Nathan N. Prefer - The Conquering Ninth: The Ninth U.S. Army in World War II

THE CONQUERING NINTH

The Ninth U.S. Army in World War II

NATHAN N. PREFER

Published in the United States of America and Great Britain in 2020 by CASEMATE PUBLISHERS

1950 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083, USA

and

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Copyright 2020 Nathan N. Prefer

Hardback Edition: ISBN 978-1-61200-828-8

Digital Edition: ISBN 978-1-61200-829-5

Kindle Edition: ISBN 978-1-61200-829-5

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library

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There is a soul to an army as well as to the individual man, and no general can accomplish the full work of his army unless he commands the soul of his men as well as their bodies and legs.

William T. Sherman: Memoirs, 1875

The qualities which commonly make an army formidable are long habits of regularity, great exactness of discipline, and great confidence in the commander.

Samuel Johnson, 17091784

A Crackerjack Army

Remark made by General Omar N. Bradley describing the Ninth U.S. Army, as recorded in the diary of his senior aide, Major Chester (Chet) Hanson, MHRC

Appendices

Situation North of Aachen When Ninth Army Took Command

Operation Clipper

Ninth Army Defensive Situation During the Ardennes Offensive

Operation Grenade

Enemy Defenses on the Roer River in the 102nd Infantry

Division Zone

Eliminating the Wesel Pocket

The Reduction of the Ruhr Pocket

Counterattack on the Elbe

They have been called the Greatest Generation. Books have been written about their lives and the way they changed the world we now live in but, as always, there is much left overlooked and uncovered. This book tells one of those many stories which has yet to be presented to students of that era. It covers the period 19441945 and relates the achievements of the Ninth U.S. Army, one of five armies which participated in the Northwest European campaign.

Much has been written of the American participation in that campaign. But concentration has remained on the more flamboyant leaders and their armies, such as Lieutenant General George S. Pattons Third U.S. Army, or the First U.S. Army, which was first ashore and which carried a major share of that campaign. But the others, the Seventh U.S. Army under Lieutenant General Alexander (Sandy) Patch and the Ninth U.S. Army under Lieutenant General William H. Simpson, are often neglected or mentioned in passing. These armies, and the latter arriving Fifteenth U.S. Army under Lieutenant General Leonard Gerow, made major contributions to the victory of the Greatest Generation in this campaign.

The purpose of this book is to bring to light the workings of an American field army in World War II, how it operated, what it accomplished and where it stood in the hierarchy of the American military organization of the period. Field armies are often overlooked in the history of the war, seen as headquarters sinecure for high-ranking officers to collect their pay and add to their medals, preparing for post-war billets. This story also tells of the importance of personalities in the way the war was conducted in Western Europe in 19441945.

But most importantly it tells the tale of the soldiers who fought the war, often without newspaper headlines to cheer the folks at home, in battles that never made headlines. It tells of the choices, compromises, and judgements made by the senior commanders, often based on needs other than purely military.

There has been no published history of the Ninth U.S. Army since immediately after the war, when the Army itself published a history of its own, largely facts, figures, dates, and places. But for eight months the Ninth U.S. Army fought its way across Western Europe alongside better-known commands, accomplishing important victories, and becoming a vital link in inter-allied cooperation and success. For nearly half of that time, it was under the command of Field Marshal Bernard L. Montgomerys Twenty-First Army Group, the only American Army to serve under foreign command for so long a period. Given the well-known inter-allied bickering during these campaigns, it is a tribute to the Ninth U.S. Army, and particularly its commander, General Simpson, that this unusual arrangement worked so well for so long. Yet by its very attachment to a foreign command, little has been related about that army. It is past time for its story to be told.

As with any literary work, no author stands alone. There are many whose contributions to this book need to be mentioned, but space and time for only a few. Chief among these are my publisher, Ruth Sheppard, and her staff at Casemate Publishers, including the hard-working editors Isobel Fulton, David Smith, and Felicity Goldsack. These individuals encouraged and worked with me to produce the first modern history of a remarkable military command with energy and dedication that is much appreciated.

Equally important are Jo Ellen Chizmar and her staff at Real War Photos who not only produced many of the photos included in this book but had to do it twice through no fault of their own. This they did with a grace and charm that deserves gratitude. Similarly, the staff at the National Archives and Records Administration at College Park, Maryland, with their untiring dedication and knowledgeable expertise were of immense assistance throughout the process of research and illustration. Nevertheless, any errors remain mine alone.

Finally, without the encouragement, assistance and critiques of my wife, Barbara Ann, the history of this all but forgotten army would have never seen the light of day. And to my mother, Jeannette Florence, herself a member of the Greatest Generation, who also served without recognition, eternal gratitude is given.

This book is respectfully dedicated to all those who have worn the uniform, past, present and future.

The United States Army is often described as being unprepared for its role in World War II. In part this is because, until the appointment of General George C. Marshall to the post of Chief of Staff of the United States Army in 1939, much of the planning and preparation had been based on the unwarranted assumption that this new war would be much like the previous one. The American Army had acquitted itself well during that earlier conflict, and with some changes to absorb modern weapons and techniques it was felt in some quarters that it would do so again with little organizational change.

Between 1939 and 1941, the Army made a series of these organizational changes, intended to better prepare it for the coming conflict. Along with his chief staff officers (Brigadier General Harry J. Malony, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Brigadier General Mark W. Clark, Operations Officer), Lieutenant General Lesley J. McNair developed what would become the organizational structure of the United States Army in World War II. Nothing was exempt from the review or immune to potentially significant changes in organization, tasks, and armament. Not all the changes were for the better, however. Some, such as the Specialized Field Army and Corps, were eventually discarded in favor of more generalized types of ground forces.