Biographical Information re Robert Lawrence Eichelberger

Eddy Eichelberger Eichelberger In August 1944, Eddy was assigned command serving under him appreciated his ability to win adjutant office, to which of the XII Corps, which was attached to Pat- battles with a minimum of casualties. Eddy because promotion in it was mor ton's Third Army. Showing "tactical deftness," stands out as one of the most reliable and battle. he played a major role in the rapid advance of tested army commanders in the European thea- peacetime. Considered to have tential, he was assigned in 1925 the Third Army across France to the Siegfried ter. He died at Fort Benning, Ga. mand and General Staff School a Line, the Lorraine campaign, the crossing of the worth, Kans.; he completed th Rhine River, and the drive into the heartland of [Sources in the series U.S. Army in World War II distinction in 1926 and remained Germany. Eventually the months of combat include Martin Blumenson, Breakout and Pursuit tor until 1929, when he enrolle strain exacted their toll, and in April 1945 illness (1961); Hugh M. Cole, The Lorraine Campaign War College. After graduating forced Eddy to return to the United States. (1950) and The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge (1965); Gordon Harrison, Cross-Channel Attack (1951); spent a year on duty at the Wa In 1946-1947, following his recovery, Eddy George F. Howe, Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initia- followed by three years as adju served successively as commander of the Third tive in the West (1957); Charles B. MacDonald, The West Point. Promoted to lieute Service Command, deputy commander of the Last Offensive (1973); and Howard M. Smyth and 1934, Eichelberger was detailed Second Army, and chief of information in the Albert N. Garland, Sicily and the Surrender of Italy partment in 1935 as secretary Office of the Chief of Staff. In 1948 he was (1965). See also Omar Bradley, A Soldier's Story Staff. In this capacity he impres named commandant of the Command and (1951); George Dyer, XII Corps: Spearhead of Pat- sive chiefs of staff: Generals D General Staff College and director of the Army ton's Third Army (1947); George S. Patton, War as thur and Malin Craig. The latte Educational System. In these positions he over- Knew It (1947); and Ernie Pyle, Brave Men (1944). that he should be in the field in saw major changes in the curriculum and teach- An obituary is in New York Times, Apr. 11, 1962.] in 1937 Eichelberger transferr ing methods at Fort Leavenworth and the rees- JOHN KENNEDY OHL infantry. tablishment of the Army War College. In June Promoted to (temporary) brig 1950, Eddy was appointed deputy commander EICHELBERGER, ROBERT LAW- 1940 and named superintenden in chief of the European Command and six RENCE (Mar. 9, 1886-Sept. 26, 1961), army Eichelberger requested a field C months later was given command of the reac- officer, was born in Urbana, Ohio, the son of after Pearl Harbor. He was put tivated Seventh Army. After two years in this George Maley Eichelberger, an attorney, and of Seventy-seventh Infantry D post he was named commander in chief of the Emma Ring. He grew up on a farm near Ur- berger's success in training th U.S. Armed Forces in Europe. During this stint bana, and after graduating from Urbana High nized division led to his elevatic he superintended the buildup of a force of more School, entered Ohio State University in 1903. of I Corps, which he was to lea than 200,000 for the North Atlantic Treaty Or- Two years later he left to attend the United invasion of French North A ganization. Eddy retired in 1953 with the rank States Military Academy, from which he gradu- the need arose for a capable C of lieutenant general and returned to Colum- ated in 1909. in the Southwest Pacific in Aug bus, Ga., where he was involved in business and Assigned as a second lieutenant to the Tenth berger and his staff were orde civic affairs. Infantry Regiment at Fort Benjamin Harrison, In late November, some th Eddy's military reputation rests upon his ser- Ind., Eichelberger stayed with the regiment his arrival in Australia, Eiche vice during World War II. A burly, amiable when it was transferred to San Antonio and moned to the headquarters ( man who looked more like a teacher than a then to the Panama Canal Zone in 1911. While Pacific's commanding officer, soldier, he was never a "dugout" general. Orga- in Panama he met Emma Gudger, whom he MacArthur, and told that an t nizing his headquarters in a fashion that resem- married on Apr. 3, 1913; they had no children. was bogged down in a bitter bled the German practice, he kept his deputy After returning to the United States in 1915, Buna, on the north coast commander at the command post to make Eichelberger undertook various assignments be- Guinea. Alarmed at the d emergency decisions and supervise the staff, SO fore being named operations officer of the among the disease-ridden troc that he would be free to be "right up at the front Eighth Division in July 1918. Several thousand thur, in oft-quoted words, i where it was hot." He was awarded the Distin- of the division's fittest men, Eichelberger berger to take command of guished Service Cross for "repeated acts" of among them, were soon ordered to Vladivostok Buna (Australian forces also F extraordinary heroism" during the capture of to protect American interests in Siberia during there) and seize it, or "don't Cherbourg from the Germans in June 1944, and the Russian Civil War. Already a (temporary) Eichelberger's forces had the by the end of the war he had earned four of the major under the accelerated system of promo- hand by the start of January five highest American decorations for bravery. tion in effect during wartime, Eichelberger war's first offensive victory Notwithstanding his personal bravery, Eddy was served as assistant chief of staff and subse- ground forces. His energetic a cautious commander. He performed classic quently as chief intelligence officer for General known as a model for succe maneuvers and, as General Omar Bradley, one William S. Graves, commander of the troops. the corps level and was stud of his wartime superiors, recalled, counted "his With the termination of the American inter- curriculum at Leavenworth. steps carefully before he took them." They usu- vention in 1920, he remained in military intelli- Despite his success at Bun ally took the form of sweeping, well-prepared gence, traveling extensively in Japan and China unable to get another comba end runs around the flanks of the enemy rather before returning to the United States in 1921. year; an officer senior to than frontal attacks. Eddy's conservatism often During the next two decades Eichelberger commands he desired. MacA irritated the hard-driving Patton, but the men held desk jobs in intelligence and later in the chelberger to training duties 214