An Army at Dawn (100 page)

Giraud was intrepid
: Sept. 19, 1942, NARA RG 331, AFHQ micro, R-78-D (
“Surrounded”
); Brown,
The Last Hero,
240; Davis,
Dwight D. Eisenhower,
346 (“Allez, mes enfants!”); David Hunt,
A Don at War,
154; Murphy, 180 (
porcelain cat
); Macmillan,
War Diaries,
68 (“
so stately
”), 71; Butcher diary, DDE Lib, A-221 (“
Papa Snooks
”).

The general’s greatest genius
: Beaufre, 1197; G. Ward Price,
Giraud and the African Scene,
45.

Now he was in
: Clark,
Calculated Risk
, 96-98; Eisenhower,
Crusade in Europe,
100; GCM to DDE, Nov. 1 and 6, 1942, NARA RG 492, MTOUSA, box 1388 (
10 million francs
); Binder, 97; Morison,
Operations in North African Waters,
186; Davis,
Dwight D. Eisenhower,
357; DDE to GCM, Oct. 29, 1942, Chandler, vol. I, 640;
Three Years,
171 (“
Old gentleman
”); DDE to GCM, Nov. 7, 1942, Chandler, 668 (“
I’m weary
”).

Dinner at Government House
: Murphy, 180; Tompkins, 112;
Three Years,
171 (“
We would like
”).

Giraud took his leave
: Ambrose,
Eisenhower,
203 (“
airplane accident
”); S. W. Roskill,
The War at Sea, 1939–1945,
vol. II, 320; John S. D. Eisenhower,
Allies
, 176 (
a few moments of meditation
); Pack,
Invasion North Africa,
26; Davis,
Dwight D. Eisenhower,
354; DDE to GCM, Oct. 29, 1942, Chandler, vol. I, 642 (
“I fear nothing”
); DDE to GCM, Oct. 20, 1942, Chandler, vol. I, 628 (
“To a certain extent”
).

CHAPTER 2: LANDING

“In the Night, All Cats Are Grey”

Two hundred and thirty
: “History of Third Port, TC,” NARA RG 407, 270/64/28/7, 10; Powell,
In Barbary,
322.

The plan was British
: RESERVIST planning memo, Aug. 17, 1942, NARA RG 94, special file, 6–8. 1311/42; Churchill,
The Hinge of Fate,
534 (
“in the night, all cats”
); AAR, n.d., “Reservist” file, SM, MHI.

To command RESERVIST
: John Laffin,
British VCs of World War 2,
25; Leo Disher, “HMS
Walney,”
in John A. Parris, Jr., and Ned Russell,
Springboard to Berlin,
93 (
“Rain, darkness”
), 102 (
“the opportunity I have been waiting for”
). Disher’s firsthand account is brilliant.

Peters worried the Americans
: Richard Lamb,
Churchill As War Leader,
172 (
“showed how a frontal assault”
); Susan H. Godson,
Viking of Assault: Admiral John Lesslie Hall, Jr., and Amphibious Warfare,
9; Fergusson, 182 (
“defenders must be drenched”
); Field order #1, Oct. 11, 1942, 26th Inf, MRC FDM; MWC, “Memorandum to General Eisenhower,” Oct. 13, 1942, DDE, PP-pres, box 153 (
“a Trojan horse”
); Roskill, 327.

Convinced that Peters planned
: AAR, NARA RG 407, “Special Files,” box 24486; A. C. Bennett to CINC U.S. Fleet, Nov. 30, 1942, NARA RG 38, OCNO, box 786.

Another American admiral
: “Reminiscences of Vice Adm. Bernhard H. Bieri,” 1997, USNI OHD, 112 (
“I can’t take your advice”
); Paul McDonald Robinett,
Armor Command,
32; MWC, “Memorandum to General Eisenhower,” Oct. 13, 1942, DDE, PP-pres, box 153 (
“If these craft”
); unmailed letter, OW to PMR, n.d., OW, MHI.

The honor of storming
: “Historical and Pictorial Review,” 6th Inf yearbook, 1941, MHI; Howze, OH, Gugeler, Aug. 1976, OW, MHI (
“finest assignment”
).

The overloaded cutters
: Disher, in Parris and Russell, 102, 109 (
“without firing a shot”
); memo, Leland L. Rounds to William Donovan, July 13, 1944, “Torch Report,” NARA RG 226, E 99, OSS files, box 40; L. L. Rounds, OH, Oct. 21, 1948, SM, MHI; Anthony Cave Brown, ed.,
The Secret War Report of the OSS,
145; “Awards of Medals for Gallantry During Attack on Oran Harbour,” Admiralty AAR, PRO, 1/11915.

At one minute
: AAR, Wallace Moseley, RN, Nov. 17, 1942, NARA RG 38, OCNO, CINCLANT, box 2; Disher, in Parris and Russell, 111; Marvin P. Clemons, ASEQ, 1st AD, MHI (
former coal mine brakeman
).

Peters, Duncan, and fifteen
:
Walney
account: AAR, T. H. Troubridge, RN, Nov. 13, 1942, NARA RG 407, special file, 6–8. 1311/42; AAR, Wallace Moseley, RN, Nov. 17, 1942, NARA RG 38, OCNO, CINCLANT, box 2; AAR, RN, n.d., SM, MHI; Disher, in Parris and Russell, 93–125; Pack,
Invasion North Africa, 1942,
87; AAR, RN, “Assault on Oran,” Dec. 27, 1942, NARA RG 331, AFHQ micro, R-16-A; David Rame,
Road to Tunis,
61–62 (
“wire through cheese”
);
NWAf,
203;
Destruction,
148.

Hartland
fared
:
Hartland
account: AAR, John M. Gill, USN, “Operations of U.S. Naval Forces, Center Task Force,” Nov. 30, 1942, NARA RG 38, OCNO, box 786; “Awards of Medals for Gallantry During Attack on Oran Harbour,” Admiralty, PRO, 1/11915.

A mile to the west
: Ernie Pyle,
Here Is Your War,
22 (
“Them dead men”
); Disher, in Parris and Russell, 123; memo, E. B. Howard to DDE, Nov. 18, 1942, NARA RG 407, E 427, box 3165.

Men paddled
: “Awards of Medals for Gallantry,” Admiralty, PRO, 1/11915; AAR, Gill; AAR, G. D. Dickey, USN, “Operations of U.S. Naval Forces, Center Task Force,” Nov. 30, 1942, NARA RG 38, OCNO, box 786; Paul Auphan and Jacques Moral,
The French Navy in World War II,
226.

French marines rounded up
: “History of 3rd Battalion, 6th Armored Infantry,” NARA RG 407; AAR, Wallace D. Moseley, RN, Admiralty, PRO, 1/11915; AAR, Gill; Auphan and Moral, 226–27; AAR, A. B. Cunningham, RN, “Operation TORCH—Report of Proceedings,” March 30, 1943;
NWAf,
204; AAR, RN, n.d., SM, MHI (
“contributed to the half-hearted manner”
); DDE to B. B. Somervell, Nov. 18, 1942, NARA RG 492, MTOUSA, records of special staff, box 1381; Edward Ellsberg,
No Banners, No Bugles,
49, 71, 133.

Corpses bobbed
: Andrew T. McNamara,
Quartermaster Activities of II Corps,
28; William A. Carter, “Carter’s War,” ts, 1983, CEOH, III-8; William F. Powers, OH, Herbert Hart, Aug. 1985, CEOH; John G. Rosta, OH, G. Kurt Piehler and Mark Rybak, ROHA, 1997; memo, II Corps QM, Nov. 30, 1942, NARA RG 331, AFHQ micro, R-73-D.

Ostensibly to avoid
: memo, A.B. Cunningham, Dec. 18, 1942, Admiralty 1/11915, PRO (
“silence is the best policy”
); Rame, 60 (
hatless buccaneer
); Laffin, 26; “Reminiscences of Rear Adm. George W. Bauernschmidt,” 1991, USNI OHD (
pilotage fees
).

Eisenhower eventually accepted
: Butcher diary, DDE Lib, A-174; A. J. Redway, “Admiral Jerauld Wright,” ts, 1995, NHC, 269; “Reminiscences of Vice Adm. Bernhard H. Bieri,” 1997, USNI OHD (
“going to get that fellow”
); diary, Nov. 15, 1942, OW, MHI; Gugeler, OW, MHI, x-35.

In Barbary

Faint odors
: John P. Downing,
At War with the British,
68; H. R. Knickerbocker et al.,
Danger Forward,
38 (
“sumptuous as a condemned man’s”
);
NWAf,
192–93; “History of the 26th Infantry in the Present Struggle,” part IV, n.d., MRC FDM; Bill Sabin, “The Loves and Lives of 13008634,” ts, UT-K, MS-1881, box 20, 9 (
“Sure I’m scared”
); Rame, 7 (
“Looks as if”
).

Under the plan
:
NWAf,
192–93. (Many U.S. Army units in North Africa were organized into regimental combat teams and battalion combat teams, usually by adding engineers and other support units to the infantry or armored core. At the risk of oversimplification, I generally retain the traditional regimental and battalion nomenclature.)

The largest contingent
: James J. Altieri, “Darby’s Rangers: An Illustrated Portrayal of the Original Rangers,” 1977, Louis F. Lisko Papers, Rangers, ASEQ, MHI; David W. Hogan, Jr.,
Raiders or Elite Infantry?
18; Milton Lehman, “The Rangers Fought Ahead of Everybody,”
Saturday Evening Post,
July 15, 1946, 15; James Altieri,
The Spearheaders,
122 (
“Be bloody thankful”
).

Two companies
: William O. Darby and W.H. Dammer, “U.S. Rangers,” lecture, Oct. 27, 1944, Army and Navy Staff College; Anders Kjar Arnbal,
The Barrel-Land Dance Hall Rangers,
11; “Reminiscences of Walter C. W. Ansel,” 1972, USNI OHD, 3–111 (
“For King and country!”
); Altieri,
The Spearheaders,
129; Darby,
Darby’s Rangers,
19–21; Jerome Joseph Haggerty, “A History of the Ranger Battalions in World War II,” 115; Knickerbocker et al., 45 (
The mayor of Arzew
); Ramsey, 30.

On the weather deck
: Stanley J. Grogan, “Memorandum for Mr. McCloy,” n.d., NARA RG 165, E 418, Director of Plans and Ops, box 1228; A. J. Liebling, “Find ’Em, Fix ’Em, and Fight ’Em,”
New Yorker,
Apr. 24, 1943, 221; C. M. Eymer, ts, MRC FDM, Allen 1989.124, box 392; Consuelo Allen, author interview, Sept. 21, 2000; Knickerbocker et al., 38.

Terry de la Mesa Allen
: William Frye, “‘Terrible Terry’ of the 1st Division Is Getting Tougher as He Goes Along,”
Kansas City Star,
June 17, 1943 (
name swaggered
); Franklyn A. Johnson,
One More Hill,
9; Robert John Rogers, “A Study of Leadership in the First Infantry Division During World War II,” master’s thesis, 1965, 8; Thomas W. Dixon, “Terry Allen,”
Army,
Apr. 1978, 57.

The drowsy interwar years
: obituary,
New York Times,
Sept. 13, 1969 (
“the fightingest man”
); “How Major Allen Beat Cowboy Champ in 300-Mile Race,”
Brooklyn Daily Eagle,
Dec. 31, 1922;
San Antonio Light,
Jan. 20, 1952.

Less successful
: Rogers, “A Study of Leadership,” 8 (
“most indifferent student”
); Terry de la Mesa Allen Papers, MS 307, S.L.A. Marshall Military History Collection, UTEP; “Gen. Marshall Smashing Army’s Caste System in Quest for Best Leaders,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
Dec. 19, 1940.

With war, the rioters
: Robert A. Hewitt, SOOHP, Earl D. Bevan, 1982, MHI (
kept a list in a safe
); Robert W. Porter, Jr., SOOHP, John N. Sloan, 1981, MHI; “Gen. Marshall Smashing Army’s Caste System in Quest for Best Leaders,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
Dec. 19, 1940.

After receiving
: C.M. Eymer, ts, MRC FDM, Allen 1989.124, box 392; Stanhope Brasfield Mason, “Reminiscences and Anecdotes of World War II,” 1988, ts, MRC FDM; GCM to TdA, July 30, 1942, GCM Papers, Pentagon office corr, GCM Lib, box 56, folder 17 (
“Be on your guard”
); DDE to TdA, “Morals and Conduct,” Oct. 10, 1942, AFHQ micro, R-73-D, box 115 (
a tart memorandum
).

Proud, self-absorbed
: Downing, 51; Porter, SOOHP, MHI (
“You should forget”
); letter, TdA to Mary Frances, Oct. 23, 1942, TdA, MHI.

Chaos awaited him
: Ford, 6; Stephen V. Ralph, “The Operations of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry in the Invasion of North Africa,” 1947, MRC FDM, 13; AAR, “Naval Commander Centre Task Force, Operation TORCH,” Dec. 27, 1942, NARA AFHQ micro, RN Operations, R 16-A; Howe,
The Battle History of the 1st Armored Division,
32; MacCloskey, 83 (
“Men, this is what”
).

Linguists holding bullhorns
: Mason, 26; Knickerbocker et al., 24–25; John K. Waters, SOOHP, William C. Parnell III, 1980, MHI, 166 (
“Okay, boys”
).

Some fired
: Derrill M. Daniel, “Landings at Oran, Gela and Omaha Beaches,” 1947, Armed Forces Staff College, 9 (
“They’re not shooting”
); Gerald Astor,
The Greatest War,
259 (
“half the grapevines”
); Ralph, 15 (
fled down the road
).

Confusion and error
: Malcolm Marshall, ed.,
Proud Americans of World War II,
24 (
“Tank coming!”
); Paul K. Skogsberg, “The North African Campaigns,” ASEQ, 1st Reconnaissance Troop, MHI, 21 (
ran him through
); Abbott, 28 (
“Everything’s all right”
); Parris and Russell, 87 (
“The French die hard”
).

Terry Allen had seen worse
: Liebling, “Find ’Em, Fix ’Em, and Fight ’Em,” 221; letter, TdA to Associated Press, July 23, 1947, TdA, MHI (
“a mountebank”
); “Peppery General, Well Known Here, Changes His Branch of Service in New Assignment of Duty,”
Kansas City Star,
Jan. 4, 1942; Frye, “Terrible Terry,”
Kansas City Star,
June 17, 1943 (
“A soldier doesn’t fight”
).

Using a flashlight
: Henry C. Wolfe, AAR, “Pre-Invasion Planning,” Dec. 1942, NARA RG 407, E 427, box 24348; Frye, “Terrible Terry” (
“I believe”
); Knickerbocker et al., 45.

At Beach Y
: George Juskalian, author interview, Feb. 25, 2000; TR to Eleanor, Nov. 11, 1942, TR, LOC.