Robert Lee Howze (August 22, 1864 – September 19, 1926) was a United States Army major general who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Indian Wars.

He was promoted to captain in the United States Army on February 2, 1901; to brigadier general of volunteers on June 20, 1901; and to major of the Puerto Rico provincial regiment of infantry in 1901.

[4] Shortly after the American entry into World War I in April 1917 Howze was promoted to colonel in May and became chief of staff of the Northeastern Department in Boston, Massachusetts.

[6] In February 1918, after being promoted to the rank of brigadier general, he assumed command of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, then based at Fort Bliss, Texas, which had the often difficult and contradictory role of both training his men to fight for service overseas in addition to patrolling the U.S.-Mexican border.

[7] Shortly after the Armistice with Germany on November 11, which brought a close to hostilities, General John J. Pershing, the commander-in-chief (C-in-C) of the AEF and a fellow cavalryman, ordered Howze to take over the 3rd Division.

The latter duly did so and led the 3rd, one of the AEF's top divisions when the fighting was ongoing, into Germany as part of Major General Joseph T. Dickman's newly activated Third Army and in the subsequent occupation of the Rhineland which lasted until August 1919.

[4] General Howze died while on active duty on September 19, 1926, at age 62,[9] and is buried in the United States Military Academy Cemetery at West Point, New York.

Howze's last assignment was to preside over the court-martial of Colonel Billy Mitchell, who had made public comments in response to the Navy dirigible USS Shenandoah crashing in a storm.

[10] The crash killed 14 of the crew and Mitchell issued a statement accusing senior leaders in the Army and Navy of incompetence and "almost treasonable administration of the national defense.

As Commander of the 3d Division on its march to the Rhine and during the occupation of the enemy territory General Howze proved himself energetic and capable, exhibiting superb qualities of leadership.