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The United States Third Army



THE THIRD ARMY

1918 - 1941 -- The Early Years

The Third Army was officially created on the 15th of November, 1918, four days after the First World War Armistice was signed in Europe. It was moved from Ligny-En-Barrios, France to Koblenz, Germany where it was officially the American's army of occupation. On the 2nd of July, the Third Army was deactivated and it's units and personnel were renamed to American Forces Germany.

The Third Army's job in Europe after World War I helped to create the design of it's shoulder patch. The patch is a white A on a round, blue background with a red circle around the A. The meaning of the patch was originally Army (white A) of Occupation (red O).

Thirteen years later, in 1932, the Army reorganized it's forces within the continental United States. There were only 48 states at that time, Hawaii and Alaska being added in the late 1950's.

This reorganization divided the United States into four sections with one army in each section. Third Army was located in the Southeast section. It's headquarters alternated between Atlanta, Georgia and Fort Sam Houston, Texas.




























1941 - 1943 -- Lt. Gen. Walter Kreuger

From 1941 until 1943, the Third Army was commanded by Lieutenant General Walter Kreuger. General Kreuger made the Third Army the best training army in the United States. He was born in Germany and was only a child when his parents brought him to America, the land of opportunity. He had seen army life from both sides of command. He had served several years in the enlisted ranks as a doughboy before he was given an officer's commission in 1901. He had combat experience in World War I and he was known as an officer who was fair with his men even though he was tough on them.

Kreuger had in his Third Army two men who would become famous in World War II. One of these men was his Chief of Staff, a new brigadier general, named Dwight D. Eisenhower. General Eisenhower would later be elected to two terms as President of the United States. The other man was a flamboyant cavalry major general who was the leader of Kreuger's Hell On Wheels 2nd Armored Division. His name was George S. Patton, Jr.

Although Kreuger did a fine job of training troops, he really wanted a combat command. One problem in his way was his age. He was sixty-four, one year away from the mandatory age of retirement. Luckily, an old friend of his came to his aid. General Douglas MacArthur, Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces, personally requested that Kreuger be given command of the Sixth Army. In January of 1943, Kreuger reported to MacArthur and took command of his new army.



























1943 - 1944 -- Lt. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges

Lieutenant General Courtney H. Hodges commanded the Third Army from 1943 until 1944. Like Kreuger, Hodges had been an enlisted man before he had received a commission as an officer. He had combat experience as an Infantry Battalion Commander during World War I. Hodges, like both Eisenhower and Patton, had also served under Kreuger's command at Third Army. By the year 1940, he had gained the status of Chief of Infantry when the Department of the Army decided to reorganize the entire United States army. After the reorganization, the office of Chief of Infantry had been abolished so Hodges was given command of a corps in Kreuger's Third Army. After Kreuger left for the Pacific Theater of Operations, Hodges was made commanding general of the Third Army.

Unfortunately, Hodges was not as much interested in training and maneuvers as General Kreuger was. He left much of his duties to his subordinates, especially his Chief of Staff.

Hodges did not keep a firm hand on policies or decisions. He left most of the administrative duties to his Chief of Staff. Because of this situation, the Chief of Staff actually became the commanding general of the Third Army. Because of the power of the Chief of Staff and his abrasive personality, there were some sore feelings among the rest of the general's staff. It was most probably this demonstrated lack of command ability which caused Hodges to be removed from command of the Third Army.

It was during Hodges period of command that the Third Army trained the first three Negro divisions in the United States Army; the 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions and the 2nd Cavalry Division.

Officially, the Third Army was changed from a training army to a combat army on December 31, 1943.




























1944 - 1945 -- Gen. George S. Patton, Jr.

It was under the command of General Patton that the Third Army saw it's only period of actual combat.

On New Year's Eve 1943, the Third Army was put on alert for overseas movement. They would travel to England where they would train for participation in the coming European invasions.

When the staff of the Third Army docked at Glasgow, Scotland, they were met by their new commanding general, Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr. He explained to them, "I'm your new commander. I'm glad to meet you. I hope it's mutual. There's a lot of work to be done and there's little time to do it. There's a special train waiting on the dock to take you to our Command Post. We will leave in one hour."

In nine months and eight days of fighting, the Third Army compiled a great record. Not only did the Third Army astonish the world, but it's deeds, in terms of statistics, challenged the imagination. The Third Army gave a new meaning to fluid warfare. The Third had only one general order from Patton; "Seek out the enemy, trap him, and destroy him."




The United States 
Third Army Commanders


Nov 7, 1918 - Apr 19, 1919 Commander MG Joseph T. Dickman

Apr 20, 1919 - Jul 2, 1919 Commander LTG Hunter Liggett

Sep 15, 1932 - Sep 30, 1933 Commander MG Edwin B. Winans

Oct 4, 1933 - Feb 27, 1936 Commander MG Johnson Hagood

Apr 4. 1936 - Sep 30, 1936 Commander MG Frank Parker

Oct 1, 1936 - Sep 30, 1938 Commander MG George Van Horn Moseley

Oct 1, 1938 - Sep 30, 1940 Commander MG Stanley D. Emdick

Oct 1, 1940 - May 15, 1941 Commander LTG Herbert J. Brees

May 16, 1941 - Feb 2, 1943 Commander LTG Walter Kreuger

Feb 16, 1943 - Jan 25, 1944 Commander LTG Courtney H. Hodges

Jan 26, 1944 - Oct 7, 1945 Commander GEN George S. Patton, Jr.

Oct 8, 1945 - Apr 15, 1946 Commander LTG Lucien K. Truscott, Jr.

Apr 16, 1946 - Jan 9, 1947 Commander LTG Geoffrey Keyes

Jan 10, 1947 - Mar 14, 1947 Commander MG Ernest N. Harmon

Mar 15, 1947 - Apr 14, 1947 Commander LTG Oscar W. Griswold

Apr 15. 1947 - Jun 18, 1947 Commander LTG Edward H. Brooks*

Jun 19, 1947 - Aug 31, 1950 Commander LTG Alvan C. Gillem, Jr.

Sep 1, 1950 - May 7, 1952 Commander LTG John R. Hodge

May 8, 1952 - Aug 21, 1952 Commander MG William A. Beiderlinden*

Aug 22, 1952 - Jul 31, 1955 Commander LTG Alexander R. Bolling

Aug 1, 1955 - Apr 30, 1958 Commander LTG Thomas F. Hickey

May 1, 1958 - Feb 17, 1960 Commander LTG Clark L. Ruffner

Feb 18, 1960 - Mar 4, 1960 Commander LTG Robert F. Sink*

Mar 5, 1960 - Sep 30, 1960 Commander LTG Herbert B. Powell

Oct 1, 1960 - Oct 16, 1960 Commander LTG Thomas J. H. Trapnell*

Oct 17, 1960 - Oct 2, 1961 Commander LTG Paul D. Adams

Oct 3. 1961 - Nov 30, 1962 Commander LTG Thomas J. H. Trapnell

Dec 1, 1962 - Feb 1, 1963 Commander LTG Hamilton H. Howze*

Feb 2, 1963 - Jul 15, 1964 Commander LTG Albert Watson, II

Jul 16, 1964 - Jul, 31 1964 Commander LTG John W. Bowen*

Aug 1, 1964 - Jun 23, 1965 Commander LTG Charles W. G. Rich

Jun 24, 1965 - Jul 14, 1965 Commander MG William C. Bullock*

Jul 15, 1965 - Jul 31, 1967 Commander LTG Louis W. Truman

Aug 1, 1967 - Jul 31, 1969 Commander LTG John L. Throckmorton

Aug 1, 1969 - Jun 19, 1972 Commander LTG Albert O. Connor

20 Jun 1972 - 14 Jun 1973 Commander LTG Melvin Zais

Jun 15, 1973 - Jun 30, 1973 Commander LTG John H. Hay*

Jul 1, 1973 - Oct 1, 1973 Commander MG Warren K. Bennet

*Denotes Acting Commander



After the Third Army's return to the continental United States, it resumed it's pre-war role of a training army.

Eventually, the Third Army was phased out of existence. In 1947, the Third Army returned to the United States and occupied the military installation which is today Fort McPherson, located in Georgia. In 1973 the Third Army was inactivated, the official date being 1 October, 1973.

Source Material -
Charles M. Province
Third Army After-Action Report, United States Army, 1945