William Snow graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1890. On February 10, 1918, General Snow became the first Chief of Field Artillery of the United States Army, and he continued to hold this position, through a series of appointments, until his retirement nearly ten years later. In 1919 he received an honorary LL.D. from Yale. General Snow retired from the military service on December 19, 1927.



