staff to meet the emergency of the early mobilization of the Army and later the shock of war.

[2]He left that post (and was promoted to the two-star rank of major general) to become the second commander of the 1st Armored Division, a Regular Army formation, in March 1942,[4] three months after the American entry into World War II.

The failure of the 1st Armored Division to arrive intact and deploy as a single entity would have important consequences in later action against German forces in the Tunisian Campaign.

On the night of December 10–11, 1942, during a withdrawal from Medjez el Bab, the focal point of the enemy attack, scores of combat vehicles of CCB—tanks, half-tracks, and tank destroyers — had bogged down in thick mud and had to be abandoned.

[10] After the rout at Kasserine, Patton at first counseled, then admonished Ward of the need for personal leadership of his division in order to keep German forces under pressure.

[12] Wounded in the eye,[12] he was awarded a Purple Heart as well as a Silver Star, the citation for which reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Major General Orlando Ward (ASN: 0-3729), United States Army, for gallantry in action in March 1943, when he distinguished himself in action against an armed enemy.

General Ward with utter disregard for his own safety rallied and organized a successful attack of infantry and tank elements against a strongly held enemy position.

The action of General Ward in the face of intense enemy fire from all classes of weapons reflects the finest traditions of the Armed Forces, and is deserving of the highest praise.

The citation for the medal reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major General Orlando Ward (ASN: 0-3729), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Commanding General of the 1st Armored Division, in action against enemy forces in March 1943 in Tunisia.

[14] With the concurrence of British General Sir Harold R. L. G. Alexander, commander of the 18th Army Group (which controlled all Allied forces in North Africa), Patton finally relieved Ward of duty.

[13] Patton's actions were in keeping with personal written instructions to him from General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO), after Fredendall was sacked: "You must not retain for one instant any man in a responsible position where you have become doubtful of his ability to do his job.

"[16] Ward was replaced with Major General Ernest N. Harmon, the former commander of the 2nd Armored Division who had successfully intervened to remedy Fredendall's inaction during the battles of Kasserine Pass.