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Lesley J. McNair

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Lesley J. McNair

Lesley James McNair (25 May 1883 – 25 July 1944) was an American Army officer who served during World War I and World War II. He attained the rank of lieutenant general during his life; he was killed in action during World War II, and received a posthumous promotion to general. A Minnesota native and 1904 graduate of the United States Military Academy, McNair was a Field Artillery officer with a background in the Ordnance Department. A veteran of the Battle of Veracruz and Pancho Villa Expedition, during World War I he served as assistant chief of staff for training with the 1st Division, and then chief of artillery training on the staff at the American Expeditionary Forces headquarters. His outstanding performance resulted in his promotion to temporary brigadier general; at age 35, he was the Army's second-youngest general officer. McNair's experience of more than 30 years with equipment and weapons design and testing, his administrative skills, and his success in the areas of military education and training led to his World War II assignment as commander of Army Ground Forces. In this position, McNair became the "unsung architect of the U.S. Army", and played a leading role in the organizational design, equipping, and training of Army units in the United States before they departed for overseas combat. While historians continue to debate some of McNair's decisions and actions, including the individual replacement system for killed and wounded soldiers, and a controversy over the use of tanks or tank destroyers as anti-tank weapons, his concentration on advanced officer education, innovative weapons systems, improved doctrine, realistic combat training, and development of combined arms tactics enabled the Army to modernize and perform successfully on the World War II battlefield, where the mobility of mechanized forces replaced the static defenses of World War I as the primary tactical consideration. He was killed by friendly fire while in France to act as commander of the fictitious First United States Army Group, part of the Operation Quicksilver deception that masked the actual landing sites for the Invasion of Normandy. During Operation Cobra, an Eighth Air Force bomb landed in his foxhole near Saint-Lô when the Army attempted to use heavy bombers for close air support of infantry operations as part of the Battle of Normandy.

Infobox

Nickname
Whitey
Born
(1883-05-25)25 May 1883Verndale, Minnesota, United States
Died
25 July 1944(1944-07-25) (aged 61)Saint-Lô, Normandy, France
Buried
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, France
Allegiance
United States
Branch
United States Army
Years of service
1904–1944
Rank
Lieutenant general (Army of the United States) General (posthumous)
Service number
0-1891
Unit
Field Artillery Branch
Commands
Battery C, 4th Field Artillery RegimentBattery D, 4th Field Artillery RegimentReserve Officers' Training Corps, Purdue University2nd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment2nd Battalion, 83rd Field Artillery RegimentCivilian Conservation Corps District E, Seventh Corps Area2nd Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry DivisionUnited States Army Command and General Staff SchoolArmy Ground ForcesFirst United States Army Group (fictitious)
Battles / wars
mw- li Banana Wars Battle of Veracruz Border War Pancho Villa Expedition First World War Second World War North African campaign Operation Overlord Operation Cobra †
Awards
Distinguished Service Medal (3) Purple Heart (2) Legion of Honor (Officer) (France)
Spouse
mw- Clare Huster (m. 1905⁠–⁠1944)
Children
1
Service years
1904–1944

Tables

· Dates of rank
No insignia
No insignia
Insignia
No insignia
Rank
Cadet
Component
United States Military Academy
Date
1 August 1900
No insignia in 1904
No insignia in 1904
Insignia
No insignia in 1904
Rank
Second lieutenant
Component
Regular Army
Date
15 June 1904
Insignia
Rank
Component
Date
No insignia
Cadet
United States Military Academy
1 August 1900
No insignia in 1904
Second lieutenant
Regular Army
15 June 1904
First lieutenant
Regular Army (Temporary)
1 July 1905
First lieutenant
Regular Army
25 January 1907
Captain
Regular Army (Temporary)
20 May 1907
First lieutenant
Regular Army
1 July 1909
Captain
Regular Army
9 April 1914
Major
Regular Army
15 May 1917
Lieutenant colonel
National Army (Temporary)
5 August 1917
Colonel
National Army (Temporary)
26 June 1918
Brigadier general
National Army (Temporary)
1 October 1918
Major
Regular Army
16 July 1919
Lieutenant colonel
Regular Army
9 January 1928
Colonel
Regular Army
1 May 1935
Brigadier general
Regular Army
1 January 1937
Major general
Army of the United States (Temporary)
25 September 1940
Major general
Regular Army (Permanent)
1 December 1940
Lieutenant general
Army of the United States (Temporary)
9 June 1941
General
Regular Army (Posthumous)
19 July 1954
· External links
Preceded byCharles Michael Bundel
Preceded byCharles Michael Bundel
Military offices
Preceded byCharles Michael Bundel
Military offices
Commandant of the United States Army Command and General Staff School 1939–1940
Military offices
Succeeded byEdmund L. Gruber
New title
New title
Military offices
New title
Military offices
Commanding General Army Ground Forces 1942–1944
Military offices
Succeeded byBen Lear
Preceded byGeorge S. Patton
Preceded byGeorge S. Patton
Military offices
Preceded byGeorge S. Patton
Military offices
Commanding General First United States Army Group (fictitious) 1944
Military offices
Succeeded byWilliam Hood Simpson
Military offices
Preceded byCharles Michael Bundel
Commandant of the United States Army Command and General Staff School 1939–1940
Succeeded byEdmund L. Gruber
New title
Commanding General Army Ground Forces 1942–1944
Succeeded byBen Lear
Preceded byGeorge S. Patton
Commanding General First United States Army Group (fictitious) 1944
Succeeded byWilliam Hood Simpson

References

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  4. McNair, McNear, and McNeir Genealogies: 1955 Supplement, p. 43.
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  7. "California Death Index, 1940–1997, entry for Irene Naftalin".
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  9. "Minnesota American Legion Military Hall of Fame: Lesley J. McNair", p. 6.
  10. "McNair Unable to Visit Sisters On Trip Here Last Year", p. 3.
  11. "Author Highlights WW II Vet/South Grad".
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  40. Camp Bullis: A History of the Leon Springs Military Reservation, 1890–1990, p. 23.
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  60. "Five Year Suspension for Billy Mitchell", p. 28.
  61. "Billy Mitchell's Resignation was Accepted Today", p. 1.
  62. "Lafayette and Purdue Will Observe Peace Anniversary", p. 1.
  63. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", p. 80.
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  71. Encyclopedia of World War II, p. 193.
  72. Encyclopedia of World War II, p. 375.
  73. World War II: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection, p. 740.
  74. Kansas Biographical Dictionary, p. 212.
  75. Troy H. Middleton: A Biography, p. 139.
  76. "Memorial page: Franklin C. Sibert 1912".
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  105. The Purge of the Thirtieth Division, pp. xii–xiii.
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  117. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 285–287.
  118. "Postwar Duties for Stackpole", p. 26.
  119. "Col. Abendroth Pledges His Best to D.C. Guard", p. A-17.
  120. "Erickson Resigns as Draft Director: Accepts Colonelcy in U.S. Army", p. 5.
  121. Command Decisions: The 90 Division Gamble, p. 366.
  122. The Human Tradition in the World War II Era, p. xxii.
  123. Command Decisions: The 90 Division Gamble, p. 367.
  124. Reorganization of Ground Troops for Combat, pp. 56–57.
  125. Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, pp. 45–46.
  126. Bunker Hill to Bastogne, p. 218.
  127. World War II in Europe, p. 646.
  128. The Library of Congress World War II Companion, pp. 303–304.
  129. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 344–356.
  130. "The U.S. World War II Troop Replacement Policy".
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  139. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 350.
  140. The Training of Negro Troops, p. iii.
  141. The Training of Negro Troops, pp. 5–6.
  142. The Training of Negro Troops, p. 3.
  143. The Training of Negro Troops, pp. 6–8.
  144. The Training of Negro Troops, p. 4.
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  149. Mobility, Shock, and Firepower, pp. 315–316.
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  151. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 366–367.
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  153. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 366–368.
  154. Tank: 100 Years of the World's Most Important Armored Military Vehicle, p. 141.
  155. General Jacob Devers: World War II's Forgotten Four Star, pp. 108–109.
  156. Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II, p. 122-124.
  157. Armored Champion: The Top Tanks of World War II, p. 261.
  158. Planning Munitions for War, p. 280.
  159. The Infantry's Armor, p. 4.
  160. GI Ingenuity, p. 176.
  161. General Jacob Devers: World War II's Forgotten Four Star, p. 78.
  162. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", p. 385.
  163. Lawrence Daily Journal-World
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aiVdAAAAIBAJ&pg=1215%2C2189315
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  165. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", p. 387.
  166. "The Tragic Death of General Lesley J. McNair During Operation Cobra".
  167. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 387–388.
  168. After D-Day: Operation Cobra and the Normandy Breakout, pp. 114–116.
  169. The Air Force Law Review, p. 199.
  170. War as I Knew it, p. 95.
  171. Normandy Cemetery and Memorial, p. 7.
  172. "High Ranking Fighting Men Lost in Two Wars", p. 3.
  173. "General McNair: Verndale man made the U.S. a superpower".
  174. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 78, 110, 113, 207, 228–230.
  175. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", p. 277.
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  178. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 240–241.
  179. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 276–277.
  180. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", pp. 1–2.
  181. "A few words in favor of the much-derided individual replacement system for soldiers".
  182. "Leadership and Operational Art in World War II: The Case for General Lesley J. McNair".
  183. Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II, p. 124.
  184. "Transcription of Entries in Biographical Register".
  185. "George L. Eubanks Now On Rhine", p. 9.
  186. "Lt.Gen. Lesley McNair Bridge".
  187. "Fort Lesley J. McNair History", p. 1.
  188. "Contact Us".
  189. "Fort Sill welcomes its new chief of staff".
  190. "2,000 Troops Run for Army Birthday".
  191. "Street names on Fort Monroe reveal post's past".
  192. "Home Page: TRADOC Analysis Center".
  193. McNair, McNear, and McNeir Genealogies: 1955 Supplement, p. 45.
  194. The Changing Faces of Citizenship: Integration and Mobilization Among Ethnic Minorities in Germany, p. 278.
  195. "McNair Barracks".
  196. "McNair Kaserne".
  197. "Information Page, VFW Post 5263".
  198. "Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame".
  199. "Force Development Hall of Fame".
  200. "McNair, Lesley James, 1883–1944".
  201. "Lesley J. McNair papers, 1928".
  202. "Burial record, Clare H. McNair".
  203. "Gen. McNair Killed in Action", pp. 1, 6.
  204. Women in the Department of State: Their Role in American Foreign Affairs, pp. 102–103.
  205. "Memorial, Douglas C. McNair".
  206. "Memorial, Col. Douglas Crevier McNair".
  207. Ours to Hold it High, p. 125.
  208. Fighting on the Brink, p. 15.
  209. Fort Hood Memorializations, p. 8.
  210. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", p. 110.
  211. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", p. 276.
  212. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", p. 389.
  213. "General Lesley J. McNair: Little-Known Architect of the U.S. Army", p. 390.
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