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A Historical Perspective on Light Infantry, Re: CCF

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  • #31
    Originally posted by Triple C View Post
    "Lightning Joe" Collins? He was not "regarded" as a war hero back in the States, he IS a war hero. He made his reputation in Europe during WWII. What were the stated causes for Mac to relieve him?
    That of course should read ''Walker'' was the plucky hero of Pusan, not Collins, during the Korean war Collins was chief of staff of the army back in Washington & MacArthur's superior.

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    • #32
      That of course should read ''Walker'' was the plucky hero of Pusan
      *Chuckles* That happens to the best of us. Would anyone like to bring me up to speed on Walker's various failures as commander? I am only semi-familiar with his conduct as Corps commander in the 3rd Army and there wasn't much evidence of incompetence during tjat tenure. From the sounds of it contributors here think he screwed up royally.
      All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
      -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

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      • #33
        Originally posted by Triple C View Post
        *Chuckles* That happens to the best of us. Would anyone like to bring me up to speed on Walker's various failures as commander? I am only semi-familiar with his conduct as Corps commander in the 3rd Army and there wasn't much evidence of incompetence during tjat tenure. From the sounds of it contributors here think he screwed up royally.
        look at the unit placements and spacing even after first contact with the Chinese. He allowed his army to get horribly spread out, where they could not support each other.

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        • #34
          A breakdown in the echelons of the high command didn't help matters much according to Hastings, who thinks that Walker was a good Corps commander but handling an army was too much for him.

          It was a difficult task, not only because of shortages in manpower, equipment, and training areas in Japan, but also because Walker had a difficult relationship with MacArthur, and [especially] MacArthur's chief of staff, Major General Ned Almond. Neither MacArthur nor Almond had confidence in Walker.

          Mac, wasn't game to sack him so put Almond in command of X corps & would confer with Almond over Walkers head, which didn't do much for Walkers confidence.

          And Almond in turn [who was an undistinguished divisional commander in WW2 & was determined to make his mark in Korea] had his hands full with General O.C.Smith, commander of the 1st Marine division, who thought that Almond was a glory hound & Hastings says he's on record as saying that Almond was crazy with some of the dumb orders he gave.

          Luckily the 8th army could retreat faster then the Chinese could attack & eventually th Chinese out ran their logistics & slowed down plus fortunately Ridgeway took command when Walker was killed & very quickly turned the army from a shattered mess into a fighting unit, & when at last Mac was sacked, [he was losing his grip by then] Ridgeway took overall command & stabilized the situation.

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          • #35
            Anzac,

            Hastings, who thinks that Walker was a good Corps commander but handling an army was too much for him.
            Which is why I asked. Walker commanded a Corps in the 3rd Army and in so far as I can recall, was a conventional but solid commander at that level.

            Luckily the 8th army could retreat faster then the Chinese could attack & eventually th Chinese out ran their logistics & slowed down plus fortunately Ridgeway took command when Walker was killed & very quickly turned the army from a shattered mess into a fighting unit, & when at last Mac was sacked, [he was losing his grip by then] Ridgeway took overall command & stabilized the situation.
            The more I read about "the general with the grenade harness" the more I am impressed with Ridgeway. What a general!
            All those who are merciful with the cruel will come to be cruel to the merciful.
            -Talmud Kohelet Rabbah, 7:16.

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