U.S. Tenth Army
Encyclopedia
The Tenth United States Army was the last army
level command established in the Pacific Theater of Operations
during World War II
. It was commanded by Lieutenant General
Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr.
until he was killed by enemy artillery fire on Okinawa on 18 June 1945. Major General
Roy Geiger
assumed command and led the Tenth Army until relieved by General Joseph Stilwell
on 23 June.
During the Battle of Okinawa
, the Tenth Army consisted of XXIV Corps
of the U.S. Army
and III Amphibious Corps
of the U.S. Marine Corps
. The Tenth Army included the 1st, 2nd and 6th Marine Divisions and the 7th, 27th, 77th and 96th Infantry Divisions.
In all, Tenth Army suffered 65,631 casualties during the campaign, with 34,736 being suffered by XXIV Corps, 26,724 by III Amphibious Corps, 520 to the tactical air force attached to Tenth Army, 2,636 to the Army garrison forces of Okinawa and Ie Shima, and 1,015 to troops directly under the command of Tenth Army. As noted earlier, one of those casualties was the commander of the 10th Army himself, killed by an enemy shellburst while visiting a forward position. The day after, a second general, Brigadier General
Claudius M. Easley, was killed by machine gun fire.
Okinawa turned out to be the only campaign that Tenth Army would take part in during WWII. It was slated to take part in Operation Coronet, the second phase of the invasion of Japan, but the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, and subsequent Japanese surrender, obviated the need to invade Japan.
Tenth Army troops comprised the landing force which occupied the former Japanese colony of Korea, 8 September 1945. Commanded by Lt. General John R. Hodge
, the Tenth was part of the United States Army Military Government in Korea
.
Field army
A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....
level command established in the Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
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...
. It was commanded by Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr.
Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr.
General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr. was an American lieutenant general during World War II. He served in the Pacific Theater of Operations and commanded the defenses of Alaska early in the war. After that assignment, he was promoted to command 10th Army, which conducted the amphibious assault on...
until he was killed by enemy artillery fire on Okinawa on 18 June 1945. 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...
Roy Geiger
Roy Geiger
General Roy Stanley Geiger was a United States Marine Corps General who, during World War II, became the first Marine to lead an army. Marine Corps base Camp Geiger in North Carolina is named in his honor....
assumed command and led the Tenth Army until relieved by General Joseph Stilwell
Joseph Stilwell
General Joseph Warren Stilwell was a United States Army four-star General known for service in the China Burma India Theater. His caustic personality was reflected in the nickname "Vinegar Joe"...
on 23 June.
During the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
, the Tenth Army consisted of XXIV Corps
U.S. XXIV Corps
XXIV Corps was a U.S. Army Corps-level command during World War II and the Vietnam War.XXIV Corps was activated at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, on 8 April 1944. It participated in the invasion of Leyte in the Philippine Islands on 20 October 1944, with the 7th Infantry Division and 96th Infantry Division...
of the U.S. 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...
and III Amphibious Corps
III Marine Expeditionary Force
The III Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps that is forward-deployed and able to deploy rapidly and conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault and high intensity combat. III...
of the U.S. Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. The Tenth Army included the 1st, 2nd and 6th Marine Divisions and the 7th, 27th, 77th and 96th Infantry Divisions.
In all, Tenth Army suffered 65,631 casualties during the campaign, with 34,736 being suffered by XXIV Corps, 26,724 by III Amphibious Corps, 520 to the tactical air force attached to Tenth Army, 2,636 to the Army garrison forces of Okinawa and Ie Shima, and 1,015 to troops directly under the command of Tenth Army. As noted earlier, one of those casualties was the commander of the 10th Army himself, killed by an enemy shellburst while visiting a forward position. The day after, a second general, 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...
Claudius M. Easley, was killed by machine gun fire.
Okinawa turned out to be the only campaign that Tenth Army would take part in during WWII. It was slated to take part in Operation Coronet, the second phase of the invasion of Japan, but the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima
Hiroshima
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...
and Nagasaki, and subsequent Japanese surrender, obviated the need to invade Japan.
Tenth Army troops comprised the landing force which occupied the former Japanese colony of Korea, 8 September 1945. Commanded by Lt. General John R. Hodge
John R. Hodge
General John Reed Hodge was a general in the United States Army.-Early life and Career:Being born in Golconda, Illinois, Hodge attended Southern Illinois Teachers College and the University of Illinois. After completing U.S. Army Officer Candidate School at Fort Sheridan, he entered military...
, the Tenth was part of the United States Army Military Government in Korea
United States Army Military Government in Korea
The United States Army Military Government in Korea, also known as USAMGIK, was the official ruling body of the southern half of the Korean Peninsula from September 8, 1945 to August 15, 1948...
.