Army & Navy – COMMAND: The Generals

Outside of Washington there are few U.S. civilians who have seen many Army officers with stars on their shoulders. Nevertheless there is a popular impression that 1) the U.S. Army has a lot of generals, 2) they are much younger than the ones in the last war, 3) they are all West Pointers.

Last week the Army took a statistical look at its general officers which showed that two of these popular notions were vulgar errors.

> On Oct. 1, there were 1,100 general officers for an army totaling 7,300,000. This is about ten times as many generals as in June 1940; the Army has since grown almost 30 times as big. The June 1940 ratio of generals to lower ranks was 1 to 2,558. The present ratio is 1 to 6,636.*

> The youthful look of present-day generals is due to their soldierly contours. Average age of the Army’s generals (excluding retired officers returned to active duty) is 51. Average age of generals appointed from line branches of the Regular Army in World War I (as of Nov. 11, 1918) was 51 and one month.

> Attendance at West Point is a useful, but not necessary, requirement for promotion to star rank. Of the 971 general officers appointed from Regular Army Promotion List Branches (excluding retired officers on active duty) in this war, 437 (about 45%) are graduates of the Military Academy. Fifteen present-day generals are Annapolis men. (Example: Major General Lewis H. Brereton, Air Forces commander overseas.)

Merited Promotion. The Army’s new census of its generals shows the wholesome effect of promotion by merit rather than by seniority. Fifteen of the general officers on active duty are less than 40. Some notable exceptions to seniority:

>Youngest general Edward J. Timberlake Jr., who was still 33 when promoted to brigadier for outstanding combat duty with the Air Forces overseas.

> Brigadier General Dean C. Strother, 35, promoted for work with a fighter command in the South Pacific.

> Brigadier General James M. Gavin, 36, who entered West Point from the ranks of the Regular Army, is now in combat with an infantry division overseas.

>Brigadier General Garrison H. Davidson, 39, famed onetime West Point footballer and coach promoted for outstanding work overseas with the engineers.

Varied Sources. This war’s generals come from varied beginnings: from the Reserve, from the National Guard, from civil life. Major General James H. Doolittle, commanding general of the Allied Strategic Air Force in Northwest Africa, was a professional soldier, resigned in 1930 and returned to duty from the Reserve. Brigadier General Hanford MacNider, on duty in the Southwest Pacific, was a Reserve officer. So was Brigadier General Julius Ochs Adler, vice president and general manager of the New York Times, now an assistant division commander overseas.

Many commanders of bases, divisions and brigades, in the U.S. and overseas, are major and brigadier generals who came in from the National Guard. Some wearers of the stars were mustered directly from civil life for their special abilities.

Lieut. General William S. Knudsen. Director of Production in the Office of the Under Secretary of War, was president of General Motors. Brigadier General Cyrus R. Smith of the Air Transport Command was president of American Airlines. Brigadier General Thomas B. Wilson, now chief of transport in an overseas theater, was chairman of Transcontinental & Western Air.

Brigadier General John Franklin, Chief of the Water Division, Office of Chief of Transportation, was president of the U.S. Lines. Major General William H. Harrison, Deputy Chief Signal Officer, was engineering vice president of American Telephone & Telegraph Co. Brigadier General Carl R. Gray Jr., Director General of the North African military railroads, was executive vice president of Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway.

Modern Standards. When General John J. Pershing inspected the French and British troops in World War I, he found few division commanders over 45, or brigadiers over 40. In July 1917, Pershing sent a blunt cable to the War Department: “Only officers in full mental and physical vigor should be sent here. Contrary course means certain inefficiency in our service. . . . Strongly” recommend condition be fully considered in making high appointments.”

This year General George C. Marshall, in his report to the Secretary of War, reaffirmed Pershing’s principles. Said the Chief of Staff: “Our generals . . . are selected from men who have measured up to the highest standards of military skill, who have demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of modern methods of warfare, and who possess the physical stamina, moral courage, strength of character, and flexibility of mind necessary to carry the burdens which modern combat conditions impose.”

* The Germans have one general to 3,000 airmen, or 5,000 ground troops. The Japs have one general for 1,860 air, 2,400 ground troops.