A few facts about the the US Third Army (USCENTCOM) as it drives toward Bagdad might be in order.
From its inception, Third Army has played a major role in America's military history.
In November 1917 Maj. General Joseph Dickerson commanded the 3rd Infantry Division and took them to France in March 1918. The 3rd Infantry Division saw combat at Chateau-Thierry on May 31 and held the Marne crossings against tremendous offensives while French lines on either side fell back. For this, the 3rd became known as the "Rock of the Marne."
Officially, the Third Army was changed from a training army to a combat army on December 31, 1943. Lt. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges commanding. It was during Hodges period of command that the Third Army trained the first three Negro divisions in the United States Army; the 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions and the 2nd Cavalry Division.
On August 1st, 1944 at 1200 hours was when the Third Army was officially operational as a combat army under the command of Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr.
In nine months and eight days of fighting, the Third Army compiled a great record. Not only did the Third Army astonish the world, but it's deeds, in terms of statistics, challenged the imagination. The Third Army gave a new meaning to fluid warfare. The Third had only one general order from Patton; "Seek out the enemy, trap him, and destroy him."
The Germans never knew what to expect from Patton. His methods of operation were very different from British General Montgomery and the more conventional American generals. Patton's Third Army tore open the German lines of defense and trapped thousands of German soldiers. Most of them were either killed or they surrendered.
The history of the Third Army is a story of constant attack. They drove on in fair weather or foul, across favorable terrain or across mud, ice, and snow. In terms of speed of advance, in amount of ground liberated or captured, and in terms of losses inflicted upon a powerful enemy there was never before anything like the Third Army's lightning quick sweep across France.
Until this week.
"... there was never before anything like the Third Army's lightning quick sweep across France.
Until this week."
Be still, my heart.
:)
Uh-huh. We are careful to forget that like Iraq, Germany was essentially a beaten force when Patton was "driving" across Europe. After Stalingrad, Kursk and the Soviet Operation Bagration, the Germans were a defeated nation. Heck, at the battle of Kursk (Operation Citadel, 1943), the Germans were having a hard time raising the manpower for the offensive. Patton was essentially kicking down a well-broken door.
Posted by: ossie at April 14, 2003 09:08 AM