Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) 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 ...
Clarence Ralph Huebner (November 24, 1888 – September 23, 1972) was a highly decorated senior officer of the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
who saw distinguished active service during both
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. Perhaps his most notable role was as the
Commanding General
The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitud ...
(CG) of the
1st Infantry Division (nicknamed "The Big Red One") during the
Normandy landings
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...
of World War II.
World War I
A farm boy from
Bushton, Kansas
Bushton is a city in Rice County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 203.
History
Bushton was originally called Sorghum, and under the latter name established in the early 1880s. It was renamed Bushto ...
, who spent almost seven years serving from
private to
sergeant in the
18th Infantry Regiment, Huebner received a regular
commission in November 1916.
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Huebner served on the
Western Front and was sent to France with his regiment, the
28th Infantry, which later became part of the
1st Infantry Division ("The Big Red One"), shortly after the
American entry into World War I
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
. The division was the first of the
American Expeditionary Force (AEF) to be sent overseas during the war. The following year he participated in the first American regimental
assault at Cantigny, through
Soissons
Soissons () is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the river Aisne, about northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital o ...
,
Saint-Mihiel
Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France.
Geography
Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse.
History
A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde and his wif ...
, and the
Meuse-Argonne. For his service in this war, he received two
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
es, an
Army Distinguished Service Medal, and a
Silver Star. He commanded the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry at Cantigny after his
commanding officer was killed, and later commanded the regiment, one of the youngest regimental commanders in the AEF.
Remaining in the army after the war, Huebner attended the
United States Army Command and General Staff School at
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest perma ...
in 1924 and served on its faculty from 1929 to 1933.
World War II
Division command
In 1943, Huebner relieved the popular commander of the 1st Infantry Division, General
Terry Allen, in a move engineered by General
Omar N. Bradley. While the 1st Infantry Division had enjoyed considerable combat success under Allen's leadership, Bradley was highly critical of both Allen and assistant division commander
Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
Theodore Roosevelt III ( ), often known as Theodore Jr.Morris, Edmund (1979). ''The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt''. index.While it was President Theodore Roosevelt who was legally named Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the President's fame made it simple ...
's wartime leadership style, which favored fighting ability over drill and discipline: "While the Allies were parading decorously through Tunis," Bradley wrote, "Allen's brawling 1st Infantry Division was celebrating the Tunisian victory in a manner all its own. In towns from Tunisia all the way to Arzew, the division had left a trail of looted wine shops and outraged mayors. But it was in Oran...that the division really ran amuck. The trouble began when SOS (Services of Supply) troops, long stationed in Oran, closed their clubs and installations to our combat troops from the front. Irritated by this exclusion, the 1st Division swarmed into town to 'liberate' it a second time." Despite this, Bradley admitted that "none excelled the unpredictable Terry Allen in the leadership of troops."
Upon assuming command, Huebner immediately ordered a series of close-order drills, parades, and weapons instruction for the 1st Infantry Division, including its veterans, who had just finished a bloody series of engagements with German forces in Sicily. This did not endear him to the enlisted men of the division, who made no attempt to hide their preference for Allen. As one of the men of the Big Red One said in disgust, "Hell's bells! We've been killing Germans for months and now they are teaching us to shoot a rifle? It doesn't make any sense."
Supported by Bradley and Eisenhower, Huebner persisted, and the morale of the division gradually recovered. Huebner, aided by Brigadier General
Willard G. Wyman, his assistant division commander, led the division in the assault on
Omaha Beach on
D-Day, followed by a successful infantry attack at
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô (, ; br, Sant Lo) is a commune in northwest France, the capital of the Manche department in the region of Normandy. . The division would later repel a German counteroffensive at
Mortain
Mortain () is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Mortain-Bocage.
Geography
Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the ...
, and pursue the
German Army across France, culminating in the
Battles of Aachen and the
Huertgen Forest.
V Corps command
In January 1945 Huebner took command of the
V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to:
France
* 5th Army Corps (France)
* V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...
, which he directed from the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
to the
Elbe
The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Re ...
, where his troops made first contact with the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
. He commanded V Corps until November 11, 1945.
Postwar service
After World War II, Huebner served as Assistant Army Chief of Staff (G-3) at the Pentagon from late 1945 until 1946 when he became Chief of Staff for the
United States European Command
The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russi ...
(EUCOM). He was promoted to lieutenant general on March 28, 1947 and also served as Deputy Commander in Chief of EUCOM from 1947 to 1950. He was the last Military Governor (acting) of the
American Zone in Germany from May 15, 1949 to September 1, 1949.
Huebner retired from the army on November 30, 1950.
Later years
On September 1, 1951, Huebner became director of New York State's Civil Defense Commission, a post he held until January 1961. A strong advocate of the building of fallout shelters, Huebner believed the United States population would eventually be forced to live full-time in underground shelters and "would see the sunshine only by taking a calculated risk".
Huebner married Florence Barrett in 1921. Following her death in 1966, Huebner married Anna Imelda Mathews in 1968. She died in 1974. All three are buried together in
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
.
Burial Detail: Huebner, Clarence R
– ANC Explorer
In popular culture
Huebner was portrayed by Charles Macaulay in the 1980 film ''The Big Red One
''The Big Red One'' is a 1980 American epic war film written and directed by Samuel Fuller, and starring Lee Marvin alongside an ensemble supporting cast, including Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine, Siegfried Rauch, Bobby Di Cicco, and Kelly Ward ...
'', in the opening sequence set in World War I and, in the reconstructed extended version, in 1944 just prior to the Battle of Huertgen Forest.
Decorations
Huebner received the following honors and awards during his military career:
References
External links
Generals of World War II
Army.mil: Clarence R. Huebner
*
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Huebner, Clarence R.
1888 births
1972 deaths
United States Army Infantry Branch personnel
People from Rice County, Kansas
United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
United States Army War College alumni
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
United States military governors
United States Army personnel of World War I
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Recipients of the Silver Star
Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)
Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium)
Recipients of the War Merit Cross (Italy)
Recipients of the Military Order of the White Lion
Recipients of the Czechoslovak War Cross
Honorary Companions of the Order of the Bath
Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class
20th-century American politicians
United States Army generals of World War II
United States Army generals
Military personnel from Kansas