Troy H. Middleton
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Troy Houston Middleton (12 October 1889 – 9 October 1976) was a distinguished soldier-educator who served as a corps
commander in Europe
during World War II
and later as President of Louisiana State University
(LSU). Enlisting in the United States Army
in 1910, Middleton rose to the rank of colonel
by 1918, the youngest officer of that rank in the American Expeditionary Forces. During World War I
, Middleton commanded in combat and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
for actions in the Meuse-Argonne offensive
.
Following World War I, Middleton served at the United States Army Infantry School
, Fort Benning
; the Command and General Staff School
, Fort Leavenworth
; the Army War College, Washington, D.C.
; and as Commandant of Cadets at LSU. He retired from the Army in 1937 to accept an offer as Dean of Administration at LSU and later became the acting Vice President.
Recalled to service in early 1942, Middleton commanded the 45th Infantry Division during the Sicily
, and Salerno
battles in Italy
, and then in March 1944 moved up to command the U.S. VIII Corps
. Middleton's brilliant leadership in Operation Cobra
and in the Battle of the Bulge
led to his widespread recognition as a corps commander of extraordinary abilities.
Retiring from the Army again in 1945, Middleton returned to LSU and in 1951 was appointed to the university presidency, a position he held for 11 years. Middleton continued to serve the Army in numerous consultative capacities. He resided in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
until his death in 1976 and his remains were interred in Baton Rouge National Cemetery
. Both the Air Force/Army ROTC building at Mississippi State University
, Middleton's alma mater, and the library at Louisiana State University are named for him.
on 12 October 1889, the son of John Houston Middleton (12 May 1856 - 27 August 1935) and Laura Catherine "Kate" Thompson (25 December 1860 - 20 September 1925). His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Parks Middleton (1825–1891) served as a private in Company G, 6th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry for the Confederate States Army
during the American Civil War
, and his maternal grandfather, Riden M. Thompson, was also a Confederate soldier who died 27 May 1862 at the hospital in Hazlehurst
, Mississippi. His great great grandfather, Captain Holland Middleton (c.1715-1795/96) served from Georgia
in the American Revolutionary War
.
Holland Middleton was the son of William Middleton (c.1685 - 1769) and grandson of Robert Middleton (c.1651 - c.1707) who had extensive land interests in Charles County and Prince Georges County, both in Maryland
. Some of Robert Middleton's property was near Piscataway Creek
, about twelve miles south of present-day Washington D.C., across the Potomac River
from the future site of Mount Vernon
, the home of President
George Washington
. In 1678 Robert Middleton was paid for expenses incurred in fighting the Nanticoke Indians
and in 1681 he was commissioned as cornet
(second lieutenant) in a troop of cavalry
.
. The plantation was virtually a self-contained community, and he had a variety of chores to do depending on the season, with sausage-stuffing being one of his favorites. The local Lick Creek and Strong River
had plentiful fish that he would catch, and he loved to hunt, particularly with his 12-gauge shotgun
. While his family was Episcopal
by heritage, they worshipped at the Bethel Baptist
Church, a few miles west of Georgetown, the only church reachable on a Sunday morning. His education was conducted at the small Bethel schoolhouse, near the Bethel Church, but in the summertime he was tutored by his oldest sister Emily, who came home from Blue Mountain College
to share her knowledge of different subjects with her family. Having exhausted all the educational opportunities available at home, Middleton's father asked him if he was interested in a college education. Finding this an attractive proposition, in the summer of 1904, at the age of fourteen, Middleton made the 172-mile train trip to Starkville
, where he would begin his studies at Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College (Mississippi A&M), a school later to become Mississippi State University
.
brought his band to A&M, attracting people from around the state, and packing the 2000-seat mess hall. The train that would take the band to its next stop was held up for over an hour as the concert was extended by repeated calls for encores.
The student corps at A&M was organized into a battalion, with a size of about 350 cadets during Middleton's Freshman year. He began as a cadet corporal, and by his junior year was appointed as the cadet Sergeant Major. As a senior he had the cadet rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was the student commander of more than 700 cadets, organized into two battalions. Working with the military officer in charge of the cadets, Middleton took on additional responsibilities for which he was paid $25 per month.
Middleton was involved in numerous activities during his college days, and took leadership roles in most of them. He was the vice president of A&M's Collegian Club, and president of the school's Gun Club, being photographed on one occasion with his beloved shot gun, which he was allowed to keep in his dormitory room and use for hunting on weekends when campus activities did not fill his schedule. He was the president of his junior class and during his senior year was the commandant of the select Mississippi Sabre Company, which was a club restricted to seniors of good social, academic and military standing. Among his favorite activities were baseball and football, and he played both sports throughout college. Early in his tenure, however, he had to give up a season of baseball when he failed a chemistry course, and spent his afternoons back in the classroom and laboratory instead of on the athletic fields. Whether playing or spectating, the baseball and football games gave the students a chance to leave campus, and they took the train to play various teams around the state or region. Games were played wherever a suitable field could be found, but football games against the University of Mississippi
were always played in Jackson
.
Middleton graduated with a bachelor's degree in the spring of 1909, and was hoping to get an appointment to the United States Military Academy
at West Point
. No such opportunity presented itself, however, and at the age of 19 he was too young to take the examination for an Army commission. Taking the advice of an Army officer back at A&M, Troy decided to enlist in the United States Army
.
in Buffalo
, New York
. He was put to work as a company clerk, and as a private
earned $15 a month, which was paid in gold until it became scarce, and was then paid in silver. Private Middleton tired of this desk work quickly and asked to become a soldier
. While this did not happen at Fort Porter, his talents as a football
player became known, and he was pressed into duty as the quarterback
of the local team, which played civilian teams in the Buffalo area as well as other Army teams such as the one at Fort Niagara
near Niagara Falls
. For the next several years Middleton would play a lot of football, which sport was strongly endorsed by the Army. After getting a commission, an officer is never returned to the same unit from which he served as an enlisted member, but Middleton became the exception because of his talents as a quarterback. Middleton felt that football provided him with the finest training he received while in the Army, and he said he never met a good football player who wasn't also a good soldier.
After 27 months of serving in the Army, Middleton got his first promotion, to corporal
. Promotions came very slowly, and occurred only when a position was vacated by someone else getting promoted or retiring. Shortly after his promotion on 10 June 1912, Corporal Middleton was transferred to Fort Leavenworth
, Kansas
, where he would have a chance to compete for an Army commission. Here Middleton attended an intensive training course to prepare for the written examination required for a second lieutenant's
commission. Of the 300 civilians and enlisted men who took the exam, 56 of them passed and were commissioned. Middleton's score was just about in the middle of the passing scores. Almost all of those passing were college graduates, coming from schools such as Harvard, Yale
, Virginia Military Institute
, and Stanford. Four of the 56, including Middleton, would go on to become general officers.
In addition to taking the written exam, all of the applicants had to take a horse-riding test as well. Having grown up riding horses on his family's plantation, Middleton scored very well on this exam, and the officer in charge thought surely that he would want to go into the cavalry
. Middleton, however, wanted to go into the infantry, leaving the officer stunned that anyone with such horsemanship skills would even consider spending his time walking instead of riding a fine horse.
Having passed his exam, Middleton was recommended for a commission by President
Howard Taft in November 1912, but it wasn't until after the new President, Woodrow Wilson
, was sworn in the following March, and the new congress convened, that the 56 successful candidates were confirmed by the Senate. Their appointment was back-dated to 30 November 1912. During this interim period, Troy was transferred to Fort Crockett
in Galveston, Texas
, where he arrived early in 1913.
as a second lieutenant without a commission, being assigned to Company K of the 7th Infantry Regiment
. A large part of the United States Army was rotating here in response to trouble in Mexico
. In 1910 Mexico's President Porfirio Diaz
was overthrown by a reform leader, Francisco Madero, beginning the Mexican Revolution
which would last for nearly a decade. Madero was supported by General Victoriano Huerta
in putting down a series of revolts in 1912, but the following year was assassinated by the General who then seized power. Though many countries recognized the Huerta government, President Woodrow Wilson
would not, and he hoped to return Mexico to a constitutional government by backing Venustiano Carranza
. The troops at Fort Crockett went into a waiting mode, preparing for the call from the President to take action in support of American interests.
In April 1914 the waiting for the military units ended, and American troops under the command of Brigadier General Frederick Funston
were sent into Mexico. The Navy had taken the port city of Veracruz
and the 7th Regiment was ordered to take part in the occupation of the city. Middleton's landing party went in unopposed and settled into occupation duty without a shot being fired. Middleton spent a total of seven months in Mexico and returned home to Galveston in November 1914.
in Georgetown, Texas
and had made her debut in Galveston society in 1911. Following the death of her father, Sidney G. Collins, Jerusha had come to live with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. John Hagemann, in the heart of Galveston. As a merchant, Hagemann was well to do, and drove a Studebaker
touring car when most people in the town rode in buggies, wagons, and surreys
. Middleton met the Hagemanns, soon becoming a regular visitor at their house while calling on Jerusha.
Following seven months in Mexico, Middleton's return to Galveston brought a special anticipation. He had proposed to Jerusha Collins at an earlier time, and renewed the proposal upon his return. The couple was married on 6 January 1915, and this allowed them to be in New Orleans two days later with other members of Troy's unit for the one hundredth anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans
in which the 7th Regiment had served a century earlier. After a week in New Orleans, the couple returned to Galveston, and were invited to move into the Hagemann's house, where they were given a large upstairs room.
When Galveston's second major hurricane
hit the Texas coastline in mid-August 1915, most of the Army units had scattered to safe locations away from the storm's path, with a few units remaining in the secure buildings of Fort Crockett or in downtown Galveston. The Middletons chose to ride out the storm at the Hagemann house. Following the storm cleanup, in October 1915, the 7th Regiment was ordered to Fort Bliss
in El Paso
, Texas as events in Mexico flared up again. Here they were put under the command of Brigadier General
John Pershing, a highly capable officer who had skipped three ranks by being promoted from Captain to Brigadier General for his exceptional service during the Philippine-American War
.
The Mexican Revolutionary General Pancho Villa
, who had at one time been supported by the United States, felt betrayed when the Americans backed Carranza. In January 1916, Villa's followers, known as Villistas, attacked a train and killed 16 American businessmen who were aboard. Two months later Villa's men crossed the border into the United States and attacked the town of Columbus
, New Mexico
, killing an additional 19 Americans. Following these attacks, General Pershing took his forces into Mexico to pursue Pancho Villa.
Preceding these events, Middleton's 7th Regiment was sent to Douglas
, Arizona
to perform border security. While there, Middleton and a squad of his men were fired upon by the Villistas who unsuccessfully attacked the Mexican village of Agua Prieta, across the border from Douglas. While several of Middleton's men were hit, no one was killed, and they all returned with the 7th Regiment back to Fort Bliss in late December 1915.
on 1 July 1916, after a little more than three and a half years as a second lieutenant. With the pending war, his promotions would become much more frequent, and in less than a year he was promoted to captain, on 15 May 1917.
In preparation for its buildup in strength, the Army had to train a large cadre of officers. On 10 June 1917 Middleton was assigned to Fort Myer
, Virginia
, just outside of Washington, D.C.
as the adjutant
of a reserve officer training camp. These camps were organized to take civilians and turn them into officers in ninety days, and as adjutant Middleton was responsible for directing the flow of paperwork for 2700 officer candidates. By November 1917, his camp graduated its last class of officers, and Middleton requested to join a combat division. His request was granted and on 21 December 1917 he reported to the 4th Division at Camp Greene
near Charlotte
, North Carolina
. Two days later, however, he received new orders to become the commander of a reserve officer training camp in Leon Springs, Texas
. Here, he reported as ordered, and stayed until the mission was complete in April 1918. As he was technically on loan from the 4th Division, his request to rejoin that unit was granted, and Middleton was soon on his way to France
.
on Long Island
, living in tents and awaiting transport. Middleton was given command of the First Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, and departed New York with his regiment aboard the Princess Matokia on 11 May in a convoy of fourteen ships. Three days out of France, a fleet of destroyers met the convoy and escorted it to the port city of Brest
where they arrived on 23 May. There the division unloaded and organized for several days, subsequently loading onto a troop train to arrive at Calais
on 30 May.
The first assignment of the 4th Division was to become a reserve unit for the British, just south of Calais. The Americans gave up their Springfield Rifles for some British
Enfields
for which there was available ammunition. When the Germans
began an offensive north of Paris
, the 4th was put onto trains and sent to the Marne River
, about twenty-five miles west of Chateau Thierry. Here the 4th became a reserve unit for the badly battered 42nd Division. In late July 1918, Middleton, promoted to Major
on 7 June, moved his First Battalion in to support the 167th Regiment of the 42nd Division. In the ensuing operation, called the Second Battle of the Marne
, four days of heavy fighting took place against the Prussian Fourth Guard Division fresh from a month's rest. While the veteran Germans fought with determination, the Americans were able to push them back about twelve miles, though at a considerable cost—more than one in four of the Americans became casualties.
When the 4th Division was relieved, they were sent to the Saint-Mihiel
area, where they would undertake a small support role. Major Middleton was given the task of directing the unit's transport, complicated by the requirement to move at night with equipment and personnel to be drawn by horse and mule. This huge logistical undertaking was an experience that would serve Middleton well at another time in another war. After Saint-Mihiel, the unit was moved to Verdun
where hundreds of thousands of French and Germans had become casualties earlier in the war. This would be the last major engagement in this war for Middleton, who was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
on 17 September, shortly before the commencement of the operation, called the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
.
of the regiment. He was in this staff position for two weeks when, on 11 October, he was given command of the 39th Infantry Regiment after most of its regimental staff became casualties following a gas attack. At about one o'clock in the morning, Middleton had to find his way to the 39th headquarters and prepare for battle at daybreak. Shortly before 7:30 a.m., Middleton led his new regiment into enemy-held territory using a tactic called "marching fire," where all of the troops constantly fired their weapons while moving a mile through heavy woods. This compelled most of the dug-in and concealed Germans to surrender, and allowed the 4th Division to move to the edge of the Meuse River
. Three days after taking command of the 39th, and two days after his twenty-ninth birthday, Middleton was promoted to Colonel
, becoming the youngest officer in the American Expeditionary Forces to attain that rank. He also received the Distinguished Service Medal
for his exceptional battlefield performance.
On 19 October, the 4th Division was withdrawn from the battle line after 24 days of continuous contact with the enemy, the longest unbroken period of combat for any American division during the war. Middleton was now given command of his former regiment, the 47th. In early November the 4th Division relieved an African American
regiment near Metz
, and was preparing to chase German defenders down the Moselle River
, with Middleton to lead the attack. The attack did not materialize, however, because, on 10 November, Middleton received confidential news that an armistice was imminent. The following morning a messenger brought word that there would be no more firing after 11 a.m. There was celebration throughout the ranks, but there was still much work to be done; the 4th Division would soon be assigned to Germany as an occupying force.
In late November 1918 the 4th Division began a road march of more than 125 miles from the French city of Metz toward the German city of Koblenz
, on the Rhine River. The final destination of Middleton's 47th Regiment would be the town of Adenau
, 35 miles due west of Koblenz. The road trip took fifteen days of moving through almost incessant rain and ended in a driving snowstorm on 15 December. During the march, Middleton broke character and rode a horse during most of each day, surveying his troops and occasionally dismounting to talk with them. The formation marched for fifty minutes of each hour, and rested for ten, with a full hour for lunch. Once in Adenau, the regiment dispersed to many villages in the area, while Colonel Middleton stayed in a large home in Adenau where the owners continued to live as well. During the stay in Adenau, the 47th continued with its training, building a rifle range, running combat problems, and practicing lessons learned from its recent combat operations. In early March 1919, after nearly four months in Adenau, the 47th was ordered to the area of Remagen
on the Rhine. On the morning of the move, Middleton had breakfast with General Pershing's aide, Colonel George C. Marshall, who had come to Adenau the day before expressly to inform Middleton of his regiment's new orders.
At Remagen the 47th Regiment was given the mission of guarding the Ludendorff Bridge
over the Rhine River. Twenty five years later the 47th would once again find itself guarding this bridge in a different war. The regiment remained here until given orders to return home in mid-summer. Before his departure from Europe
, Middleton was summoned to report to the Third Army Chief of Staff in Koblenz. Here he was informed that he and other senior officers were being assigned to Camp Benning, Georgia
to form the first faculty of the Infantry School that was being established there. Middleton sailed out of Brest in mid-July, met his wife in New York, and together they traveled to Columbus, Georgia
by way of Washington, D.C.
and Atlanta.
The first nine-month class of the new infantry school began in September 1919, and students were taken through a curriculum of weapons and tactics. Captain Middleton, the youngest faculty member on the school staff, was an ideal instructor, fresh with experiences from the recent war. After two years as an instructor, and a promotion to major on 1 July 1920, Middleton prevailed upon his commanders to be allowed to enroll in the advanced infantry course as a student. This ten-month course included instruction on combined arms
, tactical principles
and decisions, military history
and economics
, then ended with a written thesis
. Middleton, about the most junior member of his class, finished at the top of the class.
Following the advanced course, Middleton spent the summer as the senior instructor at a Reserve Officer
Training Camp at Fort Logan, Colorado
, then returned to Camp Benning for one more year as a member of the Infantry Board. Four years at Benning had been enough for him and he was ready to move on. After expressing his wishes to a senior officer, he was assigned to Fort Leavenworth in the summer of 1923, a place he had been eleven years earlier to prepare for his officer's commission.
, Kansas
. Students attended this ten-month school to qualify for higher commands. Here Middleton met a classmate, George Patton, who would become one of his friends. Patton had confided to Middleton that he predicted completing the course as an Honor Graduate, one who finishes in the top 25% of the nearly 200 students. His prediction came true, and he finished 14th in the class. Middleton finished 8th. With his exceptional class performance, Middleton, along with half a dozen other graduates, was invited to stay on for the next four years as an instructor at the school.
During his second year of teaching at Command and General Staff School, one of his students, Dwight D. Eisenhower
, would come to his office, sit on the corner of his desk, and pump him for information, knowing that Middleton had commanded a regiment in combat in France. Eisenhower asked the most practical questions, and was unquestionably motivated—he finished first in his class. Nearly every officer who commanded a division in Europe during World War II attended the Command and General Staff School during Middleton's tenure there from 1924 to 1928. There was also a time during World War II when every corps commander in Europe had been a student of Middleton's.
. Middleton found his year at this highest level of professional military education to be very satisfactory, and he spent a lot of time in the school library and the Library of Congress
. He wrote his staff memorandum, equivalent to a thesis, on the subject of transportation in the Army, recalling his personal experience with horses and mules in France. He felt that the Army could reduce a significant amount of this transportation, and replace some of it with motorized transport. The commandant
of the school commended Middleton for work of exceptional merit, and sent his ideas to the highest levels in the War Department
.
. He was at Benning for only a year when he was told he would be assigned to the General Staff
at the War Department
in Washington D.C., but this changed when a new requirement for career officers was brought to his attention. Officers were now expected to have an assignment with a civilian component of the Army such as the National Guard
, the Reserves, or the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). The last option appealed to Middleton the most, and he wanted to work at a school in the south. There was an opening at Louisiana State University
(LSU), and this is where Middleton soon headed.
In July 1930 Troy Middleton stopped at his new headquarters at Fort McPherson
in Atlanta, then drove west with his family to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
which would become the family home for many years. Major Middleton became the Commandant of cadets at LSU, along with being the professor of military science. While at headquarters, Middleton had learned that his predecessor did not get along with Louisiana's governor, Huey P. Long. Middleton was told a few stories about the governor that made him curious enough to call on him the day after arriving in town. While the meeting turned out to be somewhat awkward for Major Middleton, it began a friendship between the two men. Governor Long loved LSU, and loved the cadet corps there. When Middleton mentioned to him that the cadet band of just a few dozen members was rather rag-tag, the governor saw to it that the band would grow to 250 members. Governor Long was a showman, and enjoyed parades and fanfare, and would negotiate special fares to get the cadets and band transported to athletic events across the region. Because of the governor's dealings, LSU transformed from a third rate school in 1930 to the largest university in the south by 1936.
During Middleton's tenure at LSU the presidency of the university changed hands from President Atkinson to President James Monroe Smith, the latter an appointee of Governor Long. Towards the end of Middleton's fourth year on campus President Smith asked him if he would stay on for an additional year and also become Dean of Men. Middlteon responded that he would accept, but it had to be cleared through the War Department
. Smith's request to the War Department for both the extension and the deanship for Middleton were approved. Toward the end of the fifth year Smith went a step further, suggesting that Middleton retire from the Army and become a permanent member of the LSU staff. Middleton would not even consider retirement, but accepted an unprecedented sixth year with the ROTC program. As he began his sixth year on campus, on 1 Aug 1935, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel
.
Early in his final year on campus, Middleton was once again pressed by the university president to retire from the Army and go to work for the college. Again, Middleton could not do that, and began looking for a suitable follow-on assignment. Not having been overseas in over sixteen years, he put in a request for duty in the Philippines
. He finished his tenure at LSU in the summer of 1936, having overseen the increase in students completing the ROTC program from about 500 to over 1700 cadets.
where they boarded a ship for the Philippines
. The trip took them 42 days and included passage through the Panama Canal
with stops in Panama
, San Francisco, Hawaii
, and Guam
. While in Hawaii, they were greeted by a sunburnt couple, George Patton and his wife Bea. Patton was on duty in Honolulu and had sailed his own boat from San Diego to Hawaii, and later sailed it back to the states at the end of his tour.
Middleton was assigned as an assistant inspector general
in the Army headquarters in Manila
. Here he listened to complaints as he travelled to various Army installations including Fort McKinley
and Corregidor
. Less than six months into his Philippine tour he received a telegram from President Smith renewing his offer of a job at LSU as the dean of administration
with a salary of $5400 per year. Middleton was in the hospital undergoing testing for some heart irregularity when the telegram arrived, and he showed it to two other lieutenant colonels who were visiting him. One of them said he should take the offer, the salary being excellent. The other lieutenant colonel, Dwight Eisenhower, said he should stay in the Army. Eisenhower had spent three years in Panama as an aide
to a very wise general, Fox Conner
from Mississippi. Connor knew that the Treaty of Versailles
ensured there would be another war, and that the terms of the treaty were already being ignored by Adolf Hitler
and the Nazis. Eisenhower reasoned that this was no time for an officer with combat experience to be getting out of the Army.
To Middleton, as a very junior lieutenant colonel, the prospect of becoming a general officer seemed very remote, and upon giving the matter more thought he ultimately decided to retire from the Army. Once his decision was made, he wired President Smith at LSU advising him that he was ready to become a civilian
and accept the university post. The Middletons left the Philippines in May 1937, making a long leisurely trip back to the United States. They stopped in Hong Kong
, Japan
, and China
enroute to San Francisco. While in Japan and China Middleton could see that events were unfolding that would ultimately lead to war in this part of the world. Lieutenant Colonel Middleton officially retired from the Army on 31 October 1937, though he began his service at LSU two and a half months earlier.
, winning 27 of their 30 regular season games. Middleton was photographed breaking ground for a new faculty club that year, as the campus grew in many areas. All seemed to be running well when in June 1939 the campus was given a shock from which it would take many years to recover. A New Orleans newspaper ran a photo on the front page showing an LSU truck unloading building materials in suburban New Orleans, revealing an illegal operation. The ensuing investigation led to the discovery that LSU's President Smith had embezzled nearly a million dollars from the university, using the money to cover his losses while speculating in the Chicago
wheat futures market. Smith stood trial, and was sent to the penitentiary in Angola. The LSU superintendent of grounds and buildings, George Caldwell, was also involved in the scandal and served time in Atlanta for tax evasion
. Meanwhile, the state's governor
, Richard Leche, resigned, but was soon found guilty of several federal charges and sent to Atlanta to serve time.
The Board of Supervisors met in a special session at the end of June 1939 and Middleton was directed to take over the business management of the university. The school's finances were in a state of chaos, and it would take effort and time to dig out of the mess. The dean of the Law School, Paul Hebert
, became the acting president, and Middleton became acting vice president and comptroller
. Middleton chose two accounting professors, Dr. Daniel Borth and Dr. Mack Hornbeak, to work with him, and a New York
firm was hired to come in and establish sound business procedures.
Before the revelation of the illegal activities, expenditures had been routinely made on a cash basis, all of the university funding and program money was thrown into a single account, and university bond indentures had been violated. The new leadership had to advertise in Louisiana newspapers to find out to whom they owed money. The first year of dealing with the situation required 16 to 18 hour days, six days a week, and after that the process still required overtime through the year 1941. Faculty and staff members, accustomed to making purchases without bids, purchase orders or knowledge of the budget, had to be educated on the accepted business procedures on which the rest of the world operated.
While Middleton was helping LSU recover from this traumatic ordeal, he was also keeping an eye on events in Europe. In July 1940 he wrote a letter to General George Marshall
asking if his services were needed by the Army as the United States was making preparations for war. Marshall replied that as much as the Army would like to have Middleton back in uniform, all the Army could do would be to place him in some training role, which would not effectively use his battle experience.
Middleton stayed at LSU until 1942, describing his days as the comptroller of LSU as long days that he would not want to relive, but after the first year he found both the work and his association with Hebert, Borth and Hornbeak to be satisfying and rewarding. He felt that during this period of time, from 1939 to 1941, he was able to make his greatest contribution to an institution that had been very good to him in the past.
announcing his availability for service. Within a day or so he received a reply: he would report to active duty as a lieutenant colonel
on 20 January 1942, allowing him time to get his affairs in order.
Having returned to active military duty, Middleton was assigned to a training regiment at Camp Wheeler
, Georgia where he was quickly promoted to colonel
on 1 February, and oversaw the combat training of thousands of recruits. After less than two months, he was given a rapid succession of assignments, including to Fort Gordon
, Georgia and Camp Blanding
, Florida
. While at Blanding he was called to the War Department in Washington, where he was given an assignment to be a staff officer in London
, but this rapidly changed when he was subsequently called to the War College, and met a classmate from Command and General Staff School, General Mark Clark
, who told him that he was being assigned to the Forty-fifth Infantry Division at Fort Devens
, Massachusetts
.
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Upon returning to Florida in early June 1942 to pick up his personal effects, Middleton received his orders for Fort Devens, and also word that he had been promoted to brigadier general
. In mid-June he reported to the Forty-fifth, known as the "Thunderbirds," an Army National Guard
division consisting mostly of troops from Oklahoma
, but also including some from Colorado
, Arizona
, and New Mexico
. The commanding general of the forty-fifth, Major General William S. Key, suspected that he was going to be replaced because he had no combat experience. Though Middleton was not told a thing about it, in late summer this is exactly what happened, and Middleton was given the command of the division along with a promotion to major general
.
In the summer, the 45th did its training at Cape Cod
, Massachusetts
, after which Middleton was in command for winter training at Pine Camp, New York
. Here the temperature dipped to 36 degrees below zero (F) and snow drifted head-high. A soldier in the division by the name of Bill Mauldin
did a cartoon showing slop from the kitchen frozen in a column as it descended into the garbage can outside. Mauldin later became famous for his cartoons during World War II, and won two Pulitzer Prizes for his work. In February 1943 the training moved from Pine Camp to Camp Pickett
, Virginia
for mountain training, and then to the Atlantic Coast
for ship-to-shore training between Norfolk
, Virginia and Solomons, Maryland
. In early April, while the division was at Camp Pickett, Middleton was sent to North Africa
with some of his staff to begin planning the ensuing military operation. Here he went to the headquarters of the Seventh Army commander, General George Patton, in Morocco
and stayed nearly a month. Patton would command the Seventh Army in the Sicily
landing during the summer, and the 45th would be the only combat-loaded division coming from the United States. With the division scheduled to sail from Norfolk on 5 June, Middleton left beforehand to complete the planning for the landing on a hostile shore, this time reporting to the headquarters of General Omar Bradley
in Algiers
, Algeria
. For this operation, Bradley was subordinate to Patton, under British overall direction. By the time the division arrived in Oran, Algeria, the planning was complete, and the unit was able to run one rehearsal in western Algeria before embarking for Sicily.
The forty-fifth departed Oran on 4 July 1943, with little attention paid to the fact that it was Independence Day
. The six-day trip to Sicily was smooth at first, then turned fairly rough, with seasickness prevalent among the troops. The weather calmed as several troop ships rendezvoused near the town of Scoglitti
, on the western side of Sicily's south coast. At 2 a.m. on 10 July the landing craft
were filled with infantrymen, and as the craft approached the shoreline, the Navy opened up with a volley of preparatory fire. The primary mission of the Forty-fifth was to capture two airfields needed for Allied aircraft. Comiso Airfield
, about eleven miles from the shore, was captured in a day and was being used by American planes the next day. It took four days for the division to capture Biscari Airfield, about twelve miles inland.
The next objective of the forty-fifth was to fight German and Italian forces enroute to the north coast of Sicily. The plan was to use Highway 124, one of Sicily's four major highways. This highway, originally in the American sector, had been usurped by Montgomery, with no word of the change of boundaries given to Middleton. Word eventually came down from Alexander that the boundaries had been changed, which meant that when the forty-fifth reached the highway, they became frozen in place with no opportunity to advance. Middleton, not willing to sit out the remainder of the battle, moved his division from the right of II Corps to the left, traveling ninety miles out of the way through back areas of the other American divisions, to get in position for the march north. On 23 July the first elements of the forty-fifth reached the north coast of the island at Station Cerda, five miles east of Termini Imerese
, taking thirteen days to move from south coast to north coast. The division then moved east along the coast, reaching its objective of Santo Stefano
on 30 July. Here they were stormed by the Germans, but fought back, forcing the German rear guard out of the area by the following morning. This was the end of active fighting for the forty-fifth in Sicily, where the division endured 1156 casualties while taking nearly 11,000 prisoners.
The Third Infantry Division was moved in to replace the forty-fifth, which was now ticketed for the upcoming invasion of the Italian mainland. In recalling events on Sicily in his biography, Middleton noted a strain in his relationship with Patton. Patton, never comfortable as the brunt of someone else's humor, felt that the Mauldin cartoons published in the division newspaper were irreverent and unsoldierly. Middleton consistently defended Mauldin, but was verbally ordered by Patton to get rid of Mauldin and his cartoons. When Middleton told Patton to put the order in writing, the issue was dropped. Soon thereafter, Patton had much more to worry about after he slapped two soldiers who he suspected of malingering in hospitals. These incidents brought Patton public condemnation, and loss of his command.
, Italy
, about 200 miles north of Sicily
.
The first Allied landings on the beach occurred on 9 September, with two regiments of Middleton's 45th Infantry Division, the 157th and 179th, landing the following day. The other regiment of the division, the 180th, would land at a different point and be held in reserve by General Clark. Middleton was responsible for ten miles of beachhead
between the British X Corps
and the American 36th Infantry Division. The German defensive positions pounded the Allies, who gained little ground in the first few days of the operation. General Clark faltered and sent around a confidential memo indicating that he was contemplating taking the troops back off the beaches. Middleton, telling his staff that they were not leaving, spread around the word to his troops that it was a good time to do some hard fighting. On the morning of 14 September units of the Forty-fifth did some particularly hard fighting at a large tobacco
factory, consisting of five imposing stone buildings in a somewhat circular pattern. The Germans were dug in here, and repulsed the Americans initially, but with the aid of some naval gun fire, the Germans were eventually pushed back. General Clark visited the front later that day, and was convinced that his army was going to stay.
General Eisenhower visited the beachhead on 17 September, observing that the battle had been won. The following day the Germans had pulled out of the area, and the Forty-fifth was able to advance to Venafro
before meeting any resistance. The division was at the far right of the Fifth Army, working up the center of the Italian boot, adjacent to the British Eighth Army
which was responsible for the eastern half of the boot. By 24 September the division had taken Oliveto
and Quaglietta
after some heavy fighting, and by 3 October they had taken Benevento
. On 21 October the division was put into corps reserve, following six weeks of uninterrupted action. There was still some German resistance around Venafro, and elements of the 179th Regiment secured the town on 2 November. With this the fighting came to a large pause as Allied planners studied further action.
With the lull in the fighting, and the onset of autumn rains, coupled with endless hills and deepening mud, Middleton's left knee, which had been uncomfortable for more than a year, was now becoming agonizing. He had hurt his right knee many years earlier playing football, but there was no immediate explanation for the pain in his left leg. Medics studied his leg, but had no answers. In late November Middleton went to the hospital in Naples
, staying well into December, still without adequate diagnosis. He was able to hobble around, and did some staff work, then flew to Eisenhower's headquarters in North Africa
. He stayed there until mid-January, when he was sent to Walter Reed Hospital back in the states. While Middleton was at Walter Reed, General Eisenhower communicated to General Marshall that he really needed Middleton back overseas. Acknowledging Middleton's difficulty with his knees, Eisenhower said, "I don't give a damn about his knees; I want his head and his heart. And I'll take him into battle on a litter if we have to."
The two generals came up with a plan, and Middleton was sent to six Army installations in Tennessee
, Colorado
, and Washington D.C. with a brief stopover to visit his family in Baton Rouge. Middleton would be taking command of the VIII Corps
in England, and was sent to the various locations to confuse the enemy about the personnel change. Accompanying him was a sergeant
who had been a physical therapist in civilian life, and who would massage Middleton's knees twice a day for the next year. When asked what staff he needed to take with him, Middleton replied that he would keep the staff that was already in place, except that for an aide he would like his old LSU friend, Mack Hornbeak, who had served with him through Sicily and Italy.
The United States VIII Corps
had arrived in Europe in December 1943, and was being commanded by Major General Emil F. Reinhardt
, who Middleton had known for many years. While he was an able commander, his lack of combat experience resulted in his being replaced by Middleton (though Reinhardt would later command a division in European fighting). Middleton's first stop in Europe before assuming command of VIII Corps was to confer with his friend and commander Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower had asked Middleton about his views on making Patton the commander of an army. Middleton thought it was a good idea since Patton was such an able fighter. Eisenhower agreed, but was concerned about Patton's big mouth. Nevertheless, Patton was given command of Third Army, which was headquartered north of London during the European invasion preparation.
Middleton's VIII Corps headquarters was in the town of Kidderminster
about fifteen miles from Birmingham, and about 110 miles northwest of London. In order to deceive the Germans, Middleton moved his headquarters another 75 miles to the north, near Liverpool
. This made it appear that the corps would move east to the English Channel
for a landing near Calais
, France. The ruse was effective, keeping the Germans guessing, and compelling them to split their forces among multiple locations along the French coast, instead of concentrating their forces at one probable landing point.
The VIII Corps fell under Patton's Third Army, and trained in England from March to late May 1944. Two weeks before the invasion, the corps was pulled out of Third Army and placed in Omar Bradley's First Army. First Army was responsible for the D-Day
landings on Normandy
, and once the Allies were established on shore, Middleton was to bring his VIII Corps across. Shortly before the invasion, Middleton took his corps to Southampton
where they awaited their channel crossing time.
. The corps lost only one of its Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) to a mine during the crossing, but on it was about half of Middleton's headquarters complement. Other than the members of the sunken LST, who would rejoin the corps ten days later, the entire corps was ashore on 12 June near Carentan
, where Joe Collins'
VII Corps had cleared the beach on D-Day. At this point the VIII Corps divisions included the 82nd Airborne, 101st Airborne
, 79th Infantry and 90th Infantry. The 82nd, under Major General Matthew Ridgway
, performed admirably, but soon left the corps, and once in Brittany the corps would have an entirely different complement of divisions.
After VII Corps took the port city of Cherbourg, VIII corps began moving south against German forces in the middle of the Cotentin Peninsula
. The Germans had the high ground, and the fighting was further complicated by the bocage
countryside—a series of farmers fields and pastures forming a latticework, with each unit separated by walls of earth up to six feet high supporting dense shrubbery and trees. The German defenders had every advantage over the Americans, whose tanks would tip up and expose the soft underbelly as they attempted to cross the barriers. An American sergeant, Curtis Culin, invented a device that looked like shark's teeth and was welded to the front of tanks, allowing them to penetrate the earthen barriers.
After breaking out of the bocage, VIII Corps was able to roll fifty miles in seven days, but it, and the remainder of Bradley's First Army, remained bottled up on the Cotentin Peninsula. The next phase of the fight, codenamed Operation Cobra
was to break out of the peninsula, and once this occurred, Patton's
Third Army would join the fight. The operation began on 24 July 1944 when American air commanders were asked to lay a carpet of bombs on the Germans to soften them up for the advancing ground forces. Poor weather curtailed the operation on the first day, but more than a thousand bombing missions were carried out the following day. Lieutenant General Lesley McNair, chief of the U. S. Army ground forces, came to Middleton's headquarters to witness the bombing. Middleton warned him to stay at corps headquarters, but McNair strayed away far enough that he and other members of his party were killed when they got caught by a stick of allied bombs. More than 600 U.S. troops were killed or wounded in this friendly fire
incident when the bombs fell short of their intended target.
Despite the mishap, the bombing was effective in reducing the German resistance, and over the next few days the VIII Corps was able to move south along the coast. On 30 July they seized the town of Avranches
, the gateway to Brittany and southern Normandy. Once in command of Avranches, VIII Corps then secured the bridges at Pontaubault
, and in doing so, broke out of the Cotentin Peninsula and into Brittany
. This brought about the planned command change, and at noon on 1 Aug 1944 Omar Bradley moved up to command the 12th Army Group, Courtney Hodges
took over the First Army, and Patton's Third Army was activated into the group along with First Army, with Middleton's VIII Corps now falling under Patton.
, the port of Middleton's arrival and departure from Europe during World War I
. As the corps passed St. Malo, Middleton turned his 83rd Division on the town, resulting in the capture of 14,000 Germans. Patton had already directed the corps' 6th Armored Division under Major General Bob Grow
to move on to Brest while Middleton was still cleaning up in St. Malo, which fell on 17 August. Grow had arrived outside of Brest on 7 August, and met stiff resistance once there. The city, housing important German submarine pens and extensive machine facilities, was defended by three elite German divisions and several powerful 90-millimeter guns which were capable of destroying most of the armor in the 6th Division. The siege of Brest required infantry, and once the 2nd Infantry Division under Major General Walter M. Robertson arrived, the armored division was released back to Patton for other operations. Also joining VIII Corps for the siege was the 8th Division commanded by Major General Donald A. Stroh and the 29th Division, a National Guard unit from Pennsylvania, commanded by Major General Charles H. Gerhardt
. Middleton also had a cavalry group and two ranger battalions commanded by Colonel Earl Rudder who later became president of Texas A&M University
.
The city was well organized for defense, and in the Battle for Brest
Middleton's units went about capturing it methodically. The defense of the city was under German Generalleutnant Hermann Ramcke with whom Middleton carried on a dialog during the siege. Ramcke sent Middleton a map showing where several hundred American prisoners were being held in the city, but also slyly placed on the map a number of red crosses where the allies knew some good bombing targets were located, such as ammunition depots. Middleton wrote back to Ramcke telling him he had better remove some of the bogus red crosses, or some terms of the Geneva Convention might have to be ignored. Middleton also reminded Ramcke of the Allies' superior artillery and air power.
The battle for Brest was intense and very destructive. After two weeks of constant day and night attacks, Middleton's units forced the Germans into ever tighter positions. On 12 September, Middleton sent a letter to Ramcke offering him an opportunity to stop the bloodshed, and to surrender the city in a humane and reasonable way, with terms of surrender spelled out in the letter. Ramcke's terse reply was simply, "I must decline your proposal." Unhappy with the response, Middleton directed his soldiers to "enter the fray with renewed vigor...take them apart--and get the job finished." One week later, on 19 September, the Germans surrendered to Middleton, who, with much of his staff, had 99 unbroken days of combat. In a formal ceremony, Middleton gave the city back to its mayor, and Patton arrived to pin a Distinguished Service Medal
oak leaf cluster
on Middleton for outstanding conduct during the campaign in Brittany, resulting in the capture of Brest.
The Americans captured more than 36,000 Germans, and evacuated 2000 wounded, far exceeding the estimate of 10,000 Germans given to Middleton by Patton before the operation. Ramcke was captured by troops of the 8th Division, and asked the deputy division commander for his credentials. The American general pointed to the M-1 rifles being carried by his soldiers and told Ramcke that those were his credentials. Ramcke appeared at his formal surrender clean shaven and with a well-groomed Irish setter
. With plenty of reporters and photographers documenting the occasion, Ramcke commented in English that he felt like a film star. He was soon sent to a prisoner of war camp in Clinton, Mississippi
, not more than 50 miles from where Middleton was born and raised. After the war he spent time in a prison camp in England, and then was sent to France where he was tried and soon released following five total years of incarceration. He went back to Germany and entered the concrete business, continuing a correspondence with Middleton for 15 years following the war.
, France, through Luxembourg
, and east of the Belgian cities of Bastogne
, Liege
and Antwerp. The Allies had outrun their supply lines and had to slow their advance to resupply.
Middleton's VIII Corps was assigned a 50-mile front, half of which belonged to the 2nd Division and the other half to the 8th Division. The front extended from Losheim, on the German-Belgian border, to central Luxembourg. On 11 October, the 83rd Division was brought back under VIII Corps control, and another 38 miles of front in Luxembourg was added to the responsibility of the corps. The new 9th Armored Division was added to the lineup on 20 October, but put into corps reserve by Middleton. During October and into November these divisions ran deception maneuvers to confuse the Germans, and also became thoroughly familiar with the terrain so as to be able to absorb a heavy thrust from the enemy should they be attacked. However, from mid-November to early December the three well-prepared infantry divisions were all replaced by two battle-weary divisions and one green division. Both the 28th Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Division, Middleton's old division from World War I, had taken heavy losses in the Huertgen Forest, and were at less than 75% normal strength. The 106th Infantry Division was just entering the lineup with no combat experience. Middleton now had about 68,000 officers and men in his corps, many weary and many uninitiated, along an 88-mile front facing about 200,000 Germans who were deftly moving into position under the cover of darkness.
. The Germans launched their great attack of 1940 through the same region, with Generalfeldmarschall
Gerd von Rundstedt
in command then as he was once again in this campaign. His goal was to separate the American forces from the British and Canadian forces, and take the important port city of Antwerp. By late afternoon the Germans had 14 divisions operating in the Ardennes, but this number would swell to an estimated 25 divisions, with 600 tanks and 1000 aircraft. The 106th Division, located in the most exposed positions along the corps line, and the 28th Division took the brunt of the attack. Middleton, headquartered in Bastogne, was awakened by a guard and could hear the guns from there. Throughout the day, the 106th was able to hold its position, but additional German units poured in during the night. Much of the 106th was on the German side of the Our River
in an area known as the Schnee Eifel
. The division's commander, Major General Alan Jones, called Middleton, concerned about his two regiments east of the river. The conversation was interrupted by another call, and then resumed. At the end of the conversation Middleton told an aide that he had given his approval to have the two regiments pull back to the west side of the river. Jones, on the other hand was convinced that Middleton had directed these units to stay, and was further convinced of this based on a written order from earlier in the day, but just received. As a result of the miscommunication, the pullback did not occur, and the two regiments were ultimately surrounded with most of the men captured on 17 December. While two of the 28th Division's regiments survived the German onslaught intact, the 110th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Hurley Fuller, was directly in the path of the massive advance. On 17 December Fuller counterattacked, but his lone regiment was up against three German divisions, and when Fuller's command post was attacked his escape was thwarted and he was taken prisoner. Middleton next heard from him in April when he was released. Though the 110th Regiment was shattered, the stubborn resistance given by them and other VIII Corps units greatly slowed down the German timetable.
The city of Bastogne, Belgium was a hub of several major roads and became a prime target for the Germans, seeing its capture as necessary to their advance. Middleton was in continuous communication with Bradley at 12th Army Group headquarters in Luxembourg, and maintained that though Bastogne could soon be surrounded, it should be held. As the Germans advanced on Bastogne, both Bradley and First Army commander Hodges recognized the threat to Middleton and had him move his headquarters. He was supposed to leave Bastogne on 18 December, but spent another night there so that he could brief his relief force, the 101st Airborne Division
. Not only did that division's acting commander, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe
, show up ahead of schedule, but so did Colonel William Roberts from the 10th Armored Division Combat Command
R (CCR), sent by Patton. Another welcome guest arriving later that evening was Major General Matthew B. Ridgway, commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps, enroute to his headquarters, but advised by Middleton to stay in Bastogne for the night to avoid capture by the Germans. While Middleton and his guests slept, members of the 101st poured into Bastogne all during the night and into the following day.
Having conferred with McAuliffe at length the previous evening, Middleton left Bastogne after full daylight on 19 December, and set up headquarters in a school building in Neufchateau, 17 miles to the southwest. For the next several days, Bastogne was defended by the 101st, along with elements of CCR and some corps artillery assets that Middleton was able to supply. McAuliffe had units scattered in towns surrounding Bastogne, which bore the brunt of attacks by the German Panzer Lehr Division and Second Panzer Division. At one point on 19 December, some of McAuliffe's units wanted to fall back, and McAuliffe concurred, calling Middleton for his approval. Middleton's response was, "we can't hold Bastogne if we keep falling back" and the units were ordered to stay.
On 20 December, VIII Corps was moved from Hodges' First Army back to Patton's Third Army. Bastogne was being surrounded by the Germans and without adequate weather for airdrops, supplies were running low. By 22 December the Germans felt that their position around Bastogne was strong enough to send in an emissary with a note advising the Americans to surrender the city, or they would be attacked in the afternoon. McAuliffe's famous reply, "Nuts!" was sent back to the German commander. The Germans did renew their attack that afternoon, but it was muted by freshly falling snow, and a stiff American response. The next morning, 23 December, was the eighth day of fighting and the first day that the sun had emerged from behind the thick fog and clouds since the beginning of the battle. The Ninth Air Force
was able to send 240 aircraft over Bastogne that day, each dropping about 1200 pounds of critically needed supplies, including artillery rounds that were delivered in the morning and used against the Germans the same afternoon. Over the next three days, offensives made by the Germans were countered with responses from the Americans. In the late afternoon on 26 December the first elements of the long-awaited 4th Armored Division arrived in Bastogne, breaking the siege of the city. Hitler
demanded that Bastogne be taken, but even with nine divisions in the fight, the Germans were not able to break in. With the siege broken and additional elements of the 4th Armored Division coming in, Middleton stipulated that the top priority was to get the 964 wounded troops out of Bastogne and into area hospitals. Despite the small opening to the city, it was clear by 27 December that the Germans were throwing their principal effort against Bastogne.
In response to this renewed German thrust against Bastogne, Eisenhower released two new divisions on 28 December, the 87th Infantry and the 11th Armored. These units joined the 101st Airborne Division in the corps lineup just in time for a new offensive on 30 December to shrink the bulge created in the allied line. The Americans began their attack at 7:30 that morning, which, coincidently, was the exact time that the Germans, under General der Panzertruppen (Lieutenant General equivalent) Hasso von Manteuffel
scheduled an attack of their own. The 11th Armored Division had difficulty meeting its objectives (for reasons not related to the strength of the Germans), but the 87th Division fought well in the snow, sleet and deepening cold. On 3 January the new 17th Airborne Division relieved the 11th Armored Division, and the corps stretched along a crude 15-mile line due west of Bastogne, with the 101st continuing to hold the city. For the next two weeks the corps moved steadily north in heavy, sometimes even desperate, fighting, and on 16 January they met units from First Army pushing south at Houffalize
. Over the following twelve days the combined force pushed the Germans back eastward across the Our River, returning the Allied line to its original position before the 16 December battle began, eliminating the bulge created in the Allied line on 16 December.
, Walker if he could do the same with Bitburg
and Middleton if he could take Gerolstein
. All three commanders agreed to this, and within a few days all three had reached their objectives. Middleton was then asked by Patton to take his corps all the way to Koblenz
on the Rhine River, which he did, and VIII Corps reached the river before any units of First Army arrived. Middleton never did learn of Bradley's reaction to Patton's method of "staying in place."
Once the VIII Corps was at Koblenz, Patton took most of its divisions away for an operation with XII Corps further up the river at Mainz
, leaving Middleton with some corps units (mostly artillery) and a single division, the 87th Infantry. Middleton asked Patton if he could take Koblenz with the 87th, eliciting a laugh from the Army commander. Middleton pressed him to let him try, and with the commander's approval he was able to take the city, which only had about 500 defenders. Most of the other German troops were on the other side of the Rhine not wanting to get trapped between the Rhine and the Moselle
Rivers.
Once Koblenz was captured in mid-March 1945, VIII Corps was assigned a 25-mile front from Koblenz upstream (southeast) to beyond Boppard
and the famous landmark, the Lorelei
. Patton then gave Middleton the 89th Division and 76th Division for the river crossing. Middleton chose to cross the river near the Lorelei where the river was narrow, swift, and flanked by steep terrain, eliciting another reaction from Patton. Middleton knew there would be little German resistance there, and he was able to get the entire 89th across in one night using inflatable rafts, and then put a pontoon bridge in place by early morning. The 87th initially attempted to cross at Koblenz but met too much resistance there, compelling them to move further upstream closer to Boppard, where their crossing went smoothly. Within two days Middleton had all three of his divisions across the Rhine.
In late March, VIII Corps advanced eastward through Eisenach
and then across the Fulda River
. Here some of Middleton's infantrymen came across the concentration camp at Ohrdruf, discovering the sickening evidence of what had transpired there. Middleton called Patton to come take a look, and Patton was joined by Bradley and Eisenhower. In his diary, Patton described the place as "one of the most apalling sights that I have ever seen." This was the first Nazi concentration camp to be discovered by the United States Army, and Eisenhower cabled Marshall
to get a delegation from congress over to witness and communicate what took place there. Middleton later had officials from the town come in to witness what was going on in their midst. While every one of them denied knowing what was happening, the mayor and his wife both committed suicide that night.
The VIII Corps continued its eastward advance well into the month of April, and was ordered to stop between Chemnitz
and the Czechoslovakia
n border, where the corps would make contact with the Russians. The immediate problem was dealing with the prisoners of war. The Americans were almost overwhelmed by the number of Germans wanting to surrender to the them, and despite orders to take no more prisoners, thousands of Germans filtered through VIII Corps lines at night, desperately trying to avoid capture by the Russians. During the last week of April, a Russian cavalry unit made contact with Middleton. While the leaders of both the Americans and the Russians exchanged luncheon inviations, the Russians were extremely reluctant to allow any Americans across the Russian line, and their American lunch guests were taken by a very circuitous route into Russian-held territory.
On 25 April 1945 Patton wrote a recommendation, citing Middleton's "outstanding tactical skill and determination," his "magnificent resistance against...Von Rundstadt's attack," and his "tireless energy and unfaltering aggressiveness." He also sent a personal note to Middleton, shown here. With the war in Europe almost over, the disposition of the various units was being decided by higher command. Some would remain as occupation forces in Europe, some would return to the United States, and some would be sent to the Pacific theater to fight against the Japanese. The Germans formally surrendered in the American sector on 7 May 1945, and two days later Patton issued his General Order Number 98 thanking the soldiers of the Third Army, past and present, for their accomplishments. On 13 May, Middleton wrote a letter to Bradley requesting to be released from active duty, once his combat services were no longer needed. He asked to return to LSU by 1 August 1945, but also paid compliments to Bradley and others by writing, "That men such as you, Ike, Joe Collins, Courtney Hodges and others have accomplished so much in this war, are available to guide the future of our Army, we cannot but feel the future is in safe hands."
, Middleton went back to Washington, and this time Marshall told him he doubted any more units would be sent to the Pacific. Asked if he wanted to stay in the Army, Middleton's reply was that he had retired in 1937, and he intended to be returned to retired status once he was no longer needed as a combat commander. In late August 1945 he returned to LSU and reported to President Hatcher, requesting his old job as comptroller.
While still in Europe in May, Middleton was very busy getting troops returned to the states. Now at LSU he was at the other end of the pipeline, getting things ready for thousands of soldiers who would be going back to school. Enrollments had swollen in 1945, but in 1946 the bulge in new students became an avalanche. One of Middleton's priorities was to get housing for all of these new students, many of whom were married. With keen insights into military procurement, he was able to find a variety of types of excess housing units that the military no longer needed, and was able to provide both students and faculty with adequate housing at a very small cost.
Middleton was also asked to speak to military groups on occasion, such as for commissioning exercises at Fort Benning in 1951. As late as 1958 he was called on by the United States Military Academy to come and review the curriculum offered to the cadets, and then was called again in 1959.
. Middleton thought Stoke had many good qualities, but he could not work well with the Board of Supervisors. Stoke was sometimes doctrinaire, and his formality when working with the board members was found to be annoying by some. While he was respected by most of the faculty, Stoke continued to have run-ins with the board members, and in December 1950 his differences with the board resulted in his tendering his resignation.
Stokes asked the board to hold a special meeting on 28 December to act on his resignation. Following the meeting, three members of the board came to Middleton's office, and told him, "The board has elected you president of the university and we are here to notify you. It is the board's desire that you accept." Middleton was pressed to make a quick decision, and feeling confident that he could fulfill the job with no misgivings, he accepted the position. There was some backlash from the resignation of Stokes, as students and members of the community criticized the board. Nevertheless, the resignation became effective on 1 February 1951, on which day Middleton began his role as university president.
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
commander in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and later as President of Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
(LSU). Enlisting in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1910, Middleton rose to the rank of colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
by 1918, the youngest officer of that rank in the American Expeditionary Forces. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Middleton commanded in combat and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
for actions in the Meuse-Argonne offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
.
Following World War I, Middleton served at the United States Army Infantry School
United States Army Infantry School
The United States Army Infantry School is located in Fort Benning, Georgia. It is made up of the following components:*192d Infantry Brigade...
, Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
; the Command and General Staff School
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...
, Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
; the Army War College, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; and as Commandant of Cadets at LSU. He retired from the Army in 1937 to accept an offer as Dean of Administration at LSU and later became the acting Vice President.
Recalled to service in early 1942, Middleton commanded the 45th Infantry Division during the Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
battles in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and then in March 1944 moved up to command the U.S. VIII Corps
VIII Corps (United States)
The U.S. VIII Corps was a corps of the United States Army that saw service during various times over a fifty-year period during the twentieth century. The VIII Corps was organized 26–29 November 1918 in the Regular Army in France and demobilized on 20 April 1919. The VIII Corps was soon...
. Middleton's brilliant leadership in Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...
and in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
led to his widespread recognition as a corps commander of extraordinary abilities.
Retiring from the Army again in 1945, Middleton returned to LSU and in 1951 was appointed to the university presidency, a position he held for 11 years. Middleton continued to serve the Army in numerous consultative capacities. He resided in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
until his death in 1976 and his remains were interred in Baton Rouge National Cemetery
Baton Rouge National Cemetery
Baton Rouge National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in East Baton Rouge Parish, in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 5,459 interments.- History :...
. Both the Air Force/Army ROTC building at Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
, Middleton's alma mater, and the library at Louisiana State University are named for him.
Ancestry
Troy H. Middleton was born near Georgetown, Copiah County, MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
on 12 October 1889, the son of John Houston Middleton (12 May 1856 - 27 August 1935) and Laura Catherine "Kate" Thompson (25 December 1860 - 20 September 1925). His paternal grandfather, Benjamin Parks Middleton (1825–1891) served as a private in Company G, 6th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry for the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and his maternal grandfather, Riden M. Thompson, was also a Confederate soldier who died 27 May 1862 at the hospital in Hazlehurst
Hazlehurst, Mississippi
Hazlehurst is a city in and the county seat of Copiah County, Mississippi, United States, located about 30 miles south of the state capital Jackson along Interstate 55. The population was 4,400 at the 2000 census...
, Mississippi. His great great grandfather, Captain Holland Middleton (c.1715-1795/96) served from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Holland Middleton was the son of William Middleton (c.1685 - 1769) and grandson of Robert Middleton (c.1651 - c.1707) who had extensive land interests in Charles County and Prince Georges County, both in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Some of Robert Middleton's property was near Piscataway Creek
Piscataway Creek
Piscataway Creek is an tributary of the Potomac River in Prince George's County, Maryland. The creek is a tidal arm of the Potomac for its final , entering the Potomac at Fort Washington Park. Tinkers Creek is a tributary to Piscataway Creek, converging from the north upstream of the mouth of the...
, about twelve miles south of present-day Washington D.C., across the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
from the future site of Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
, the home of President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. In 1678 Robert Middleton was paid for expenses incurred in fighting the Nanticoke Indians
Nanticoke Indian Tribe
The Nanticoke people are an indigenous American Algonquian people, whose traditional homelands are in Chesapeake Bay and Delaware. Today they live in the northeast United States, especially Delaware; in Canada; and in Oklahoma.-History:...
and in 1681 he was commissioned as cornet
Cornet (military rank)
Cornet was originally the third and lowest grade of commissioned officer in a British cavalry troop, after captain and lieutenant. A cornet is a new and junior officer.- Traditional duties :The cornet carried the troop standard, also known as a "cornet"....
(second lieutenant) in a troop of cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
.
Early life
Troy Middleton was the middle of nine children and grew up at the end of the 19th century on a 400-acre plantationPlantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
. The plantation was virtually a self-contained community, and he had a variety of chores to do depending on the season, with sausage-stuffing being one of his favorites. The local Lick Creek and Strong River
Strong River
The Strong River is a river in south-central Mississippi in the United States. It is a tributary of the Pearl River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico.-Course:...
had plentiful fish that he would catch, and he loved to hunt, particularly with his 12-gauge shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
. While his family was Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
by heritage, they worshipped at the Bethel Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church, a few miles west of Georgetown, the only church reachable on a Sunday morning. His education was conducted at the small Bethel schoolhouse, near the Bethel Church, but in the summertime he was tutored by his oldest sister Emily, who came home from Blue Mountain College
Blue Mountain College
Blue Mountain College is a private liberal arts college, supported by the Mississippi Baptist Convention, located in the northeastern Mississippi town of Blue Mountain not far from Tupelo, Miss. In 2005, the College's Board of Trustees voted unanimously for the college to go fully...
to share her knowledge of different subjects with her family. Having exhausted all the educational opportunities available at home, Middleton's father asked him if he was interested in a college education. Finding this an attractive proposition, in the summer of 1904, at the age of fourteen, Middleton made the 172-mile train trip to Starkville
Starkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
, where he would begin his studies at Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College (Mississippi A&M), a school later to become Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
.
College at Mississippi A&M
At his young age, Middleton was compelled to complete a year of preparatory school before being enrolled in the four-year program at Mississippi A&M. In essence he did a final year of high school while living in the dormitory and following the regimen of the students at the college. The students were treated like cadets at a military academy, marching to and from all meals, and beginning their day with the first bugle call at 5:30 a.m. Every week day was the same: cleanup and study time in the morning, march to breakfast, a usually short chapel call, classes from 8:30 to 4:00, broken only by lunch, athletics from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m., dinner, and then study from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m., followed by the playing of taps at 10:30, and lights out at 10:40. While Middleton did not particularly savor the military atmosphere, he settled into the routine, and the year passed quickly. The highlight of his preppie year came on 10 February 1905 when John Philip SousaJohn Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
brought his band to A&M, attracting people from around the state, and packing the 2000-seat mess hall. The train that would take the band to its next stop was held up for over an hour as the concert was extended by repeated calls for encores.
Middleton was involved in numerous activities during his college days, and took leadership roles in most of them. He was the vice president of A&M's Collegian Club, and president of the school's Gun Club, being photographed on one occasion with his beloved shot gun, which he was allowed to keep in his dormitory room and use for hunting on weekends when campus activities did not fill his schedule. He was the president of his junior class and during his senior year was the commandant of the select Mississippi Sabre Company, which was a club restricted to seniors of good social, academic and military standing. Among his favorite activities were baseball and football, and he played both sports throughout college. Early in his tenure, however, he had to give up a season of baseball when he failed a chemistry course, and spent his afternoons back in the classroom and laboratory instead of on the athletic fields. Whether playing or spectating, the baseball and football games gave the students a chance to leave campus, and they took the train to play various teams around the state or region. Games were played wherever a suitable field could be found, but football games against the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
were always played in Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
.
Middleton graduated with a bachelor's degree in the spring of 1909, and was hoping to get an appointment to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. No such opportunity presented itself, however, and at the age of 19 he was too young to take the examination for an Army commission. Taking the advice of an Army officer back at A&M, Troy decided to enlist in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
Enlisted service
On 3 March 1910 Troy Middleton enlisted into the 29th Infantry Regiment at Fort PorterFort Porter
Fort Porter was constructed between 1841 and 1844 at Buffalo in Erie County, New York and named for General Peter Buell Porter. The site was bounded by Porter Avenue, Busti Avenue and the Erie Barge Canal. It was initially a square masonry two-story redoubt, 62 feet square, with crenelated walls...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was put to work as a company clerk, and as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
earned $15 a month, which was paid in gold until it became scarce, and was then paid in silver. Private Middleton tired of this desk work quickly and asked to become a soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
. While this did not happen at Fort Porter, his talents as a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player became known, and he was pressed into duty as the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
of the local team, which played civilian teams in the Buffalo area as well as other Army teams such as the one at Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
near Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
. For the next several years Middleton would play a lot of football, which sport was strongly endorsed by the Army. After getting a commission, an officer is never returned to the same unit from which he served as an enlisted member, but Middleton became the exception because of his talents as a quarterback. Middleton felt that football provided him with the finest training he received while in the Army, and he said he never met a good football player who wasn't also a good soldier.
Officer's commission
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
. Promotions came very slowly, and occurred only when a position was vacated by someone else getting promoted or retiring. Shortly after his promotion on 10 June 1912, Corporal Middleton was transferred to Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, where he would have a chance to compete for an Army commission. Here Middleton attended an intensive training course to prepare for the written examination required for a second lieutenant's
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
commission. Of the 300 civilians and enlisted men who took the exam, 56 of them passed and were commissioned. Middleton's score was just about in the middle of the passing scores. Almost all of those passing were college graduates, coming from schools such as Harvard, Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
, Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
, and Stanford. Four of the 56, including Middleton, would go on to become general officers.
In addition to taking the written exam, all of the applicants had to take a horse-riding test as well. Having grown up riding horses on his family's plantation, Middleton scored very well on this exam, and the officer in charge thought surely that he would want to go into the cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
. Middleton, however, wanted to go into the infantry, leaving the officer stunned that anyone with such horsemanship skills would even consider spending his time walking instead of riding a fine horse.
Having passed his exam, Middleton was recommended for a commission by President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Howard Taft in November 1912, but it wasn't until after the new President, Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, was sworn in the following March, and the new congress convened, that the 56 successful candidates were confirmed by the Senate. Their appointment was back-dated to 30 November 1912. During this interim period, Troy was transferred to Fort Crockett
Fort Crockett
Fort Crockett is a government reservation on Galveston Island overlookingthe Gulf of Mexico originally built as a defense installation to protect the city and harbor of Galveston and to secure the entrance to Galveston Bay,...
in Galveston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where he arrived early in 1913.
Fort Crockett and deployment to Mexico
In February 1913 Troy Middleton reported to Fort CrockettFort Crockett
Fort Crockett is a government reservation on Galveston Island overlookingthe Gulf of Mexico originally built as a defense installation to protect the city and harbor of Galveston and to secure the entrance to Galveston Bay,...
as a second lieutenant without a commission, being assigned to Company K of the 7th Infantry Regiment
7th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The United States Army's 7th Infantry Regiment, known as "The Cottenbalers" from an incident that occurred during the Battle of New Orleans, while under the command of Andrew Jackson, when soldiers of the 7th Infantry Regiment held positions behind a breastwork of bales of cotton during the...
. A large part of the United States Army was rotating here in response to trouble in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In 1910 Mexico's President Porfirio Diaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
was overthrown by a reform leader, Francisco Madero, beginning the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
which would last for nearly a decade. Madero was supported by General Victoriano Huerta
Victoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a Mexican military officer and president of Mexico. Huerta's supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution...
in putting down a series of revolts in 1912, but the following year was assassinated by the General who then seized power. Though many countries recognized the Huerta government, President Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
would not, and he hoped to return Mexico to a constitutional government by backing Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza
Venustiano Carranza de la Garza, was one of the leaders of the Mexican Revolution. He ultimately became President of Mexico following the overthrow of the dictatorial Huerta regime in the summer of 1914 and during his administration the current constitution of Mexico was drafted...
. The troops at Fort Crockett went into a waiting mode, preparing for the call from the President to take action in support of American interests.
In April 1914 the waiting for the military units ended, and American troops under the command of Brigadier General Frederick Funston
Frederick Funston
Frederick N. Funston also known as Fred Funston, was a General in the United States Army, best known for his role in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War...
were sent into Mexico. The Navy had taken the port city of Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
and the 7th Regiment was ordered to take part in the occupation of the city. Middleton's landing party went in unopposed and settled into occupation duty without a shot being fired. Middleton spent a total of seven months in Mexico and returned home to Galveston in November 1914.
Marriage
After first arriving at Fort Crockett, Middleton adapted to garrison life while engaging in the Galveston social scene by attending Saturday night dances in town. At one such dance he had a Navy lieutenant introduce him to Jerusha Collins who would later become his wife. She had attended Southwestern UniversitySouthwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
in Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
and had made her debut in Galveston society in 1911. Following the death of her father, Sidney G. Collins, Jerusha had come to live with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. John Hagemann, in the heart of Galveston. As a merchant, Hagemann was well to do, and drove a Studebaker
Studebaker
Studebaker Corporation was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 under the name of the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the company was originally a producer of wagons for farmers, miners, and the...
touring car when most people in the town rode in buggies, wagons, and surreys
Surrey (carriage)
A surrey is a horse-drawn, four-wheeled, two-seated pleasure carriage with an open spindle seat.-Overview:The name comes from Surrey, the county in southern England where it was first built. It resembles a cabriolet but has a straight or nearly straight bottom, sometimes cut under...
. Middleton met the Hagemanns, soon becoming a regular visitor at their house while calling on Jerusha.
Following seven months in Mexico, Middleton's return to Galveston brought a special anticipation. He had proposed to Jerusha Collins at an earlier time, and renewed the proposal upon his return. The couple was married on 6 January 1915, and this allowed them to be in New Orleans two days later with other members of Troy's unit for the one hundredth anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
in which the 7th Regiment had served a century earlier. After a week in New Orleans, the couple returned to Galveston, and were invited to move into the Hagemann's house, where they were given a large upstairs room.
Fort Bliss
1915 Galveston Hurricane
The 1915 Galveston Hurricane was a deadly hurricane that struck Leeward Islands, Hispanola, Cuba and Texas, in mid August of the 1915 Atlantic hurricane season...
hit the Texas coastline in mid-August 1915, most of the Army units had scattered to safe locations away from the storm's path, with a few units remaining in the secure buildings of Fort Crockett or in downtown Galveston. The Middletons chose to ride out the storm at the Hagemann house. Following the storm cleanup, in October 1915, the 7th Regiment was ordered to Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
in El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
, Texas as events in Mexico flared up again. Here they were put under the command of Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
John Pershing, a highly capable officer who had skipped three ranks by being promoted from Captain to Brigadier General for his exceptional service during the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
.
The Mexican Revolutionary General Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
, who had at one time been supported by the United States, felt betrayed when the Americans backed Carranza. In January 1916, Villa's followers, known as Villistas, attacked a train and killed 16 American businessmen who were aboard. Two months later Villa's men crossed the border into the United States and attacked the town of Columbus
Columbus, New Mexico
Columbus is a village in Luna County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,765 at the 2000 census. The town is named after 15th century explorer Christopher Columbus.-History:...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, killing an additional 19 Americans. Following these attacks, General Pershing took his forces into Mexico to pursue Pancho Villa.
Preceding these events, Middleton's 7th Regiment was sent to Douglas
Douglas, Arizona
Douglas is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. Douglas has a border crossing with Mexico and a history of mining.The population was 14,312 at the 2000 census...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
to perform border security. While there, Middleton and a squad of his men were fired upon by the Villistas who unsuccessfully attacked the Mexican village of Agua Prieta, across the border from Douglas. While several of Middleton's men were hit, no one was killed, and they all returned with the 7th Regiment back to Fort Bliss in late December 1915.
Preparation for war
The hunt for Pancho Villa ended unsuccessfully for the Americans. War was raging in Europe, and following several months in Mexico, Pershing was called back to Fort Bliss to begin preparing his troops for this much larger conflict. In April 1917, President Wilson requested that Congress declare war, which they did. The same month Middleton was assigned to Gettysburg National Park where the 7th Regiment would continue its training. Here, he was promoted to first lieutenantFirst Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 1 July 1916, after a little more than three and a half years as a second lieutenant. With the pending war, his promotions would become much more frequent, and in less than a year he was promoted to captain, on 15 May 1917.
In preparation for its buildup in strength, the Army had to train a large cadre of officers. On 10 June 1917 Middleton was assigned to Fort Myer
Fort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, just outside of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as the adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of a reserve officer training camp. These camps were organized to take civilians and turn them into officers in ninety days, and as adjutant Middleton was responsible for directing the flow of paperwork for 2700 officer candidates. By November 1917, his camp graduated its last class of officers, and Middleton requested to join a combat division. His request was granted and on 21 December 1917 he reported to the 4th Division at Camp Greene
Camp Greene
Camp Greene was a United States Army facility in North Carolina, United States during the early 20th Century. In 1917, both the 3rd Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Divisions were first organized and assembled at this camp.-History:...
near Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Two days later, however, he received new orders to become the commander of a reserve officer training camp in Leon Springs, Texas
Leon Springs, Texas
Leon Springs is an unincorporated community in Bexar County, Texas, now partially within the limits of San Antonio.The region was settled in the mid-nineteenth century by German immigrants, most notably Johannes von Meusebach, George von Plehve, and Max Aue. Aue founded an inn which became the...
. Here, he reported as ordered, and stayed until the mission was complete in April 1918. As he was technically on loan from the 4th Division, his request to rejoin that unit was granted, and Middleton was soon on his way to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
World War I
Believing that the 4th Division was still at Camp Greene, Middleton wired there to find out that the unit was already on its way overseas. He caught a train for New York, and when he arrived on 28 April 1918, he found his division at Camp MillsCamp Mills
Camp Mills was a military installation on Long Island, New York. It was located about ten miles from the eastern boundary of New York City on the Hempstead Plains near Garden City....
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, living in tents and awaiting transport. Middleton was given command of the First Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, and departed New York with his regiment aboard the Princess Matokia on 11 May in a convoy of fourteen ships. Three days out of France, a fleet of destroyers met the convoy and escorted it to the port city of Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
where they arrived on 23 May. There the division unloaded and organized for several days, subsequently loading onto a troop train to arrive at Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
on 30 May.
Calais, Chateau Thierry and Saint-Mihiel
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Enfields
Lee-Enfield
The Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle was the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century...
for which there was available ammunition. When the Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
began an offensive north of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the 4th was put onto trains and sent to the Marne River
Marne River
The Marne is a river in France, a right tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. It is long. The river gave its name to the départements of Haute-Marne, Marne, Seine-et-Marne, and Val-de-Marne....
, about twenty-five miles west of Chateau Thierry. Here the 4th became a reserve unit for the badly battered 42nd Division. In late July 1918, Middleton, promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
on 7 June, moved his First Battalion in to support the 167th Regiment of the 42nd Division. In the ensuing operation, called the Second Battle of the Marne
Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne , or Battle of Reims was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by France overwhelmed the Germans, inflicting severe casualties...
, four days of heavy fighting took place against the Prussian Fourth Guard Division fresh from a month's rest. While the veteran Germans fought with determination, the Americans were able to push them back about twelve miles, though at a considerable cost—more than one in four of the Americans became casualties.
When the 4th Division was relieved, they were sent to the Saint-Mihiel
Saint-Mihiel
Saint-Mihiel is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-History:Saint-Mihiel was captured by the Germans in the first year of World War I, and was re-captured during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel from 12 September to 19 September 1918, during World War...
area, where they would undertake a small support role. Major Middleton was given the task of directing the unit's transport, complicated by the requirement to move at night with equipment and personnel to be drawn by horse and mule. This huge logistical undertaking was an experience that would serve Middleton well at another time in another war. After Saint-Mihiel, the unit was moved to Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
where hundreds of thousands of French and Germans had become casualties earlier in the war. This would be the last major engagement in this war for Middleton, who was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
on 17 September, shortly before the commencement of the operation, called the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
.
Meuse-Argonne Offensive
The 4th Division, on its own for the first time in the war, was assigned a front that was one to two miles wide, sandwiched between two seasoned French divisions, about eight miles from Verdun. Lieutenant Colonel Middleton's battalion led the attack for the Americans on 26 September 1918. That day, they covered five miles, breaking through German defenses, after which it was up to the entire 47th Infantry Regiment to hold on to the gains. Middleton then put his second-in-command in charge of the battalion when he was assigned as the Executive OfficerExecutive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the regiment. He was in this staff position for two weeks when, on 11 October, he was given command of the 39th Infantry Regiment after most of its regimental staff became casualties following a gas attack. At about one o'clock in the morning, Middleton had to find his way to the 39th headquarters and prepare for battle at daybreak. Shortly before 7:30 a.m., Middleton led his new regiment into enemy-held territory using a tactic called "marching fire," where all of the troops constantly fired their weapons while moving a mile through heavy woods. This compelled most of the dug-in and concealed Germans to surrender, and allowed the 4th Division to move to the edge of the Meuse River
Meuse River
The Maas or Meuse is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea...
. Three days after taking command of the 39th, and two days after his twenty-ninth birthday, Middleton was promoted to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, becoming the youngest officer in the American Expeditionary Forces to attain that rank. He also received the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
for his exceptional battlefield performance.
On 19 October, the 4th Division was withdrawn from the battle line after 24 days of continuous contact with the enemy, the longest unbroken period of combat for any American division during the war. Middleton was now given command of his former regiment, the 47th. In early November the 4th Division relieved an African American
Military history of African Americans
The military history of African Americans spans from the arrival of the first black slaves during the colonial history of the United States to the present day...
regiment near Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, and was preparing to chase German defenders down the Moselle River
Moselle River
The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....
, with Middleton to lead the attack. The attack did not materialize, however, because, on 10 November, Middleton received confidential news that an armistice was imminent. The following morning a messenger brought word that there would be no more firing after 11 a.m. There was celebration throughout the ranks, but there was still much work to be done; the 4th Division would soon be assigned to Germany as an occupying force.
Occupation of Germany
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
, on the Rhine River. The final destination of Middleton's 47th Regiment would be the town of Adenau
Adenau
Adenau is a town in the High Eifel in Germany. It is known as the Johanniterstadt because the Order of Saint John was based there in the Middle Ages. The town's coat of arms combines the black cross of the Electorate of Cologne with the lion of the lords of Nürburg...
, 35 miles due west of Koblenz. The road trip took fifteen days of moving through almost incessant rain and ended in a driving snowstorm on 15 December. During the march, Middleton broke character and rode a horse during most of each day, surveying his troops and occasionally dismounting to talk with them. The formation marched for fifty minutes of each hour, and rested for ten, with a full hour for lunch. Once in Adenau, the regiment dispersed to many villages in the area, while Colonel Middleton stayed in a large home in Adenau where the owners continued to live as well. During the stay in Adenau, the 47th continued with its training, building a rifle range, running combat problems, and practicing lessons learned from its recent combat operations. In early March 1919, after nearly four months in Adenau, the 47th was ordered to the area of Remagen
Remagen
Remagen is a town in Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. It is about a one hour drive from Cologne , just south of Bonn, the former West German capital. It is situated on the River Rhine. There is a ferry across the Rhine from Remagen every 10–15 minutes in the summer...
on the Rhine. On the morning of the move, Middleton had breakfast with General Pershing's aide, Colonel George C. Marshall, who had come to Adenau the day before expressly to inform Middleton of his regiment's new orders.
At Remagen the 47th Regiment was given the mission of guarding the Ludendorff Bridge
Ludendorff Bridge
The Ludendorff Bridge was a railway bridge across the River Rhine in Germany, connecting the villages of Remagen and Erpel between two ridge lines of hills flanking the river...
over the Rhine River. Twenty five years later the 47th would once again find itself guarding this bridge in a different war. The regiment remained here until given orders to return home in mid-summer. Before his departure from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Middleton was summoned to report to the Third Army Chief of Staff in Koblenz. Here he was informed that he and other senior officers were being assigned to Camp Benning, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
to form the first faculty of the Infantry School that was being established there. Middleton sailed out of Brest in mid-July, met his wife in New York, and together they traveled to Columbus, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
by way of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Atlanta.
Military Schools
For the ten years following World War I, Troy Middleton would be either an instructor or a student in the succession of military schools that Army officers attend during their careers. Middleton arrived in Columbus, Georgia with strong praise from his superiors, and would soon get his efficiency report, in which Brigadier General Benjamin Poore of the 4th Division wrote of him, "The best all-around officer I have yet seen. Unspoiled by his rapid promotion from captain in July to colonel in October; and made good in every grade. He gets better results in a quiet unobtrusive way than any officer I have ever met. Has a wonderful grasp of situations and a fine sense of proportion."Infantry School
Up until the World War, other branches of the Army had their own specialty schools, but the infantry did not. This situation was being amended, and Middleton would be part of that change as a new faculty member of the Infantry School at Camp Benning, about nine miles from Columbus. Middleton, who's rank had reverted to his permanent rank of captain following the war, was an instructor in the new school for his first two years at Benning, and also a member of the Infantry Board, set up for research on weapons and tactics. One of his jobs on the board was to evaluate new weapons and equipment, and at one point he fired many rounds from a new semiautomatic rifle which would eventually become the M-1 rifle, the standard weapon of the infantry in World War II.Combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different branches of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects...
, tactical principles
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
and decisions, military history
Military history
Military history is a humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, their cultures, economies and changing intra and international relationships....
and economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, then ended with a written thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
. Middleton, about the most junior member of his class, finished at the top of the class.
Following the advanced course, Middleton spent the summer as the senior instructor at a Reserve Officer
Military reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
Training Camp at Fort Logan, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, then returned to Camp Benning for one more year as a member of the Infantry Board. Four years at Benning had been enough for him and he was ready to move on. After expressing his wishes to a senior officer, he was assigned to Fort Leavenworth in the summer of 1923, a place he had been eleven years earlier to prepare for his officer's commission.
Command and General Staff School
As one of the youngest majors in the Army, Middleton found himself among officers who were ten to fifteen years his senior at the Army's Command and General Staff School at Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. Students attended this ten-month school to qualify for higher commands. Here Middleton met a classmate, George Patton, who would become one of his friends. Patton had confided to Middleton that he predicted completing the course as an Honor Graduate, one who finishes in the top 25% of the nearly 200 students. His prediction came true, and he finished 14th in the class. Middleton finished 8th. With his exceptional class performance, Middleton, along with half a dozen other graduates, was invited to stay on for the next four years as an instructor at the school.
During his second year of teaching at Command and General Staff School, one of his students, Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, would come to his office, sit on the corner of his desk, and pump him for information, knowing that Middleton had commanded a regiment in combat in France. Eisenhower asked the most practical questions, and was unquestionably motivated—he finished first in his class. Nearly every officer who commanded a division in Europe during World War II attended the Command and General Staff School during Middleton's tenure there from 1924 to 1928. There was also a time during World War II when every corps commander in Europe had been a student of Middleton's.
War College
Having been involved in military education for the past nine years, Major Middleton's next assignment would make it an even ten. In his final year at Leavenworth in 1928 he received orders to attend the Army War College in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. Middleton found his year at this highest level of professional military education to be very satisfactory, and he spent a lot of time in the school library and the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
. He wrote his staff memorandum, equivalent to a thesis, on the subject of transportation in the Army, recalling his personal experience with horses and mules in France. He felt that the Army could reduce a significant amount of this transportation, and replace some of it with motorized transport. The commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the school commended Middleton for work of exceptional merit, and sent his ideas to the highest levels in the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
.
Late career
Having spent the previous ten years in the various Army schools, it was time for Troy Middleton to have another assignment with the troops if he wanted to keep his career viable for advancement. His request to return to Camp Benning, where he and his wife still had friends, was approved and he was assigned as a battalion commander in the 29th Infantry Regiment there, the same unit in which he had enlisted nineteen years earlier at Fort PorterFort Porter
Fort Porter was constructed between 1841 and 1844 at Buffalo in Erie County, New York and named for General Peter Buell Porter. The site was bounded by Porter Avenue, Busti Avenue and the Erie Barge Canal. It was initially a square masonry two-story redoubt, 62 feet square, with crenelated walls...
. He was at Benning for only a year when he was told he would be assigned to the General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
at the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
in Washington D.C., but this changed when a new requirement for career officers was brought to his attention. Officers were now expected to have an assignment with a civilian component of the Army such as the National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
, the Reserves, or the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). The last option appealed to Middleton the most, and he wanted to work at a school in the south. There was an opening at Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
(LSU), and this is where Middleton soon headed.
ROTC duty at Louisiana State University
Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson was a U.S. Army military base located in East Point, Georgia, on the southwest edge of the City of Atlanta, Ga. It was the headquarters for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Southeast Region; the U.S. Army Forces Command; the U.S. Army Reserve Command; the U.S...
in Atlanta, then drove west with his family to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
which would become the family home for many years. Major Middleton became the Commandant of cadets at LSU, along with being the professor of military science. While at headquarters, Middleton had learned that his predecessor did not get along with Louisiana's governor, Huey P. Long. Middleton was told a few stories about the governor that made him curious enough to call on him the day after arriving in town. While the meeting turned out to be somewhat awkward for Major Middleton, it began a friendship between the two men. Governor Long loved LSU, and loved the cadet corps there. When Middleton mentioned to him that the cadet band of just a few dozen members was rather rag-tag, the governor saw to it that the band would grow to 250 members. Governor Long was a showman, and enjoyed parades and fanfare, and would negotiate special fares to get the cadets and band transported to athletic events across the region. Because of the governor's dealings, LSU transformed from a third rate school in 1930 to the largest university in the south by 1936.
During Middleton's tenure at LSU the presidency of the university changed hands from President Atkinson to President James Monroe Smith, the latter an appointee of Governor Long. Towards the end of Middleton's fourth year on campus President Smith asked him if he would stay on for an additional year and also become Dean of Men. Middlteon responded that he would accept, but it had to be cleared through the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
. Smith's request to the War Department for both the extension and the deanship for Middleton were approved. Toward the end of the fifth year Smith went a step further, suggesting that Middleton retire from the Army and become a permanent member of the LSU staff. Middleton would not even consider retirement, but accepted an unprecedented sixth year with the ROTC program. As he began his sixth year on campus, on 1 Aug 1935, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
.
Early in his final year on campus, Middleton was once again pressed by the university president to retire from the Army and go to work for the college. Again, Middleton could not do that, and began looking for a suitable follow-on assignment. Not having been overseas in over sixteen years, he put in a request for duty in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He finished his tenure at LSU in the summer of 1936, having overseen the increase in students completing the ROTC program from about 500 to over 1700 cadets.
Philippines and retirement
In August 1936 the Middletons made a leisurely drive to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where they boarded a ship for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The trip took them 42 days and included passage through the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
with stops in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, San Francisco, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. While in Hawaii, they were greeted by a sunburnt couple, George Patton and his wife Bea. Patton was on duty in Honolulu and had sailed his own boat from San Diego to Hawaii, and later sailed it back to the states at the end of his tour.
Middleton was assigned as an assistant inspector general
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
in the Army headquarters in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. Here he listened to complaints as he travelled to various Army installations including Fort McKinley
Fort McKinley
Several places have been named Fort McKinley* Fort William McKinley * Fort McKinley, Maine* Fort McKinley, Ohio--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...
and Corregidor
Corregidor
Corregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...
. Less than six months into his Philippine tour he received a telegram from President Smith renewing his offer of a job at LSU as the dean of administration
Academic administration
An academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities...
with a salary of $5400 per year. Middleton was in the hospital undergoing testing for some heart irregularity when the telegram arrived, and he showed it to two other lieutenant colonels who were visiting him. One of them said he should take the offer, the salary being excellent. The other lieutenant colonel, Dwight Eisenhower, said he should stay in the Army. Eisenhower had spent three years in Panama as an aide
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to a very wise general, Fox Conner
Fox Conner
Fox Conner was a major general of the United States Army. He served as operations officer for the American Expeditionary Force during World War I, but is best remembered as "the man who made Eisenhower".-Early career:...
from Mississippi. Connor knew that the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
ensured there would be another war, and that the terms of the treaty were already being ignored by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and the Nazis. Eisenhower reasoned that this was no time for an officer with combat experience to be getting out of the Army.
To Middleton, as a very junior lieutenant colonel, the prospect of becoming a general officer seemed very remote, and upon giving the matter more thought he ultimately decided to retire from the Army. Once his decision was made, he wired President Smith at LSU advising him that he was ready to become a civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
and accept the university post. The Middletons left the Philippines in May 1937, making a long leisurely trip back to the United States. They stopped in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
enroute to San Francisco. While in Japan and China Middleton could see that events were unfolding that would ultimately lead to war in this part of the world. Lieutenant Colonel Middleton officially retired from the Army on 31 October 1937, though he began his service at LSU two and a half months earlier.
Tenure at LSU
The first year in his new job as administrative dean at Louisiana State went smoothly. The Middletons had a new house built on Highland Road near the campus, and an oil field was discovered under their property, bringing them royalties that would pay for their property many times over. University enrollment began to climb in 1938 and the LSU football team had just finished three outstanding seasons under coach Bernie MooreBernie Moore
-External links:...
, winning 27 of their 30 regular season games. Middleton was photographed breaking ground for a new faculty club that year, as the campus grew in many areas. All seemed to be running well when in June 1939 the campus was given a shock from which it would take many years to recover. A New Orleans newspaper ran a photo on the front page showing an LSU truck unloading building materials in suburban New Orleans, revealing an illegal operation. The ensuing investigation led to the discovery that LSU's President Smith had embezzled nearly a million dollars from the university, using the money to cover his losses while speculating in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
wheat futures market. Smith stood trial, and was sent to the penitentiary in Angola. The LSU superintendent of grounds and buildings, George Caldwell, was also involved in the scandal and served time in Atlanta for tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
. Meanwhile, the state's governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, Richard Leche, resigned, but was soon found guilty of several federal charges and sent to Atlanta to serve time.
The Board of Supervisors met in a special session at the end of June 1939 and Middleton was directed to take over the business management of the university. The school's finances were in a state of chaos, and it would take effort and time to dig out of the mess. The dean of the Law School, Paul Hebert
Paul Hébert
Paul Hébert, OC, CQ is a French Canadian actor. He was awarded the Officer of the Order of Canada on June 29, 1987 for his services to French Canadian entertainment and was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 1994...
, became the acting president, and Middleton became acting vice president and comptroller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
. Middleton chose two accounting professors, Dr. Daniel Borth and Dr. Mack Hornbeak, to work with him, and a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
firm was hired to come in and establish sound business procedures.
Before the revelation of the illegal activities, expenditures had been routinely made on a cash basis, all of the university funding and program money was thrown into a single account, and university bond indentures had been violated. The new leadership had to advertise in Louisiana newspapers to find out to whom they owed money. The first year of dealing with the situation required 16 to 18 hour days, six days a week, and after that the process still required overtime through the year 1941. Faculty and staff members, accustomed to making purchases without bids, purchase orders or knowledge of the budget, had to be educated on the accepted business procedures on which the rest of the world operated.
While Middleton was helping LSU recover from this traumatic ordeal, he was also keeping an eye on events in Europe. In July 1940 he wrote a letter to General George Marshall
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
asking if his services were needed by the Army as the United States was making preparations for war. Marshall replied that as much as the Army would like to have Middleton back in uniform, all the Army could do would be to place him in some training role, which would not effectively use his battle experience.
Middleton stayed at LSU until 1942, describing his days as the comptroller of LSU as long days that he would not want to relive, but after the first year he found both the work and his association with Hebert, Borth and Hornbeak to be satisfying and rewarding. He felt that during this period of time, from 1939 to 1941, he was able to make his greatest contribution to an institution that had been very good to him in the past.
World War II
Troy Middleton was out dove hunting with his son, Troy Jr., and a friend on Sunday morning, 7 December 1941. Having had a successful morning, the trio decided to take a break for lunch, then come back out and get their bag limits in the afternoon. When they arrived at home for the mid-day meal, Mrs. Middleton greeted them with the news that Pearl Harbor had just been attacked. This put an end to the dove hunting, and Troy Middleton began to make plans. The next day he reported to the LSU president announcing his intention to offer his services to the U. S. Army, and he sent a telegram to the War DepartmentUnited States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
announcing his availability for service. Within a day or so he received a reply: he would report to active duty as a lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
on 20 January 1942, allowing him time to get his affairs in order.
Having returned to active military duty, Middleton was assigned to a training regiment at Camp Wheeler
Camp Wheeler
Camp Wheeler was a United States Army base near Macon, Georgia. The camp was a staging location for many US Army units during World War I and World War II. It was named for Joseph Wheeler, a general in the Confederate States of America's Army....
, Georgia where he was quickly promoted to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
on 1 February, and oversaw the combat training of thousands of recruits. After less than two months, he was given a rapid succession of assignments, including to Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in 1917. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of "The Provost Marshal General School" . The fort is located in Richmond, Jefferson, McDuffie,...
, Georgia and Camp Blanding
Camp Blanding
Camp Blanding Joint Training Center is the primary military reservation and training base for the Florida National Guard, both the Florida Army National Guard and certain non-flying activities of the Florida Air National Guard. The installation is located in Clay County, Florida near the city of...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. While at Blanding he was called to the War Department in Washington, where he was given an assignment to be a staff officer in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, but this rapidly changed when he was subsequently called to the War College, and met a classmate from Command and General Staff School, General Mark Clark
Mark Wayne Clark
Mark Wayne Clark was an American general during World War II and the Korean War and was the youngest lieutenant general in the U.S. Army...
, who told him that he was being assigned to the Forty-fifth Infantry Division at Fort Devens
Fort Devens
Fort Devens is an active United States military installation in the towns of Ayer and Shirley, in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It was named after jurist and Civil War general Charles Devens. The nearby Devens Reserve Forces Training Area is...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
45th Infantry Division
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
. In mid-June he reported to the Forty-fifth, known as the "Thunderbirds," an Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
division consisting mostly of troops from Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, but also including some from Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The commanding general of the forty-fifth, Major General William S. Key, suspected that he was going to be replaced because he had no combat experience. Though Middleton was not told a thing about it, in late summer this is exactly what happened, and Middleton was given the command of the division along with a promotion to major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
.
In the summer, the 45th did its training at Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, after which Middleton was in command for winter training at Pine Camp, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Here the temperature dipped to 36 degrees below zero (F) and snow drifted head-high. A soldier in the division by the name of Bill Mauldin
Bill Mauldin
William Henry "Bill" Mauldin was a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist from the United States...
did a cartoon showing slop from the kitchen frozen in a column as it descended into the garbage can outside. Mauldin later became famous for his cartoons during World War II, and won two Pulitzer Prizes for his work. In February 1943 the training moved from Pine Camp to Camp Pickett
Fort Pickett
Fort Pickett, Virginia, is a Virginia Army National Guard installation, located near the town of Blackstone, Virginia. It is named for the United States Army officer and Confederate General George Pickett.- Beginnings :...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
for mountain training, and then to the Atlantic Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
for ship-to-shore training between Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Virginia and Solomons, Maryland
Solomons, Maryland
Solomons is a community and census-designated place in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,536 at the 2000 census...
. In early April, while the division was at Camp Pickett, Middleton was sent to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
with some of his staff to begin planning the ensuing military operation. Here he went to the headquarters of the Seventh Army commander, General George Patton, in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and stayed nearly a month. Patton would command the Seventh Army in the Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
landing during the summer, and the 45th would be the only combat-loaded division coming from the United States. With the division scheduled to sail from Norfolk on 5 June, Middleton left beforehand to complete the planning for the landing on a hostile shore, this time reporting to the headquarters of General Omar Bradley
Omar Bradley
Omar Nelson Bradley was a senior U.S. Army field commander in North Africa and Europe during World War II, and a General of the Army in the United States Army...
in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. For this operation, Bradley was subordinate to Patton, under British overall direction. By the time the division arrived in Oran, Algeria, the planning was complete, and the unit was able to run one rehearsal in western Algeria before embarking for Sicily.
Sicily
The Forty-fifth Division was under Omar Bradley's U.S. Army II Corps, which in turn was subordinate to Patton's Seventh Army. Overall command of the Sicily invasion, called Operation Husky, was with British General Harold Alexander, and the British forces were organized under the British Eighth Army commanded by General Bernard Montgomery. The Forty-fifth Division consisted of three infantry regiments, the 157th, 179th and 180th, and numerous other elements. Fighting alongside the Forty-fifth Division were the American First Infantry Division, Third Infantry Division, and an element of the 82nd Airborne Division.Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
. The six-day trip to Sicily was smooth at first, then turned fairly rough, with seasickness prevalent among the troops. The weather calmed as several troop ships rendezvoused near the town of Scoglitti
Scoglitti
Scoglitti is a small fishing village near the town of Vittoria on the south coast of Sicily.In addition to its fishing industry, the village derives a substantial part of its income from tourism...
, on the western side of Sicily's south coast. At 2 a.m. on 10 July the landing craft
Landing craft
Landing craft are boats and seagoing vessels used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII...
were filled with infantrymen, and as the craft approached the shoreline, the Navy opened up with a volley of preparatory fire. The primary mission of the Forty-fifth was to capture two airfields needed for Allied aircraft. Comiso Airfield
Comiso Airport
Comiso Airport , also known as Vincenzo Magliocco Airport is located in the Sicilian province of Ragusa, 5 km from Comiso and 15 km from Ragusa. It changed from military to civil use during 2005-2008...
, about eleven miles from the shore, was captured in a day and was being used by American planes the next day. It took four days for the division to capture Biscari Airfield, about twelve miles inland.
The next objective of the forty-fifth was to fight German and Italian forces enroute to the north coast of Sicily. The plan was to use Highway 124, one of Sicily's four major highways. This highway, originally in the American sector, had been usurped by Montgomery, with no word of the change of boundaries given to Middleton. Word eventually came down from Alexander that the boundaries had been changed, which meant that when the forty-fifth reached the highway, they became frozen in place with no opportunity to advance. Middleton, not willing to sit out the remainder of the battle, moved his division from the right of II Corps to the left, traveling ninety miles out of the way through back areas of the other American divisions, to get in position for the march north. On 23 July the first elements of the forty-fifth reached the north coast of the island at Station Cerda, five miles east of Termini Imerese
Termini Imerese
Termini Imerese is a town and comune in the province of Palermo on the northern coast of Sicily, southern Italy.-Ancient:The site where the town now sits has been populated since prehistoric times, as many archeologial excavations have shown through the years...
, taking thirteen days to move from south coast to north coast. The division then moved east along the coast, reaching its objective of Santo Stefano
Santo Stefano di Camastra
Santo Stefano di Camastra is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 100 km east of Palermo and about 135 km west of Messina...
on 30 July. Here they were stormed by the Germans, but fought back, forcing the German rear guard out of the area by the following morning. This was the end of active fighting for the forty-fifth in Sicily, where the division endured 1156 casualties while taking nearly 11,000 prisoners.
The Third Infantry Division was moved in to replace the forty-fifth, which was now ticketed for the upcoming invasion of the Italian mainland. In recalling events on Sicily in his biography, Middleton noted a strain in his relationship with Patton. Patton, never comfortable as the brunt of someone else's humor, felt that the Mauldin cartoons published in the division newspaper were irreverent and unsoldierly. Middleton consistently defended Mauldin, but was verbally ordered by Patton to get rid of Mauldin and his cartoons. When Middleton told Patton to put the order in writing, the issue was dropped. Soon thereafter, Patton had much more to worry about after he slapped two soldiers who he suspected of malingering in hospitals. These incidents brought Patton public condemnation, and loss of his command.
Italian mainland
The month of August 1943 was used by the 45th Division for some rest and planning. Seven plans for the invasion of Italy were put on the table, and three of them were adopted, of which the British had two and the Americans had one, called Operation Avalanche. The 45th Division would be one of eight divisions under Major General Ernest Dawley's VI Corps, within Fifth Army commanded by Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark. The plan called for the landing of the Allied forces in the vicinity of SalernoSalerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, about 200 miles north of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
.
Beachhead
Beachhead is a military term used to describe the line created when a unit reaches a beach, and begins to defend that area of beach, while other reinforcements help out, until a unit large enough to begin advancing has arrived. It is sometimes used interchangeably with Bridgehead and Lodgement...
between the British X Corps
X Corps (United Kingdom)
The X Corps was a British Army formation in the First World War and was later reformed in 1942 during the North African campaign of the Second World War as part of the Eighth Army.- First World War :...
and the American 36th Infantry Division. The German defensive positions pounded the Allies, who gained little ground in the first few days of the operation. General Clark faltered and sent around a confidential memo indicating that he was contemplating taking the troops back off the beaches. Middleton, telling his staff that they were not leaving, spread around the word to his troops that it was a good time to do some hard fighting. On the morning of 14 September units of the Forty-fifth did some particularly hard fighting at a large tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
factory, consisting of five imposing stone buildings in a somewhat circular pattern. The Germans were dug in here, and repulsed the Americans initially, but with the aid of some naval gun fire, the Germans were eventually pushed back. General Clark visited the front later that day, and was convinced that his army was going to stay.
General Eisenhower visited the beachhead on 17 September, observing that the battle had been won. The following day the Germans had pulled out of the area, and the Forty-fifth was able to advance to Venafro
Venafro
Venafro is a comune in the province of Isernia, region of Molise, Italy. It has a population of around 12,000, having expanded quickly in the post-war period.-Geography:...
before meeting any resistance. The division was at the far right of the Fifth Army, working up the center of the Italian boot, adjacent to the British Eighth Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
which was responsible for the eastern half of the boot. By 24 September the division had taken Oliveto
Oliveto Citra
Oliveto Citra is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy....
and Quaglietta
Quaglietta
Quaglietta is an Italian hamlet situated in the municipality of Calabritto, Province of Avellino, Campania. As of 2009 its population was of 465 .-History:...
after some heavy fighting, and by 3 October they had taken Benevento
Benevento
Benevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato...
. On 21 October the division was put into corps reserve, following six weeks of uninterrupted action. There was still some German resistance around Venafro, and elements of the 179th Regiment secured the town on 2 November. With this the fighting came to a large pause as Allied planners studied further action.
With the lull in the fighting, and the onset of autumn rains, coupled with endless hills and deepening mud, Middleton's left knee, which had been uncomfortable for more than a year, was now becoming agonizing. He had hurt his right knee many years earlier playing football, but there was no immediate explanation for the pain in his left leg. Medics studied his leg, but had no answers. In late November Middleton went to the hospital in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, staying well into December, still without adequate diagnosis. He was able to hobble around, and did some staff work, then flew to Eisenhower's headquarters in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. He stayed there until mid-January, when he was sent to Walter Reed Hospital back in the states. While Middleton was at Walter Reed, General Eisenhower communicated to General Marshall that he really needed Middleton back overseas. Acknowledging Middleton's difficulty with his knees, Eisenhower said, "I don't give a damn about his knees; I want his head and his heart. And I'll take him into battle on a litter if we have to."
The two generals came up with a plan, and Middleton was sent to six Army installations in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and Washington D.C. with a brief stopover to visit his family in Baton Rouge. Middleton would be taking command of the VIII Corps
VIII Corps (United States)
The U.S. VIII Corps was a corps of the United States Army that saw service during various times over a fifty-year period during the twentieth century. The VIII Corps was organized 26–29 November 1918 in the Regular Army in France and demobilized on 20 April 1919. The VIII Corps was soon...
in England, and was sent to the various locations to confuse the enemy about the personnel change. Accompanying him was a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
who had been a physical therapist in civilian life, and who would massage Middleton's knees twice a day for the next year. When asked what staff he needed to take with him, Middleton replied that he would keep the staff that was already in place, except that for an aide he would like his old LSU friend, Mack Hornbeak, who had served with him through Sicily and Italy.
VIII Corps
VIII Corps (United States)
The U.S. VIII Corps was a corps of the United States Army that saw service during various times over a fifty-year period during the twentieth century. The VIII Corps was organized 26–29 November 1918 in the Regular Army in France and demobilized on 20 April 1919. The VIII Corps was soon...
had arrived in Europe in December 1943, and was being commanded by Major General Emil F. Reinhardt
Emil F. Reinhardt
Emil F. Reinhardt , U.S. Army officer, was born in Michigan. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1910 and held a number of command and staff positions in the army, eventually rising to the rank of Major General...
, who Middleton had known for many years. While he was an able commander, his lack of combat experience resulted in his being replaced by Middleton (though Reinhardt would later command a division in European fighting). Middleton's first stop in Europe before assuming command of VIII Corps was to confer with his friend and commander Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower had asked Middleton about his views on making Patton the commander of an army. Middleton thought it was a good idea since Patton was such an able fighter. Eisenhower agreed, but was concerned about Patton's big mouth. Nevertheless, Patton was given command of Third Army, which was headquartered north of London during the European invasion preparation.
Middleton's VIII Corps headquarters was in the town of Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
about fifteen miles from Birmingham, and about 110 miles northwest of London. In order to deceive the Germans, Middleton moved his headquarters another 75 miles to the north, near Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. This made it appear that the corps would move east to the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
for a landing near Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
, France. The ruse was effective, keeping the Germans guessing, and compelling them to split their forces among multiple locations along the French coast, instead of concentrating their forces at one probable landing point.
The VIII Corps fell under Patton's Third Army, and trained in England from March to late May 1944. Two weeks before the invasion, the corps was pulled out of Third Army and placed in Omar Bradley's First Army. First Army was responsible for the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings on Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, and once the Allies were established on shore, Middleton was to bring his VIII Corps across. Shortly before the invasion, Middleton took his corps to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
where they awaited their channel crossing time.
Cotentin Peninsula and Operation Cobra
The VIII Corps sat in Southampton from D-Day, 6 June, until 11 June 1944 when it began crossing the English ChannelEnglish Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. The corps lost only one of its Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) to a mine during the crossing, but on it was about half of Middleton's headquarters complement. Other than the members of the sunken LST, who would rejoin the corps ten days later, the entire corps was ashore on 12 June near Carentan
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
, where Joe Collins'
J. Lawton Collins
Joseph "Lightning Joe" Lawton Collins was a General in the United States Army. During World War II, he served in both the Pacific and European Theaters of Operations. His elder brother, James Lawton Collins, was also in the army as a Major General...
VII Corps had cleared the beach on D-Day. At this point the VIII Corps divisions included the 82nd Airborne, 101st Airborne
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
, 79th Infantry and 90th Infantry. The 82nd, under Major General Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side...
, performed admirably, but soon left the corps, and once in Brittany the corps would have an entirely different complement of divisions.
After VII Corps took the port city of Cherbourg, VIII corps began moving south against German forces in the middle of the Cotentin Peninsula
Cotentin Peninsula
The Cotentin Peninsula, also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy, forming part of the north-western coast of France. It juts out north-westwards into the English Channel, towards Great Britain...
. The Germans had the high ground, and the fighting was further complicated by the bocage
Bocage
Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages. It may refer to a small forest, a decorative element of leaves, a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, or a type of rubble-work, comparable with the English use of 'rustic' in relation to garden...
countryside—a series of farmers fields and pastures forming a latticework, with each unit separated by walls of earth up to six feet high supporting dense shrubbery and trees. The German defenders had every advantage over the Americans, whose tanks would tip up and expose the soft underbelly as they attempted to cross the barriers. An American sergeant, Curtis Culin, invented a device that looked like shark's teeth and was welded to the front of tanks, allowing them to penetrate the earthen barriers.
After breaking out of the bocage, VIII Corps was able to roll fifty miles in seven days, but it, and the remainder of Bradley's First Army, remained bottled up on the Cotentin Peninsula. The next phase of the fight, codenamed Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...
was to break out of the peninsula, and once this occurred, Patton's
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
Third Army would join the fight. The operation began on 24 July 1944 when American air commanders were asked to lay a carpet of bombs on the Germans to soften them up for the advancing ground forces. Poor weather curtailed the operation on the first day, but more than a thousand bombing missions were carried out the following day. Lieutenant General Lesley McNair, chief of the U. S. Army ground forces, came to Middleton's headquarters to witness the bombing. Middleton warned him to stay at corps headquarters, but McNair strayed away far enough that he and other members of his party were killed when they got caught by a stick of allied bombs. More than 600 U.S. troops were killed or wounded in this friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
incident when the bombs fell short of their intended target.
Despite the mishap, the bombing was effective in reducing the German resistance, and over the next few days the VIII Corps was able to move south along the coast. On 30 July they seized the town of Avranches
Avranches
Avranches is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called Avranchinais.-History:...
, the gateway to Brittany and southern Normandy. Once in command of Avranches, VIII Corps then secured the bridges at Pontaubault
Pontaubault
Pontaubault is a commune in the Manche department in north-western France....
, and in doing so, broke out of the Cotentin Peninsula and into Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. This brought about the planned command change, and at noon on 1 Aug 1944 Omar Bradley moved up to command the 12th Army Group, Courtney Hodges
Courtney Hodges
General Courtney Hicks Hodges was an American military officer, most prominent for his role in World War II, in which he commanded the First United States Army in Northwest Europe.-Early life and military career:...
took over the First Army, and Patton's Third Army was activated into the group along with First Army, with Middleton's VIII Corps now falling under Patton.
Battle for Brest
Following the breakout from the Cotentin Peninsula, VIII Corps followed the Brittany coast westward enroute to BrestBrest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, the port of Middleton's arrival and departure from Europe during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. As the corps passed St. Malo, Middleton turned his 83rd Division on the town, resulting in the capture of 14,000 Germans. Patton had already directed the corps' 6th Armored Division under Major General Bob Grow
Robert W. Grow
Robert W. Grow was an US Army general during World War II. He was the commander the U.S. 6th Armored Division on the Western Front, fighting during the battles of Normandy and of the Bulge....
to move on to Brest while Middleton was still cleaning up in St. Malo, which fell on 17 August. Grow had arrived outside of Brest on 7 August, and met stiff resistance once there. The city, housing important German submarine pens and extensive machine facilities, was defended by three elite German divisions and several powerful 90-millimeter guns which were capable of destroying most of the armor in the 6th Division. The siege of Brest required infantry, and once the 2nd Infantry Division under Major General Walter M. Robertson arrived, the armored division was released back to Patton for other operations. Also joining VIII Corps for the siege was the 8th Division commanded by Major General Donald A. Stroh and the 29th Division, a National Guard unit from Pennsylvania, commanded by Major General Charles H. Gerhardt
Charles H. Gerhardt
Major General Charles Hunter Gerhardt commanded the U.S. 29th Infantry Division from 1943 until the end of World War II and during part of the occupation of Germany...
. Middleton also had a cavalry group and two ranger battalions commanded by Colonel Earl Rudder who later became president of Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.
Battle for Brest
The Battle for Brest was one of the fiercest battles fought during Operation Cobra, the Allied breakout of Normandy which began on 27 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy during World War II....
Middleton's units went about capturing it methodically. The defense of the city was under German Generalleutnant Hermann Ramcke with whom Middleton carried on a dialog during the siege. Ramcke sent Middleton a map showing where several hundred American prisoners were being held in the city, but also slyly placed on the map a number of red crosses where the allies knew some good bombing targets were located, such as ammunition depots. Middleton wrote back to Ramcke telling him he had better remove some of the bogus red crosses, or some terms of the Geneva Convention might have to be ignored. Middleton also reminded Ramcke of the Allies' superior artillery and air power.
The battle for Brest was intense and very destructive. After two weeks of constant day and night attacks, Middleton's units forced the Germans into ever tighter positions. On 12 September, Middleton sent a letter to Ramcke offering him an opportunity to stop the bloodshed, and to surrender the city in a humane and reasonable way, with terms of surrender spelled out in the letter. Ramcke's terse reply was simply, "I must decline your proposal." Unhappy with the response, Middleton directed his soldiers to "enter the fray with renewed vigor...take them apart--and get the job finished." One week later, on 19 September, the Germans surrendered to Middleton, who, with much of his staff, had 99 unbroken days of combat. In a formal ceremony, Middleton gave the city back to its mayor, and Patton arrived to pin a Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
oak leaf cluster
Oak leaf cluster
An oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
on Middleton for outstanding conduct during the campaign in Brittany, resulting in the capture of Brest.
The Americans captured more than 36,000 Germans, and evacuated 2000 wounded, far exceeding the estimate of 10,000 Germans given to Middleton by Patton before the operation. Ramcke was captured by troops of the 8th Division, and asked the deputy division commander for his credentials. The American general pointed to the M-1 rifles being carried by his soldiers and told Ramcke that those were his credentials. Ramcke appeared at his formal surrender clean shaven and with a well-groomed Irish setter
Irish Setter
The Irish Setter , is a setter, a breed of gundog and family dog. The term Irish Setter is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognized by the American Kennel Club as well as the field-bred Red Setter recognised by the Field Dog Stud Book....
. With plenty of reporters and photographers documenting the occasion, Ramcke commented in English that he felt like a film star. He was soon sent to a prisoner of war camp in Clinton, Mississippi
Camp Clinton
Camp Clinton was a World War II prisoner of war facility located in Clinton, Mississippi, just off present-day McRaven Road, east of Springridge Road. Camp Clinton was home to 3,000 German and Italian POWs, most of whom had been captured in Africa and were members of the Afrika Korps...
, not more than 50 miles from where Middleton was born and raised. After the war he spent time in a prison camp in England, and then was sent to France where he was tried and soon released following five total years of incarceration. He went back to Germany and entered the concrete business, continuing a correspondence with Middleton for 15 years following the war.
Move to the Ardennes
With western France in the hands of the allies, in late September Middleton made a leisurely trip east across France to the Ardennes Mountains, stopping enroute to visit battlefields where he had served with distinction during the first world war. The Germans were now behind a line from west of MetzMetz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, France, through Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, and east of the Belgian cities of Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
, Liege
Liege
Liège is a municipality and a city of Belgium. The term Liège or Liege may also refer to:* Liege, a party to the oath of allegiance in feudalism .* Liège Island, in the Antarctic...
and Antwerp. The Allies had outrun their supply lines and had to slow their advance to resupply.
Middleton's VIII Corps was assigned a 50-mile front, half of which belonged to the 2nd Division and the other half to the 8th Division. The front extended from Losheim, on the German-Belgian border, to central Luxembourg. On 11 October, the 83rd Division was brought back under VIII Corps control, and another 38 miles of front in Luxembourg was added to the responsibility of the corps. The new 9th Armored Division was added to the lineup on 20 October, but put into corps reserve by Middleton. During October and into November these divisions ran deception maneuvers to confuse the Germans, and also became thoroughly familiar with the terrain so as to be able to absorb a heavy thrust from the enemy should they be attacked. However, from mid-November to early December the three well-prepared infantry divisions were all replaced by two battle-weary divisions and one green division. Both the 28th Infantry Division and the 4th Infantry Division, Middleton's old division from World War I, had taken heavy losses in the Huertgen Forest, and were at less than 75% normal strength. The 106th Infantry Division was just entering the lineup with no combat experience. Middleton now had about 68,000 officers and men in his corps, many weary and many uninitiated, along an 88-mile front facing about 200,000 Germans who were deftly moving into position under the cover of darkness.
Battle of the Bulge
Striking at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, 16 December, the Germans achieved almost total surprise in breaking through the allied lines, beginning what is commonly called the Battle of the BulgeBattle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. The Germans launched their great attack of 1940 through the same region, with Generalfeldmarschall
Generalfeldmarschall
Field Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
Gerd von Rundstedt
Gerd von Rundstedt
Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war....
in command then as he was once again in this campaign. His goal was to separate the American forces from the British and Canadian forces, and take the important port city of Antwerp. By late afternoon the Germans had 14 divisions operating in the Ardennes, but this number would swell to an estimated 25 divisions, with 600 tanks and 1000 aircraft. The 106th Division, located in the most exposed positions along the corps line, and the 28th Division took the brunt of the attack. Middleton, headquartered in Bastogne, was awakened by a guard and could hear the guns from there. Throughout the day, the 106th was able to hold its position, but additional German units poured in during the night. Much of the 106th was on the German side of the Our River
Our River
The Our is a river of Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. It is a left tributary to the river Sauer/Sûre. Its total length is 78 km....
in an area known as the Schnee Eifel
Schnee Eifel
The Schnee Eifel is a heavily wooded landscape in Germany's Central Uplands that forms part of the western Eifel in the area of the German-Belgian border...
. The division's commander, Major General Alan Jones, called Middleton, concerned about his two regiments east of the river. The conversation was interrupted by another call, and then resumed. At the end of the conversation Middleton told an aide that he had given his approval to have the two regiments pull back to the west side of the river. Jones, on the other hand was convinced that Middleton had directed these units to stay, and was further convinced of this based on a written order from earlier in the day, but just received. As a result of the miscommunication, the pullback did not occur, and the two regiments were ultimately surrounded with most of the men captured on 17 December. While two of the 28th Division's regiments survived the German onslaught intact, the 110th Regiment, commanded by Colonel Hurley Fuller, was directly in the path of the massive advance. On 17 December Fuller counterattacked, but his lone regiment was up against three German divisions, and when Fuller's command post was attacked his escape was thwarted and he was taken prisoner. Middleton next heard from him in April when he was released. Though the 110th Regiment was shattered, the stubborn resistance given by them and other VIII Corps units greatly slowed down the German timetable.
The city of Bastogne, Belgium was a hub of several major roads and became a prime target for the Germans, seeing its capture as necessary to their advance. Middleton was in continuous communication with Bradley at 12th Army Group headquarters in Luxembourg, and maintained that though Bastogne could soon be surrounded, it should be held. As the Germans advanced on Bastogne, both Bradley and First Army commander Hodges recognized the threat to Middleton and had him move his headquarters. He was supposed to leave Bastogne on 18 December, but spent another night there so that he could brief his relief force, the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
. Not only did that division's acting commander, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe
Anthony McAuliffe
General Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe was the United States Army general who commanded the 101st Airborne Division troops defending Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II...
, show up ahead of schedule, but so did Colonel William Roberts from the 10th Armored Division Combat Command
Combat command
A Combat Command was a combined-arms military organization of comparable size to a brigade or regiment employed by armored forces of the U.S. Army from 1942 until 1963...
R (CCR), sent by Patton. Another welcome guest arriving later that evening was Major General Matthew B. Ridgway, commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps, enroute to his headquarters, but advised by Middleton to stay in Bastogne for the night to avoid capture by the Germans. While Middleton and his guests slept, members of the 101st poured into Bastogne all during the night and into the following day.
Having conferred with McAuliffe at length the previous evening, Middleton left Bastogne after full daylight on 19 December, and set up headquarters in a school building in Neufchateau, 17 miles to the southwest. For the next several days, Bastogne was defended by the 101st, along with elements of CCR and some corps artillery assets that Middleton was able to supply. McAuliffe had units scattered in towns surrounding Bastogne, which bore the brunt of attacks by the German Panzer Lehr Division and Second Panzer Division. At one point on 19 December, some of McAuliffe's units wanted to fall back, and McAuliffe concurred, calling Middleton for his approval. Middleton's response was, "we can't hold Bastogne if we keep falling back" and the units were ordered to stay.
On 20 December, VIII Corps was moved from Hodges' First Army back to Patton's Third Army. Bastogne was being surrounded by the Germans and without adequate weather for airdrops, supplies were running low. By 22 December the Germans felt that their position around Bastogne was strong enough to send in an emissary with a note advising the Americans to surrender the city, or they would be attacked in the afternoon. McAuliffe's famous reply, "Nuts!" was sent back to the German commander. The Germans did renew their attack that afternoon, but it was muted by freshly falling snow, and a stiff American response. The next morning, 23 December, was the eighth day of fighting and the first day that the sun had emerged from behind the thick fog and clouds since the beginning of the battle. The Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
was able to send 240 aircraft over Bastogne that day, each dropping about 1200 pounds of critically needed supplies, including artillery rounds that were delivered in the morning and used against the Germans the same afternoon. Over the next three days, offensives made by the Germans were countered with responses from the Americans. In the late afternoon on 26 December the first elements of the long-awaited 4th Armored Division arrived in Bastogne, breaking the siege of the city. Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
demanded that Bastogne be taken, but even with nine divisions in the fight, the Germans were not able to break in. With the siege broken and additional elements of the 4th Armored Division coming in, Middleton stipulated that the top priority was to get the 964 wounded troops out of Bastogne and into area hospitals. Despite the small opening to the city, it was clear by 27 December that the Germans were throwing their principal effort against Bastogne.
In response to this renewed German thrust against Bastogne, Eisenhower released two new divisions on 28 December, the 87th Infantry and the 11th Armored. These units joined the 101st Airborne Division in the corps lineup just in time for a new offensive on 30 December to shrink the bulge created in the allied line. The Americans began their attack at 7:30 that morning, which, coincidently, was the exact time that the Germans, under General der Panzertruppen (Lieutenant General equivalent) Hasso von Manteuffel
Hasso von Manteuffel
Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel was a German soldier and liberal politician of the 20th century.He served in both world wars, and during World War II was a distinguished general...
scheduled an attack of their own. The 11th Armored Division had difficulty meeting its objectives (for reasons not related to the strength of the Germans), but the 87th Division fought well in the snow, sleet and deepening cold. On 3 January the new 17th Airborne Division relieved the 11th Armored Division, and the corps stretched along a crude 15-mile line due west of Bastogne, with the 101st continuing to hold the city. For the next two weeks the corps moved steadily north in heavy, sometimes even desperate, fighting, and on 16 January they met units from First Army pushing south at Houffalize
Houffalize
Houffalize is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg.-History:On 1 January 2007 the municipality, which covers 166.58 km², had 4,802 inhabitants, giving a population density of 28.8 inhabitants per km²....
. Over the following twelve days the combined force pushed the Germans back eastward across the Our River, returning the Allied line to its original position before the 16 December battle began, eliminating the bulge created in the Allied line on 16 December.
Push across Germany and victory
With the front restored to its previous boundary, Bradley summoned his Army and Corps commanders to his headquarters. He wanted Hodges' First Army to advance to the Rhine, while Patton's Third Army would stay put until First Army reached the river. Patton was very reluctant to hold in place, and questioned the advisability to do so. Bradley explained that all available ammunition and reinforcements would go to First Army, since two armies could not be simultaneously supplied. Patton reluctantly accepted Bradley's explanation, but after that meeting he called together his three corps commanders, Manton Eddy of XII Corps, Walton H. Walker of XX Corps, and Middleton. He asked Eddy if he could ease forward and capture TrierTrier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
, Walker if he could do the same with Bitburg
Bitburg
Bitburg It is situated approx. 25 km north-west of Trier, and 50 km north-east of Luxembourg . One American airbase, Spangdahlem Air Base, is located nearby.-History:...
and Middleton if he could take Gerolstein
Gerolstein
Gerolstein is a town in the Vulkaneifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the like-named Verbandsgemeinde. Gerolstein is headquarters to a large mineral water firm, Gerolsteiner Brunnen...
. All three commanders agreed to this, and within a few days all three had reached their objectives. Middleton was then asked by Patton to take his corps all the way to Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
on the Rhine River, which he did, and VIII Corps reached the river before any units of First Army arrived. Middleton never did learn of Bradley's reaction to Patton's method of "staying in place."
Once the VIII Corps was at Koblenz, Patton took most of its divisions away for an operation with XII Corps further up the river at Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, leaving Middleton with some corps units (mostly artillery) and a single division, the 87th Infantry. Middleton asked Patton if he could take Koblenz with the 87th, eliciting a laugh from the Army commander. Middleton pressed him to let him try, and with the commander's approval he was able to take the city, which only had about 500 defenders. Most of the other German troops were on the other side of the Rhine not wanting to get trapped between the Rhine and the Moselle
Moselle River
The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....
Rivers.
Once Koblenz was captured in mid-March 1945, VIII Corps was assigned a 25-mile front from Koblenz upstream (southeast) to beyond Boppard
Boppard
Boppard is a town in the Rhein-Hunsrück-Kreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, lying in the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It belongs to no Verbandsgemeinde. The town is also a state-recognized tourism resort and is a winegrowing centre.-Location:Boppard lies on the upper Middle...
and the famous landmark, the Lorelei
Lorelei
The Lorelei is a rock on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, Germany, which soars some 120 metres above the waterline. It marks the narrowest part of the river between Switzerland and the North Sea. A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat...
. Patton then gave Middleton the 89th Division and 76th Division for the river crossing. Middleton chose to cross the river near the Lorelei where the river was narrow, swift, and flanked by steep terrain, eliciting another reaction from Patton. Middleton knew there would be little German resistance there, and he was able to get the entire 89th across in one night using inflatable rafts, and then put a pontoon bridge in place by early morning. The 87th initially attempted to cross at Koblenz but met too much resistance there, compelling them to move further upstream closer to Boppard, where their crossing went smoothly. Within two days Middleton had all three of his divisions across the Rhine.
In late March, VIII Corps advanced eastward through Eisenach
Eisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
and then across the Fulda River
Fulda River
The Fulda is a river in Hesse, Germany. It is one of two headstreams of the Weser . The Fulda is 218 km in length....
. Here some of Middleton's infantrymen came across the concentration camp at Ohrdruf, discovering the sickening evidence of what had transpired there. Middleton called Patton to come take a look, and Patton was joined by Bradley and Eisenhower. In his diary, Patton described the place as "one of the most apalling sights that I have ever seen." This was the first Nazi concentration camp to be discovered by the United States Army, and Eisenhower cabled Marshall
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
to get a delegation from congress over to witness and communicate what took place there. Middleton later had officials from the town come in to witness what was going on in their midst. While every one of them denied knowing what was happening, the mayor and his wife both committed suicide that night.
The VIII Corps continued its eastward advance well into the month of April, and was ordered to stop between Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
and the Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
n border, where the corps would make contact with the Russians. The immediate problem was dealing with the prisoners of war. The Americans were almost overwhelmed by the number of Germans wanting to surrender to the them, and despite orders to take no more prisoners, thousands of Germans filtered through VIII Corps lines at night, desperately trying to avoid capture by the Russians. During the last week of April, a Russian cavalry unit made contact with Middleton. While the leaders of both the Americans and the Russians exchanged luncheon inviations, the Russians were extremely reluctant to allow any Americans across the Russian line, and their American lunch guests were taken by a very circuitous route into Russian-held territory.
On 25 April 1945 Patton wrote a recommendation, citing Middleton's "outstanding tactical skill and determination," his "magnificent resistance against...Von Rundstadt's attack," and his "tireless energy and unfaltering aggressiveness." He also sent a personal note to Middleton, shown here. With the war in Europe almost over, the disposition of the various units was being decided by higher command. Some would remain as occupation forces in Europe, some would return to the United States, and some would be sent to the Pacific theater to fight against the Japanese. The Germans formally surrendered in the American sector on 7 May 1945, and two days later Patton issued his General Order Number 98 thanking the soldiers of the Third Army, past and present, for their accomplishments. On 13 May, Middleton wrote a letter to Bradley requesting to be released from active duty, once his combat services were no longer needed. He asked to return to LSU by 1 August 1945, but also paid compliments to Bradley and others by writing, "That men such as you, Ike, Joe Collins, Courtney Hodges and others have accomplished so much in this war, are available to guide the future of our Army, we cannot but feel the future is in safe hands."
Return to LSU
Middleton was the only commander that VIII Corps had ever had in combat. He had been away from home for over 1200 days since departing in January 1942, and had logged 480 days in combat, more time than any other American general officer during World War II. Near the end of May 1945 groups of general officers, other officers and enlisted men were sent to several major cities across the United States to appear in parades. Middleton was part of a group headed by Courtney Hodges that went to Atlanta, where he and his son reunited with his wife and daughter (his son, Lieutenant Troy Middleton Jr. had been with him in Europe) and where they were treated to a reception held by the mayor. From Atlanta the family flew to Baton Rouge where Middleton took 15 days of leave, after which he went to Washington D.C. to meet with General Marshall. Marshall told Middleton that he could either return to Germany to be with his corps, or he could wait at home until the unit returned to the states, Middleton opting for the latter. Marshall also told Middleton that VIII Corps was being ticketed for Japan. When the atomic bomb was dropped on HiroshimaHiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, Middleton went back to Washington, and this time Marshall told him he doubted any more units would be sent to the Pacific. Asked if he wanted to stay in the Army, Middleton's reply was that he had retired in 1937, and he intended to be returned to retired status once he was no longer needed as a combat commander. In late August 1945 he returned to LSU and reported to President Hatcher, requesting his old job as comptroller.
While still in Europe in May, Middleton was very busy getting troops returned to the states. Now at LSU he was at the other end of the pipeline, getting things ready for thousands of soldiers who would be going back to school. Enrollments had swollen in 1945, but in 1946 the bulge in new students became an avalanche. One of Middleton's priorities was to get housing for all of these new students, many of whom were married. With keen insights into military procurement, he was able to find a variety of types of excess housing units that the military no longer needed, and was able to provide both students and faculty with adequate housing at a very small cost.
Military advisory roles
Though retired from the military, Middleton was soon called to serve in a variety of advisory capacities. In April 1946 he was appointed to the Doolittle board, set up to investigate officer-enlisted men relationships, and headed by former Air Corps General James H. Doolittle. The board made a number of recommendations, one of the more significant ones being to allow the non-commissioned officers to establish their own clubs, a recommendation supported by Bill Mauldin. Three years later Middleton was asked to serve on the Military Education Panel of the Service Academy Board to look at the curricula of the Military and Naval Academies, and the proposed Air Force Academy as well. Working for nine months on recommendations, Middleton stressed a more liberal education for the academies, and much of what he recommended was accepted.Middleton was also asked to speak to military groups on occasion, such as for commissioning exercises at Fort Benning in 1951. As late as 1958 he was called on by the United States Military Academy to come and review the curriculum offered to the cadets, and then was called again in 1959.
University presidency
Dr. Hatcher, the President of LSU, resigned his position in February 1947 because of ill health. The search went out for a new president, and when Middleton was asked to be considered for the job, he declined, being very content with his job as comptroller. Following the search, Harold W. Stoke was brought in from the University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
. Middleton thought Stoke had many good qualities, but he could not work well with the Board of Supervisors. Stoke was sometimes doctrinaire, and his formality when working with the board members was found to be annoying by some. While he was respected by most of the faculty, Stoke continued to have run-ins with the board members, and in December 1950 his differences with the board resulted in his tendering his resignation.
Stokes asked the board to hold a special meeting on 28 December to act on his resignation. Following the meeting, three members of the board came to Middleton's office, and told him, "The board has elected you president of the university and we are here to notify you. It is the board's desire that you accept." Middleton was pressed to make a quick decision, and feeling confident that he could fulfill the job with no misgivings, he accepted the position. There was some backlash from the resignation of Stokes, as students and members of the community criticized the board. Nevertheless, the resignation became effective on 1 February 1951, on which day Middleton began his role as university president.
Ancestry of Troy Houston Middleton
See also
- Allied Invasion of Italy Order of BattleAllied Invasion of Italy Order of BattleAllied Invasion of Italy Order of Battle is a listing of the significant Allied and Axis formations that were involved during the Allied Invasion of Italy 3 September – 16 September 1943.-Allied Forces:...
- Invasion of Normandy
- Operation OverlordOperation OverlordOperation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
- Operation Cobra order of battleOperation Cobra order of battleThis is the order of battle for Operation Cobra, a World War II American offensive against German forces in Normandy, France.-US First Army:Lieutenant General Omar Bradley commanding*VII Corps - Major General J. Lawton Collins...