William Wallace Atterbury

William Wallace Atterbury (January 31, 1866 – September 20, 1935) was an American Brigadier General during World War I. He was instrumental in reorganizing railroad traffic during the war for more efficient transportation of troops and supplies for the American Expeditionary Forces. After the war, he became the tenth president of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) (1925–1935). He was a leader in pushing to electrify portions of the PRR.

Biography
Atterbury was born in New Albany, Indiana. He attended Yale University, Class of 1886, where he was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. He was a Pennsylvania delegate to the 1920 Republican National Convention.

He started an apprentice apprentice in the Pennsylvania Railroad shops at Altoona for five cents/hour. In 1925, he succeeded Samuel Rea as president of the PRR, a position he held until he retired in 1935.

Atterbury was also active in Republican State politics. In 1928, he was elected the state's Republican National Committeeman, though he resigned from the post two years later in opposition to Gifford Pinchot's gubernatorial candidacy.



Awards and decorations
For his work he was awarded: Distinguished Service Medal, Commander of the Legion of Honor (France); Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath (England); Commander of the Royal Order of the White Eagle (Serbia), and Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown (Romania).

Legacy
Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh, Indiana, is named for him, as was, for a time, Atterbury Army Airfield.