In September of 1957, President Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower and Chief of Staff of the Army, General Maxwell Davenport “Max” Taylor, put Major General Edwin Anderson “Ted” Walker in command of a 1,000 man Regular Army contingent and 9,936 federalized National Guardsmen in the Arkansas Military District to enforce the Supreme Court decision ["Brown v. Board of Education"] ordering nine Negro students to be enrolled as part of the integration process in Little Rock Central High School.
According to Time magazine, Walker's assignment to Little Rock began with a phone call from Army Chief of Staff, General Maxwell Taylor, who turned to Walker, his former student at West Point as the man he trusted to accomplish the mission. Max Taylor knew he could count on Ted Walker to carry out whatever task he was given;
“General Walker is a much-decorated combat commander [Silver Star and Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster] with a reputation for toughness and a veteran of the Special Service Force in World War II [the combined commando unit which was the forerunner of the 'Green Berets']. and of the fighting in Korea was given full command of the Regulars who were members of the famed 101st Airborne Division. Walker, who will be responsible for maintaining peace in Little Rock, was described by staff officers today as ‘tough, but fair’. A tall, lean-visage, Texan, General Walker stands 6 feet 3 inches in height. He is a bachelor and has been considered a prize for hostesses wherever he has been stationed”
