Subdeacon Joe Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 Do generals fight in battles? Not often, but sometimes. Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. landed in the first wave at Utah Beach in Normandy, around the same time his son Captain Quentin Roosevelt landed in the first wave at Omaha Beach. He had to argue his case to the upper brass to do it, but he was a decorated combat vet from World War I, had served up front in Africa, Sicily and mainland Italy, and finally convinced higher command to let him do it. This, despite the fact that Generals Omar Bradley and George Patton disapproved of Roosevelt’s methods of leading from the front, believing it weakened the discipline of officers and enlisted men. On Utah, however, Roosevelt’s role proved crucial. The first landings were a mile south of where they were supposed to be. He was unruffled, saying “We’ll start the war from right here.” T.R. reconnoitered the beach (walking with a cane due to arthritis) and re-directed troops inland, greeting each wave of troops as they landed. Continually under fire, he made decisions on the fly that kept troops on track to their first-day objectives. Many of his fellow generals didn’t expect him to survive that day, but survive he did, even under constant fire. Omar Bradley later said Roosevelt was the most heroic officer he saw during the landings. Roosevelt died of a heart attack five weeks after the Utah landings. Generals Patton and Bradley were pallbearers at his funeral. Photo of Theodore Roosevelt Jr. in Normandy The Giant Killer book & page honors these war heroes the book details the incredible life of the smallest soldier, Green Beret Captain Richard Flaherty along with the harrowing stories from the men of the 101st Airborne in Vietnam. The Giant Killer FB page honors these incredible war heroes making sure their stories of valor and sacrifice are never forgotten. God Bless our Vets! Available now on Amazon & Walmart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 Wasn't he also a Medal of Honor winner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 This is just my opinion, but I sincerely doubt that the son of a president could be awarded the Medal of Honor, no matter what he did. Too many people would insist that it was political - the only reason he got it was because who his father was. Or in this case, his cousin. I also don't think that Marine Captain Roosevelt could be awarded either of the two highest medals. Same reason. Who his father was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 If you're not leading from the front, you're not leading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Pat Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 He and Douglas MacArthur both were awarded Medals of Honor. Both of their fathers also had Medals of Honor. I don’t think “win” is the correct word. Most stories I have read about Medal of Honor recipients all give Credit to the men with them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 Dad said the rumors were that he drank himself to death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badlands Bob #61228 Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 You've just got to respect someone who leads from the front. He's the kind of military leader I would follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 What about ADC BG "Dutch" Cota? Didn't he land on one of the D-Day beaches, and lead his men forward. IIRC, he may have said, "There are two kinds of people on this beach, those who are going to get killed and those will get killed off the beach. Lets go get killed up there!" Or words to that effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Snorter Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 This thread got me to look up the Medal of Honor site, spent some time there yesterday, will do so again. Highly recommend it. https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/overview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted April 2, 2023 Author Share Posted April 2, 2023 While it's inspiring to have a leader who says, "Follow me, boys!" as he charges into battle, sometimes the leader needs to be on his horse, maybe ob a rise, behind the lines, where he can see and maneuver his battalions and regiments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffield, SASS #23454 Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 23 hours ago, Warden Callaway said: Dad said the rumors were that he drank himself to death. That was his brother who drank himself to death, not him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 6 hours ago, Trailrider #896 said: What about ADC BG "Dutch" Cota? Didn't he land on one of the D-Day beaches, and lead his men forward. IIRC, he may have said, "There are two kinds of people on this beach, those who are going to get killed and those will get killed off the beach. Lets go get killed up there!" Or words to that effect. Well not exactly. Hollywood messed a bit with history again. Quote Norman Cota is the most senior ranking officer on the beach on June 6, 1944 and is the source of a sentence pronounced on the beach, which has since gone down in history. Cota asks soldiers set by enemy fire near him: “Which unit do you belong to?” “5th Rangers!” Answers one of them. To which the general replies: “Rangers, show the way!” (“Rangers, lead the way”, which is today the motto of the contemporary units of American Rangers). In the movie The Longest Day, the actor Robert Mitchum interpreting Cota pronounces another sentence (“There are two kinds of people who are staying on this beach: those who are dead and those who are going to die. Now let’s get the hell out of here. “) which was actually delivered on the same day and at the same place by Colonel George A. Taylor commanding the 16th Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division. https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/battle-of-normandy/biographies/usa/norman-cota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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