Terry de la Mesa Allen (Major General)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Major General Terry de la Mesa Allen was a United States Army officer. Allen served as a battalion commander in World War I. During World War II he was the commanding general of the First Infantry Division in North Africa and Sicily, and was made commander of the 104th Infantry Division. He is seen as "One of the great and distinguished division commanders in World War II".[1]
Contents |
[edit] Background
Allen was born on April 1, 1888 in Fort Douglas, Utah. He was a third generation soldier. His father, Colonel Samuel Edward Allen, had graduated from West Point in 1881 and taught philosophy there from 1892-96. Samuel Allen was a career Army officer, who served 43 years. His mother, Conchita, was the daughter of Carlos de la Mesa, a Spanish Colonel who fought in the Union Army during the Civil War. His father raised him to be a soldier and he often rode on horseback with him and his men during maneuvers. The young Allen was "Saddle-hardened before he was ten".[2] He learned "to ride, smoke, chew, cuss and fight at the earliest possible age".[2] His father retired from the army in 1919, and died in 1926 when Terry was 38.
[edit] West Point
With the goal of joining the elite service of either the cavalry or the horse artillery, Allen started West Point in 1907. For one month he was at the top of his class, but soon fell off his studies and developed a stutter. He acquired the nick-name "Tear-around-the-mess-hall Allen".[2] While at the time West Point cadets operated under a code "within the limits of honor" to cover up fellow cadets shortcomings, but Allen's behavior was often in the public glare. One example was when "Once, during a drill, a puppy appeared. Under the eye of his sergeant, Allen whistled, [and] broke ranks to kneel and pet the puppy."[2] Allen's behavior was so brazen that "When the cadet adjutant responsible for posting demerits made up his lists, he automatically included the name of Allen, T."[2] In his second year Allen was held back a grade after failing mathematics. He then failed an ordinance and gunnery course. The faculty board decided that he was "beyond assistance" and he had to leave West Point and the Army.[2]
[edit] Return to the Army
Allen attended Catholic University of America in Washington, and rededicated himself to his studies. He graduated in 1912 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Allen then won a competitive Army examination and was commissioned a second lieutenant on Nov. 30, 1912. From 1912 to 1913 he was stationed at Fort Meyer, VA and then Eagle Pass, TX.
[edit] Cavalry service
While on border duty with the 14th Cavalry in Texas, Allen saw his first action when he "pursued and captured a party of ammunition smugglers Sept. 13, 1913, near San Ambrosia Creek."[2] In 1916 he attended Mounted Service School, at Fort Riley, KS. He , graduated in May 1916. On July 1, 1916, Allen was promoted to First Lieutenant, at this time he served at Del Rio and Eagle Pass, TX on border duty. He was promoted to Captain on May 15, 1917. In April, 1918 he was moved to Fort Sam Houston, TX.
[edit] World War I
As a cavalryman in a war without horses, Captain Allen was promoted to temporary Major and sent to France on June 7, 1918 (fourteen months after the US entered the war). He was assigned to the 315th Ammunition Train, but transferred to the Infantry.
Allen arrived at a school for infantry officers the day before a class graduation. When the commandant was passing out certificates to that class Allen lined up with them. When confronted with him the commandant said "I don't remember you in this class." "I'm Allen-why don't you?" was the reply.[2] He got the certificate and became a temporary major. Allen then led the 3rd Battalion, 358th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division (United States) into battle at St. Mihiel and Aincreville. For his performance he won a citation and a Silver Star "for distinguished and exceptional gallantry."[2] During the fighting of Sept. 1918 Allen received a bullet through his jaw and mouth. It was noticed that after receiving the wound he never stuttered again.[2] Allen remained with the American Expeditionary Forces in France until the Armistice with Germany (Compiègne). He then served with the Army of Occupation in Germany.
At one party in occupied Germany, Allen came late and without introductions began to drink and tell stories with a British officer until daybreak. The next day "someone asked Allen whether he knew who the Briton was. 'No, who?' said Allen. 'The Prince of Wales,' was the reply. 'Oh, my God,' said Allen."[2] Later, the Prince (Edward Windsor) invited Allen to another party. Allen demurred saying he had already disgraced himself sufficiently. But upon the Prince's insistence he attended and had another good time.
Allen was quoted by his fellow officers as saying "I wish the war hadn't stopped when it did. It's a damn shame-I was just beginning to get good ideas about commanding infantry battalions. I wish I could go back to the front and try them out."[2] He returned to America in Sept. 1920.
[edit] Interim period
Allen returned to the Cavalry after his return. His 15 temporary rank was dropped so on March, 1920, he reverted to Captain, but on July 1, 1920, he was fully promoted to Major. In Sept. of 1920 he was stationed at Camp Travis, TX. By March, 1922 he was moved to Fort McIntosh, TX and then by Sept. of that year he joined the 61st Cavalry Division, at New York City. He did little of note at this time besides strengthening his reputation as a polo player. In Jan. 1924, he entered Cavalry School, at Fort Riley, KS and graduated from the advance course in June of that year. He then entered a two year program at Fort Leavenworth's Command & General Staff School, seen as "all but indispensable preliminary to senior rank."[2] In a class of 241 he rated 221st. The top of the class was then Major Dwight D. Eisenhower.
In 1928 he married Mary Frances Robinson of El Paso. Their son Terry de la Mesa Allen, Jr. was born on April 13, 1929.
In 1932, Allen took a course in the Infantry School at Fort Benning. George Marshall was assistant commander at the fort and took note of Allen's abilities. In 1940, Allen received the rank of temporary brigadier general. Allen again worked in the Cavalry duty, but he also took an interim course in infantry command with other divisions. Early in 1942, he was promoted to major general and given command of the 1st Infantry Division.
[edit] World War II
[edit] 1st Infantry Division
[edit] Britain
In 1942 Allen took the 1st Infantry Division to Britain. In Scotland and England they were drilled incessantly for war. Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was Allen's second in command. The third ranked member of his staff was then Colonel Henry B. Cheadle commander of the 10th Infantry Regiment. Allen's personal aide was Major Kenneth Downs, "a former newsman whom Allen met and adopted at a party shortly before the division sailed for Britain."[2] Allen required his men train until each unit could perform a 40-mile march in 24 hours, with full field equipment. They also trained in amphibious war. Reports reached Eisenhower that the 1st Division had a loose attitude on alcohol and even Allen, himself, was warned about drinking during the day. Allen did little to diminish his reputation as a hard drinking and hard fighting soldier's soldier. He was hardly the gentleman's gentleman that a general officer was expected to be. Nevertheless, his combat leadership skills were undeniable and Eisenhower needed fighters, even if they drank and swore to excess.
[edit] Allen distinguishes himself in North Africa but clashes with Patton
Allen and his deputy 1st Division Commander, B-Gen Theodore Roosevelt Jr. were both soldiers cut from the same cloth. In North Africa, while distinguishing themselves as combat leaders their unorthodox approach to warfare did not escape the attention of General George S. Patton. Patton disapproved of officers like Ted and Allen, who "dressed down" and were seldom seen in regulation field uniforms and who did not any value in Patton's spit-shined ways. Patton thought them both un-soldierly for it and didn't waste any opportunity to send derogatory reports of Allen to the Supreme Allied Commander. After First Division regiments were, for a time, reassigned to support other units in Sicily, Allen was relieved of command of the First Division on August 2, 1943, and re-assigned along with Ted Roosevelt. After criticising Terry Allen in his diary on July 31, 1943, Patton had recorded that he was going to relieve both Allen and Roosevelt, noting that he had asked permission of Eisenhower "to relieve both Allen and Roosevelt on the same terms, on the theory of rotation of command." While neither Allen nor Ted were soldiers in the Patton mold, characterized by brashness, impetuosity, arrogance and a self-promoting style, both men were, in fact, soldier's soldiers.
[edit] 104th Infantry Division
Allen was reassigned to command the 104th Infantry Division (United States) , nicknamed the Timberwolf Division— The 104th Infantry Division landed in France on September 7, 1944 and fought for 195 consecutive days during World War II. The division's nickname came from its timberwolf shoulder insignia. Some 34,000 men served with the division under Allen who came to be nicknamed "Terrible Terry". The division was particularly renowned for its night fighting prowess. At the end of the war in Europe, the division was shipped back to the United States and deactivated in June 1946.
[edit] Post military life
With the deactivation of the 104th, Terry, himself, retired from the Army on 31 August 1946. Allen lived to watch his son, Terry's Jr's Army career take off. Tragically, General Allen would witness his own son's funeral at Arlington National Cemetery after Terry Jr, was killed in Vietnam in 1967. General Allen died on 12 September 1969, in El Paso, Texas, at the age of 81. He was buried in the National Cemetery at Fort Bliss, with full military honors
[edit] Allen's son, an Army officer, killed in Vietnam in 1967
Allen's son, Terry de la Mesa Allen, Jr. served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army. He was killed in the Vietnam War at the Battle of Ong Thanh when his approximately 160 soldiers were ambushed by a Viet Cong regiment outnumbering the Americans almost 10 to 1. During this battle which is considered one of the most one-sided engagements of the Vietnam War, the Battalion headquarters, including Terry Junior, was destroyed, killing Terry, Jr, and almost half of Terry's command in the field. The 2/28 Battalion of the 1st Division was lost as a combat unit. The battle and the decisions leading up to it continue to remain controversial.
[edit] Decorations
[edit] United States of America
Silver Star, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf cluster, Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf cluster, Legion of Merit.
[edit] Foreign Decorations
Honorary Companion of the most Honorable Order of the Bath (British); French Croix de Guerre with Palm, The French Order of the Legion of Honor; and the Soviet Order of Suvorov, Class II (Gold)
