| Korvessa | 19 Jan 2013 10:45 a.m. PST |
During the ACW quite often generals came out of nowhere because the size of the army increased so much "overnight" as it were. Sometimes later as well (Custer going from captain to general in one day for instance). Did this sort of thing happen in WWII?
Winters (of band of brothers fame) seems to have gone from 1Lt to major in about six months. But there must have been some general officers that came out of no where. |
| MAD MIKE | 19 Jan 2013 11:07 a.m. PST |
Well Eisehhower comes to mind. If I recall he was a Major in 1940. Also most of the Canadian Divisional and Corps commanders in the later war started off the war as Captains and Majors (some in the Reserves). |
| Broglie | 19 Jan 2013 12:06 p.m. PST |
Pétain was a colonel in 1914 and Marshal of France in 1918. Nivelle was also a colonel in 1914 |
| flooglestreet | 19 Jan 2013 1:41 p.m. PST |
Well Eisehhower comes to mind. If I recall he was a Major in 1940. Eisenhower had also made a bad name for himself by saying good things about tanks. 1940 bore him out. He did have Marshall's attention, as well as other patrons. |
| Griefbringer | 19 Jan 2013 2:21 p.m. PST |
Also most of the Canadian Divisional and Corps commanders in the later war started off the war as Captains and Majors (some in the Reserves). Guy Simonds seems to have held the rank of a major at the beginning of the war, but gained quite a lot of promotions during the war: link |
| Jamesonsafari | 19 Jan 2013 4:30 p.m. PST |
Didn't junior officers used to make toasts to a "Bloody campaign" implying lots of casualties would make room for rapid advancement? |
| MAD MIKE | 19 Jan 2013 5:44 p.m. PST |
Royal Navies had the toast "A bloody war or a sickly season" among others. link |
| tuscaloosa | 19 Jan 2013 10:21 p.m. PST |
USAF Brigadier General Frederick Castle: Captain 1942, Colonel, 1943, General 1944 (age 36). The Wehrmacht had General Erich Bärenfänger – Lieutenant 1939, Major General 1945 (age 30!). Mark Clark, promoted to full General at age 49. US Army pilot Buzz Wagner, Lt Colonel at age 26. |
| number4 | 19 Jan 2013 10:39 p.m. PST |
Ira Eaker – a squadron commander in 1940, a Lt. General in 1943 |
| zippyfusenet | 20 Jan 2013 7:56 a.m. PST |
They made my late father-in-law Captain of a sea-going vessel (an LST) after a crash training course in 1942. He had no previous military, command or maritime experience. He had a bachelor's degree in Education. He had been a high-school teacher. |
| Monophagos | 20 Jan 2013 6:36 p.m. PST |
Barenfanger = Bear-Catcher, great name for a general!
Ranks up there with Pine-Coffin… |
| Martin Rapier | 21 Jan 2013 9:27 a.m. PST |
Rapid promotion was common in all the armies which expanded rapidly so Major Allan Adair in 1939 but ended the war as a Major General. Similarly Lt Colonel Bucknall in 1939 was a Lt General in 1944. William Gott went from Lt Colonel to Major General in two years and he was promoted Lt General in early 1942 and ws due to take over comand of Eight Army in August 1942 when he was killed. Percy Hobart of course went from being a Lance Corporal in 1940 to Major General in 1941 when he was recalled from retirement:) |
 Legion 4  | 21 Jan 2013 10:27 a.m. PST |
General Gavin of the 82d ABN was 32 years old at the time of the jump into Holland in the fall '44 … |
looks at some new terrain products, which use space age technology!