William B.
Steele, an American major general and two-star general of the U.S. Army, died on February 7, 2026, at age 96.
He commanded the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and Fort Polk, Louisiana. Steele graduated from the University of Georgia in 1950 with a BBA degree, cum laude, and was commissioned as a distinguished military graduate from the Reserve Officer Training Corps as a second lieutenant of infantry. He later attended the Navy Command and Staff College and the Army War College, and earned a master’s degree in international relations from George Washington University.
William Berry Steele (August 17, 1929 – February 7, 2026) was a two-star general of the United States Army. He was a commander of the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and Fort Polk, Louisiana. Steele graduated from the University of Georgia in 1950 with a BBA degree, cum laude, and was commissioned as a distinguished military graduate from the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the U.S. Army.