Word Celebrity Blog

In the United States there have been various names, at various times, that have been used in referring a particular segment of our American population. Some of the most common (and non-derogatory) have been: negro, colored, black, and African American. Many of this population prefer one or two descriptions over the other.  It is my opinion, that most Americans in this group prefer to be referred to as "black". Because of this, when I am writing about these Americans, I will refer to them as black Americans or black soldiers unless I am using a quote by someone else.

Today, the U.S. Army is among America's most successfully integrated institutions, with black officers at the highest level. But in 1944, racism in the army was astonishingly crude, nd a government sanctioned policy.

"The military had become an extension of the Southern political system because of the close ties to Southern Congressmen who controlled military appropriations, and because a large number of the senior white officers in the Army were southernors," former 92nd Infantry Captain Dennette A. Harrod, Sr., recalled in a 1992 speech at the U.S. Army War College.

If black soldiers were wounded in action and required emergency blood transfusions, only the plasma of other black soldiers could be used to save their lives.

The segregated units in which the majority of black enlistees served were commanded by whites, many of whom regarded their men with contempt and limited them to duty as grave-diggers or mess hall workers.

If a black unit was under-strength, white G.I.s could not be sent to reinforce it. When the 92nd division was so depleted by losses that it could no longer be sent into combat, it was combined with the all-Japanese-American 442nd Infantry Regiment in what was dismissively referred to as "the Rainbow Division."

Dark-skinned Puerto-Rican inductees were assigned to the 92nd Infantry Division. Lighter skin Puerto Ricans, sometimes from the same families, were assigned to white units.


The 92nd Infantry Division














The 92nd Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. Organized in October 1917 at Camp Funston, Kansas, the unit was formed with black American soldiers from all states. Before leaving for France in 1918, the buffalo was selected as the divisional insignia due to the Buffalo Soldiers nickname, given to black American cavalrymen by Native Americans in the 19th century. The "Buffalo Soldiers Division" nickname was inherited from the 367th Infantry, one of the first units of the division organized. This segregated unit was the only black American infantry division to see combat in Europe during WWII, as part of the 5th Army. It served in the Italian Campaign from 1944 to the war's end.
















World War I

    * Activated: October 1917.
    * Overseas: 18 July 1918.
    * Major Operations: Meuse-Argonne less field artillery.
    * Casualties: Total: 1,647 (KIA: 120; WIA: 1,527).
    * Commanders:
      Maj. Gen. Charles C. Ballou (29 October 1917),
      Maj. Gen. Charles Henry Martin (19 November 1918),
      Brig. Gen. James B. Erwin (16 December 1918).
    * Returned to U S. and deactivated: February 1919.

As would be the case with the 93rd Infantry Division, parts of the 92nd would serve under and alongside the French Army after both the main American Expeditionary Force (AEF) and the British Army refused to have African-American soldiers serve in combat under them.

The 92nd was an all-National Army unit formed from black draftees mostly led by inexperienced black junior officers fresh out of training and commanded by indifferent white officers. They were a green and untried unit that was not allowed to maneuver as a division before they were committed to the line.

Unlike the 93rd, the 92nd would fight as a whole under American command. The division saw combat in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Their poor showing was more due to brittle morale and poor handling by their white superiors than any real failings. As a result, the division received a bad reputation that further damaged morale.


Units

92nd Division (1917–1919)
    * 92nd Division Headquarters Troop
    * Support Units
          o 317th Engineer Regiment
          o 317th Signals Battalion
          o 349th MG Battalion
    * 183rd Brigade (Infantry)
          o 365th Infantry Regiment
          o 366th Infantry Regiment
          o 350th MG Battalion
    * 184rd Brigade (Infantry)
          o 367th Infantry Regiment
          o 368th Infantry Regiment
          o 351st MG Battalion
    * 167th Brigade (Field Artillery)
          o 349th Field Artillery Regiment
          o 350th Field Artillery Regiment
          o 351st Field Artillery Regiment
          o 317th Trench Mortar Battery


World War II

Units

92nd Division (1942–1945)
    * 365th Infantry Regiment
    * 370th Infantry Regiment
    * 371st Infantry Regiment
    * 597th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
    * 598th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)
    * 599th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm)

Support Units:
    * 92nd Military Police Platoon
    * 92nd Quartermaster Company
    * 92nd Signal Company
    * 92nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
    * 792nd Ordnance (Light Maintenance) Company
    * 317th Engineer Battalion
    * 317th Medical Battalion
    * 600th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm)

Attached Units:
    * 366th Infantry Regiment (Nov, 1944 - Feb, 1945)
    * 442nd Infantry Regiment (Nisei) (April 1945 – )
    * 473rd Regimental Combat Team (formed from anti-aircraft units) (Feb 1945 - May 1945?).
    * 758th Tank Battalion (Colored)
    * 679th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Colored)
    * 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion
    * 701th Tank Destroyer Battalion

Task Force 1 (February, 1945):
    * 3rd Battalion / 366th Infantry Regiment
    * Company B, 317th Engineer Battalion
    * 760th Tank Battalion
    * 84th Chemical Mortar Battalion (4.2" [107mm])
    * 27th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

General
    * Nickname: Buffalo Soldiers Division.
    * Slogan: "Deeds, not words".
    * Shoulder patch: Black-bordered circular patch, black buffalo on olive drab field.
    * Activated: October 15, 1942.
    * Overseas: September 22 1944.
    * Campaigns: North Apennines, Po Valley.
    * Awards:
      Medal of Honor: 2 (Posthumously in 1997);
      Distinguished Service Cross (United States): 2;
      Distinguished Service Medal (United States): 1;
      Silver Star: 208;
      Legion of Merit: 16;
      Soldier's Medal: 6;
      Bronze Star: 1,166;
      Purple Heart: 1891;
      Order of the Crown of Italy: 8;
      Military Cross for Military Valor (Italian): 17;
      Military Cross for Merit in War (Italian): 22;
      War Medal (Brazil):
    * Commanders:
      Maj. Gen. Edward M. Almond (October 1942 – August 1945),
      Brig. Gen. John E. Wood (August 1945 to inactivation).
    * Returned to U. S.: 26 November 1945.
    * Deactivated: November 28, 1945.

      Medal of Honor recipients:
    * John R. Fox, 1st Lt, Cannon Company, 366th Infantry Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division, near Sommocolonia, Serchio Valley, Italy, December 26, 1944. 
    * Vernon J. Baker, 1st Lt, 92nd Infantry Division, near Viareggio, Italy, April 5–6, 1945.
Note: The Medal Of Honor was not awarded to these recipients until 1997.


The division was reactivated as an infantry division on 15 October 1942 at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. After two years of training, the 370th Infantry Regiment would be sent overseas in August 1944 and temporarily attached to the 1st Armored Division. The rest of the division would be sent overseas in September of that year, and the division as a whole would see heavy combat during the remainder of the Italian Campaign. Between August 1944 and May 1945 the 92nd Division suffered 3,200 casualties, and the factoring in of losses from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (442nd RCT) and other units attached to the division brings the total up to 5,000 casualties.

During the division's participation in the Italian Front, the Buffalo Soldiers made contact with units of many nationalities: beyond the attached 442nd RCT, they also had contact with the segregated troops of the British and French colonial empires (Black Africans, Morroccans, Algerians, Indians, Gurkhas, Arab and Jewish Palestinians) as well as with exiled Poles, Greeks and Czechs, anti-fascist Italians and the nonsegregated troops of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force.


Commanders

























The division's commander, Major General Edward Mallory Almond, a white commander who was vilified as a racist and perceived as a poor military strategist by the black soldiers he commanded.

He was for a time, highly regarded by Gen. George Marshall, who was a fellow Virginia Military Institute (VMI) graduate, and was Army Chief of Staff during World War II. This was a major part of Almond's promotion to major general and subsequent command of the division, a position he held from its formation in October 1942 until August 1945.

Major General Almond led the division in combat throughout the Italian Campaign of 1944 – 1945. He performed poorly as Commander and went on to blame his poor performance on the fact that the division was made up of largely black troops. He saw his troops as the source of his failure in combat, and presumed to advise the Army against ever again using African Americans as combat troops.


The Gothic Line












The 370th Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 1st Armored Division, arrived in Naples, Italy, on August 1, 1944 and entered combat on the 24th. It participated in the crossing of the Arno River, the occupation of Lucca and the penetration of the Gothic Line. Enemy resistance was negligible in its area. As Task Force 92, elements of the 92nd attacked on the Ligurian coastal flank toward Massa, on October 5. By the 12th, their slight gains that had been achieved were lost to counterattacks.




















A black mortar company of the 92nd Division shell the Germans in an almost endless stream near Massa, Italy. This company is credited with liquidating several machine gun nests -.1944.


On October 13, the remainder of the Division concentrated for patrol activities. Elements of the 92nd moved to the Serchio sector, on November 3, 1944, and advanced in the Serchio River Valley against light resistance, but the attempt to capture Castelnuovo di Garfagnana did not succeed. Patrol activities continued until December 26, when the enemy attacked.


The Situation Prior To The Outbreak Of Winter Storm















The German and Italian headquarters did their best in trying to conceal troops and artillery movements and to muddle the Allied troops. They started propagating rumors about a possible Axis offensive in the Serchio valley.  They knew that the partisan spies and the Allied intelligence sooner or later would get to know about their plans, and spread false alarms.  Vague information reached the U.S. IV Corps and the 92nd Infantry Division, the American unit holding the Sommocolonia - Pania Secca line.


An attack was expected on or about December 10th: new trenches, field works, barbed wire entanglements, strong points and minefields strengthened the defenses. However, it so happened that the U.S. IV Corps had also planned a Christmas attack, which should start on December 25th, 08:00 hours. As on December 10th nothing happened, the 92nd Division commander (Gen. Edward M. Almond) ordered his troops to make ready an attack, while at the same time keeping a look-out for possible Axis actions. This ambiguous directive caused confusion among 92nd Division's officers and troops, and was one of the causes of their defeat.


The Attack

On December 24th, 92nd Division was ordered to call the scheduled attack off and prepare to fend off an Axis offensive which would be launched on December 27th. But the Axis third attack column was ready to go at midnight, December 25th - 26th!

At 04:50 hours, December 26th, elements of the two German assault battalions, coming out from darkness, suddenly attacked the Sommocolonia garrison (elements of F Company, 2nd Battalion, 366th Regiment, supported by some partisans). Some military historians state that the Allied resistance  was tough, but it was quickly overwhelmed; others say that it lasted all day and the attackers were even forced to call for artillery support. The latter account sounds more credible. When finally the town was completely occupied by the Germans, only 18 defenders managed to disengage and withdraw.  In the morning, 200 men of the Mittenwald battalion seized the American positions at Bebbio and Scarpello, villages placed south of Sommocolonia and held by the 92nd Recon Troop, which withdrew to Coreglia.

At 14:00 hours, the German spearheads attacked Barga, and its garrison, the 2nd Battalion, 366th Regiment. Here, too, the defenders put up a good fight and the garrison succumbed to the German attack by the following morning.




















In the meantime, Axis mortars had opened fire along the whole front and the other two columns had started moving forward. The center column in the Serchio valley - east of Serchio river, the two German Grenadier battalions together with the attached company of the Italian Brescia Alpine battalion; west of the same river, the other Brescia companies - overcame a weak initial resistance, but their opponents were falling back already and the attackers got to Fornaci smoothly, almost without a fight. Fornaci itself fell quickly, although the two German battalions were heavily criticized for their sluggishness and lack of aggressiveness.

The all-Italian right column, however, faced a much more vigorous defense. The San Marco easily seized the village of Molazzano and pushed the defenders back, but the Regimental Headquarters Company suffered losses and could not take the village of Brucciano. The Cadelo Group, supported by the Intra battalion which was engaging the enemy by launching little diversionary attacks, occupied Calomini, but the Vergemoli garrison - 370th Infantry Regiment elements, and some partisan groups - proved a tough nut to crack and could not be dislodged. A wide minefield, artillery shelling and deadly machinegun and rifle fire stopped the advancing Italian platoons and inflicted heavy casualties, in spite of a relentless Axis artillery barrage fire hammering the American positions.





















Pvt. Jonathan Hoag, of a chemical battalion, is awarded the Croix de Guerre by General Alphonse Juin, Commanding General of the F.E.C., for courage shown in treating wounded.


In the evening of December 26th, the town still was in American hands, but the Cadelo broke off its attacks because the whole U.S. line had elsewhere crumbled. The stout Vergemoli garrison could be encircled and cut off. It eventually retreated, leaving in place a partisan group as a covering party. By December 27th, the mini-offensive was over. In the morning, the German assault troops entered Pian di Coreglia, their final objective, and patrols went forward as far as the relatively distant village of Calavorno, reporting that the American army was still in full retreat. The other columns had also reached their objective points, and an entire Allied Division had been routed.

Nearly 200 American prisoners were taken, along with many weapons (including several Browning M2HB heavy machineguns, mortars and some bazookas), foodstuff and assorted materials. Axis attack forces had wedged themselves into an area 20 km wide, 8 km deep. The Allied air forces were caught off guard and the USAAF P-47 fighter-bomber aircraft did not seriously oppose the enemy's advance until the morning of December 27th.

It is difficult to assess Axis losses as the available sources do not provide any figures. The left and center columns casualties were most likely negligible; the heaviest losses were those suffered by the (Italian) right wing of the Axis array.

As for the 92nd Division, the relatively few prisoners taken by the Axis indicate a headlong retreat, although some small units held out to the last. On the other hand, routing an enemy division, surrounding the remnants and bagging thousands of prisoners was a task beyond the very limited capabilities of the Axis forces - few "leg" infantry battalions crossing rugged mountain terrain, under the threat of the deadly Allied air raids. During the American retreat, there were instances of panic, feeble resistance and utter disorganization  took place, as was witnessed by Gallicano civilians.





















Maj. Gen. Edward M. Almond, Commanding General of the 92nd Infantry (`Buffalo') Division in Italy, inspects his troops during a decoration ceremony.


The responsibility for these episodes, as Gen. Mark Clark pointed out, rests almost entirely with the high level commanders, not with the 92nd Division's black troops nor with the majority of their platoon, company and battalion leaders.

A night assault took them by surprise, they did what they could do, and not rarely they fought valiantly; a number of black soldiers were later awarded decorations. In the Italian and German officers' opinion, the American black soldiers were not much aggressive, but in defense they could be stubborn and tough. In several little local attacks October through November, the "Buffalo soldier" troops had fought fairly well.

























Capt. Ezekia Smith, of the 370th Infantry Regiment, receives treatment at the 317th Medical Battalion Collecting Station, for shell fragments in face and shoulders suffered near Querceta, Italy.


Gen. Almond and Col. Sherman deserve criticism. Although they later tried to blame it on the troops, the American setback was mainly caused by their muddled orders, their slow reaction and some misunderstandings, as well as the tactical surprise achieved by the Axis and the effectiveness of the German assault troops. The inadequate leadership of several American company and platoon commanders compounded 92nd Division's failure. The Allies also underrated Monterosa Gothic Line troops' morale. A mid-December U.S. intelligence report stated that "the morale in the [Monterosa] Division is very low". While the Italian unit was not a topnotch outfit, and did have its morale troubles, it was far from being a total failure. It also seems the Americans were unlucky. The blasting charges placed on some important bridges in order to blow them up in case of a sudden Axis attack did not explode.

Aside from patrols and reconnaissance, units of the 92nd attacked enemy forces in the Serchio sector from 5–8 February 1945, advancing against the 1st Italian "Italia" Bersaglieri Division, another unit of the army of the Italian Social Republic, but, enemy counterattacks nullified all Division advances.


The End Of The War

The Germans and Italians kept  pouring reinforcements in and directing the victorious columns southwards (Lucca), south-west (Viareggio) or eastwards.

On December 27th to 30th, USAAF aircraft strafed and bombed everything in sight. In the town of Camporgiano, even a hospital wherein German, Italian and American wounded were being treated was attacked by mistake. The few 20 mm and 88mm anti-aircraft guns could not stop the waves of Allied planes.


























Moreover, the 8th Indian Division (first a battalion and a company of the 19th and 21st Indian Brigades, then the whole units) was hurriedly rushed to the Garfagnana front and was deployed north of Bagni di Lucca. Two U.S. 85th Division Regimental Combat Teams quickly set up a front line again. The 1,000 meters high Mount Palodina  became an impregnable Allied strongpoint.

The new Allied line was not tested: as previously decided, the Wintergewitter commanders shut the offensive down and withdrew their troops to more solid positions, just 2 km south of the December 26th start lines. The withdrawal was completed by December 30th. The 8th Indian Division's bloodless advance simply followed on the Axis retreat and no fighting took place. The Gurkhas recaptured Barga without a fight. The Germans and Italians had withdrawn and evacuated the conquered territory. In a few patrol actions, 8th Indian Division reportedly captured one German and two Italian soldiers.

On April 1, the 370th RCT and the attached 442nd RCT (Nisei) attacked the Ligurian coastal sector and drove rapidly north against light opposition from the German 148th Infantry Division, which was supported only by Italian coastal units. The 370th took over the Serchio sector and pursued the retreating enemy from 18 April until the collapse of all enemy forces on April 29, 1945. Elements of the 92nd Division entered La Spezia and Genoa on the 27th and took over selected towns along the Ligurian coast until the enemy surrendered on May 2, 1945.





















Reorganization  - After the defeat by the German Counter-attack in December.

By April 1, there were only 2,000 Negro replacements available to the entire 92nd Division compared to 1,200 replacements for the Japanese-American 442 Regimental Combat Team.  Higher headquarters was concerned about how to re-equip the all-black regiments to bring them back to full strength.

The 365th Infantry Regiment was relieved by the 473 Regiment in the Serchio Valley and detached from the 92nd Infantry Division and attached to the IV Corps for re-training and re-equipping.

The 366th Infantry Regiment was relieved of its duties and turned in their infantry equipment. They were converted to two general service engineer regiments to serve behind the lines.

The 370 Regiment was removed from front-line duties and re-organized  by transferring officers and men from the other two organic division regiments.

Over a 3 week period, almost half of the men of the 370 Regiment were transferred out and the experienced soldiers from the other two regiments were brought in to it.  By March 1, the re-organization was almost completed with the total Strength of 139 officers, 3 warrant officers and 2,800 enlisted men

The 473rd Regimental Combat Team was organized from existing anti-aircraft units that were no longer needed to defend against enemy aircraft. The units that formed the new 473RCT included: 2nd Armored Group HQ, 434th, 435th, 532nd and 900 Anti-Aircraft Weapons

Battalions.  Colonel Willis D. Cronk of 2nd Armored Group HQ was placed in command during the reqganization and was soon replaced by Col. William P. Yarborough.  The 473RCT was sub-divided into three battalions:  1st Battalion lead by Lt.-Col. Peter L. Urban, 2nd Battalion under Lt.-Col. Hampton H. Lisle and 3rd Battalion lead by Maj. Paul Woodward.

After the reorganization was almost completed, General of the Army Marshal visited the 92nd Division on February 28, saying “Although official reports tend to give major credit to the 473rd, 442nd and 370th Combat Teams for capturing major towns and cities, the records establish that much of the credit should be given to the Partisans.”

Between August 1944 and May 1945 the 92d Division suffered 3,200 casualties, factoring losses from units attached to the Division brings the totals up to 5,000 casualties.





















Most of combat teams of the 92nd Division were black Americans from the South. Many of the junior officers were also black, but the senior officers were predominately white southerners. This made for tense situations, but despite that, the 92nd soldiers were victorious in the end, defeating their German and Italian foes after nine months of fighting until Germany's May 1945 surrender. They were actually greeted with flowers, hugs and kisses by Italian citizens.

Unfortunately, despite the victory, over one million African American men and women who served in WWII, still faced segregation and discrimination back in the United States. They had won the hearts and the minds of the Italian People, yet, they were unable to get the same support from many of their fellow white U.S. citizens.

In 1948, President Truman finally banned segregation in the military, but segregation was not illegal nationwide until 1954's Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. Civil rights were not legally protected nationwide until the 1964 Civil Rights Act - over twenty years after black soldiers served America with distinction.

While our country has made progress, it is important that people of all races - especially young people - know how people of color contributed to the United States' victory over Hitler's army, and to remember the bravery of the unsung heroes of the 92nd Division, who fought and gave their lives in defense of our freedom.


























Vernon Joseph Baker


There were black soldiers like Vernon Baker and John Fox (Medal Of Honor winners) who emerged as leaders and heroes, but had to endure a long struggle of over 50 years, for recognition of their heroics.

























John R. Fox


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Brigadier General Edward Mallory "Ned" Almond
























Brigadier General Edward Mallory "Ned" Almond (December 12, 1892 – June 11, 1979) was acontroversial United States Army general best known as the commander of the Army's X Corps during the Korean War.

"Ned" Almand was born on December 12, 1892, in Luray, Virginia. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 1915 and became an infantry officer in 1916' He served in France with the 4th Division during the final months of World War I. He graduated from the Command &  General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1930. After a tour of duty in Philippines he attended the Army War College in 1934. From 1934 to 1938 he was attached to intelligence Division of the General Staff. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in September 1938, he completed the course at US Navy War College in 1940 and in January 1941 was assigned to staff duty at VI Corps HQ, Providence, Rhode Island.

"Ned" Almand Was promoted to the temporary ranks of Colonel in October 1941, and to Brigadier General ln March 1942, when he was named assistant commander of the 92nd Infantry Division  located in Arizona.


World War II

























Brigadier General  Almond was, for a time, highly regarded by George Marshall, also a VMI graduate, who was Army Chief of Staff during World War II. This regard accounted in part for Almond's promotion to Major General ahead of most of his peers and subsequent command of the 92nd Infantry Division, made of almost exclusively black soldiers, a position he held from its formation in October 1942 until August 1945. He led the division in combat in the Italian campaign of 1944-1945. Although Gen. George Marshall picked Almond for this assignment because Marshall believed that Gen. Almond would excel at this difficult assignment. Instead, the division performed poorly in combat.

"Ned" Almond blamed the division's poor performance on its largely black troops — echoing the widespread prejudice in the segregated Army that blacks made poor soldiers - and went on to advise the Army against ever again using blacks as combat troops. "Ned" Almond told his confidants that the division's poor combat record had cheated him of higher command.


Postwar Occupation In Japan



 















In 1946 Gen. Almond was transferred to Tokyo as chief of personnel at General MacArthur's General Headquarters (GHQ). Normally a deadend job, Almond handled the sizable challenge of staffing the occupation forces in Japan as the American forces rapidly demobilized, standing out among MacArthur's lackluster staff officers. Having won MacArthur's confidence as a capable and loyal staff officer, Gen. Almond was the logical choice to become GHQ Chief of Staff in January 1949, when the incumbent, Paul Mueller, rotated home. As chief of staff, Gen. Almond allowed no daylight to separate him from his superior.


Service In Korea

























In 1950, Gen. Douglas MacArthur split X Corps from the 8th Army then placed Gen. Almond, who had no experience with amphibious operations, in command of the main landing force just prior the amphibious invasions of Inchon and Wonsan. The appointment of Almond as X Corps commander by MacArthur was seen by some as a blatant attempt to give Almond a better chance at being promoted to Lieutenant General, as the appointment became known as "Operation Three Star" among the dubious troops.


























Marine Major General O. P. Smith, at left, conferring with Major General Field Harris, commanding the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in the Far East - General O. P. Smith stood up to Army General Edward Almond in Korea.



Gen. Almond earned the scorn of Marine officers when, during the early phase of the Inchon landing, when he asked if the amphibious tractors used to land the Marines could float.

During this invasion Almond failed to capture most of the opposing North Korean army as they retreated from the 38th parallel to defensive positions above Seoul. During this time, Gen. Almond had many conflicts with Major General O. P. Smith, commander of the 1st Marine Division, which was part of X Corps (and therefore under Almond's overall command) from October until December 1950.


























Lieutenant General Walton Harris Walker


Gen. Almond also had a very poor relationship with Lieutenant General Walton Walker, commander of the 8th Army.  General Walton was to die in a military traffic accident in a Korean combat zone.

Major General Almond has been criticized by historians for the wide dispersal of his units during the X Corps invasion of the north-eastern part of North Korea, in November-December 1950. This dispersal contributed to the defeat of X Corps by the Chinese, including the destruction of Task Force Faith, and the narrow escape of the Marines at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

Although Gen. Almond would never admit it, many military historians believe that Marine Major General O.P. Smith's skill and caution was the major reason that X Corps had as many survivors as it did. Gen. Almond was very slow to recognize the scale of the Chinese attack on X Corps, urging Army and Marine units forward despite the huge Chinese forces arrayed against them. His lack of appreciation of the strength and skill of the Chinese forces, as well as his innate racism, was on full display when he told his subordinate officers "The enemy who is delaying you for the moment is nothing more than remnants of Chinese divisions fleeing north. We're still attacking and we're going all the way to the Yalu. Don't let a bunch of Chinese laundrymen stop you."
























General Whitney (left) with General Douglas MacArthur and General Almond (right)


Despite his controversial reputation, and some suspect because of his wellknown good relationship with General MacArthur, Gen. Almond was retained as X Corps commander by Lieutenant General Matthew Ridgway when he took command of Eighth Army in December, which now included the X Corps. Although he was regarded by Ridgway as his only aggressive corps commander and took part in the defeat of the Chinese offensives during February and March 1951, as well as the Eighth Army's counter-offensive, "Operation Killer", his command was immediately severely reduced by Gen. Ridgway. Gen. Almond was promoted to Lieutenant General during this time.


Post Korea

In July 1951, Lieutenant General Almond became head of the Army War College. He retired in 1953 and worked in insurance until his death in 1979.

Gen. Almond's decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster and the Purple Heart.

In 1972, Lieutenant General Ned Almond told the US Army’s Chief of Military History:  “I do not agree that integration improves military efficiency; I believe it weakens it.... The basic characteristics of Negro and white are fundamentally different and these basic differences must be recognized by those responsible for integration.... There is no question in my mind of the inherent difference in races. This is not racism – it is common sense and understanding. Those who ignore these differences merely interfere with the combat effectiveness of battle units.”


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"Show me the manner in which a nation or a community cares for its dead and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender sympathies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals." – Gladstone.