Delk M. Oden

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Delk McCorkle Oden
35th Tank Battalion
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion
Battles/warsWorld War II
Vietnam War
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Silver Star (2)
Legion of Merit
Soldier's Medal
Bronze Star (2)
Purple Heart (2)
Croix de Guerre (2)

Major General Delk McCorkle Oden (13 July 1911 – 13 June 1997) was a United States Army officer who served in World War II and the Vietnam War.

Early life

Oden was born in Gordon, Texas.[1] He enlisted in the Army on 1 July 1930.[2] Oden attended Marion Military Institute.[1]

Military career

Appointed to the United States Military Academy, he graduated with a B.S. degree in 1937 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry assigned to the 27th Infantry Regiment in Hawaii.[1]

Oden returned to the continental United States in November 1939 and then served in the

10th Cavalry Regiments. He was promoted to first lieutenant on 12 June 1940 and captain on 9 September 1940.[1]

In January 1942 he transferred to the 84th Armored Reconnaissance Battalion of the 4th Armored Division. Following promotion to major on 1 February 1942, he took command of the 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion in July 1942. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 21 January 1943 and his unit was responsible for testing the M18 Hellcat tank destroyer, still attached to the 4th Armored Division.[1]

The 4th Armored Division began unloading at Normandy on 9 July.

35th Tank Battalion, also part of the 4th Armored Division.[1] During the Battle of the Bulge the 35th Tank Battalion was part of Combat Command A which was split into two task forces with Oden commanding another Task Force Oden which advanced towards Bastogne from Wolwelange along the Bastogne-Arlon highway.[4] On 28 March 1945, while leading the 35th Tank Battalion in combat near Guissen, Germany, he would be involved in actions leading to the award of the Distinguished Service Cross.[5]

From October 1945 to March 1946 he served as Chief of Staff of the 4th Armored Division. He returned to the U.S. and served as Plans officer on the General Staff at

Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia from September 1949 to January 1950.[1]

In February 1950 he was assigned to

Fort Rucker from September to December 1957. He commanded Combat Command A, 1st Armored Division from December 1957 to May 1959. He then served as assistant commandant of the Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker until June 1961. From June to October 1961 he served as a member of the Hoelscher Committee on reorganisation of the Department of the Army. He was promoted to brigadier general on 22 August 1961. He then served as director of army aviation at the Pentagon from October 1961 to May 1963, and during this time he served on the Howze Board.[1][6]

In May 1963 he was assigned to South Vietnam as Chief of the Army section of Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam. In May 1964 he was appointed Commanding General, U.S. Army Support Command, Vietnam and served in that role until March 1965.[1]

He returned to the U.S. and served as Director of Officer Personnel of the Army at the Pentagon from April 1965.[1] He served as Commanding General, U.S. Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker from March 1967 to September 1970.[5] He retired from the Army on 1 October 1970 as a Major General.

Later life

In 1973, he joined

Washington D.C.

Oden died on 13 June 1997 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 23 June 1997.[7] His wife Margaret Avery Oden (4 February 1914 – 15 May 2002) was interred next to him on 4 October 2002.[8]

Decorations

His decorations included the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal (2), Silver Star (2), Legion of Merit, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star (2), Purple Heart (2) and the Croix de Guerre (2).[7][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Hearings. United States Congress House Committee on Armed Services. 1966. pp. 4763–5.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ U.S. Army Register: Active and Retired List. Vol. I. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1 January 1962. p. 407. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  3. ^
    ISBN 9780786455164
    .
  4. ISBN 9780698143517
    .
  5. ^ a b "Delk McCorkle Oden Distinguished Service Cross". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  6. ISBN 978-1780392370. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain
    .
  7. ^ a b "Oden, Delk M". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Oden, Margaret A". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Class of 1937—Register of Graduates". Official Register of the Officers and Cadets. United States Military Academy. 1969. p. 472. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
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