Edward H. Brooks
Edward H. Brooks | |
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Lieutenant General Edward Hale Brooks (April 25, 1893 – October 10, 1978) was a highly decorated senior officer of the United States Army, a veteran of both World War I and World War II, who commanded the U.S. Second Army during the Korean War. He received the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for heroism as a junior officer in World War I and, remaining in the army during the interwar period, rose to command the 2nd Armored Division during the Battle of Normandy as well as VI Corps during the subsequent defeat of German forces in World War II.
Early life and military career
Edward Hale Brooks was born on April 25, 1893, in Concord, New Hampshire. His father, Edward Waite Brooks, was a Concord grocer. His mother was the former Mary Frances Hale, a native of
Brooks began his military career in June 1915 as a captain with the 1st Cavalry Regiment of the Vermont National Guard, a position he held until July 1916. For the following year, he worked as a civil engineer before his National Guard unit was called up for federal service.[4]: 61
On Thanksgiving Day, 1917, Brooks married the former Beatrice Aurora Leavitt. They had two children: Elizabeth Allen Brooks (b. December 27, 1918) and Edward Hale Brooks, Jr. (b. June 6, 1920).[4]: 62
World War I
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Ted_Brooks_Beatrice_Brooks.jpg/220px-Ted_Brooks_Beatrice_Brooks.jpg)
Brooks was commissioned as a second lieutenant of the Cavalry Branch in the Regular Army of the United States Army in August 1917, four months after the American entry into World War I, was promoted to first lieutenant the same date and was assigned to the Army Service Schools at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.[1] In November 1917, he was transferred to the 76th Field Artillery Regiment at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, moving with his regiment to Camp Merritt, New Jersey, in March 1918. The regiment was part of the 3rd Division. At that post he was assigned to the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade in command of a detachment (later G-3) that sailed for France to reinforce the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in April 1918.[4]: 62
Brooks served on the Western Front in the Champagne-Marne Defense, the Aisne-Marne Offensive, the St. Mihiel Offensive and the Meuse–Argonne offensive, the largest battle in the history of the United States Army. On October 5, 1918, during the fighting in the Meuse–Argonne, he earned a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the citation for which reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Field Artillery) Edward Hale Brooks (ASN: 0-6657), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 76th Field Artillery, 3d Division, A.E.F., at Montfaucon, France, 5 October 1918. Captain Brooks exposed himself to heavy and accurate artillery fire directed on an ammunition train while driving a loaded ammunition truck to safety, and driver of which had been killed by the enemy fire. This truck was attached to a burning truck, and the prompt action of Captain Brooks averted a possible explosion which would have caused serious losses.[5]
Following the Armistice with Germany on November 11, 1918, he served with the Army of Occupation in Germany until returning to the United States in August 1919 with station at Camp Pike, Arkansas. In July 1920 he was transferred from the Cavalry Branch to the Field Artillery Branch.[4]: 63 [1]
Between the wars
Upon his return to the United States, Brooks was a member of the Camp Pike football team. After being named All-Army Halfback in 1920 on the first All-Army team, he captained the Army team that defeated
Brooks entered the U.S. Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in September 1921. Upon graduation in June 1922 he remained as an instructor in gunnery until November 1926, when he was assigned to the command of Battery 'D' of the 24th Field Artillery Regiment, a pack mule outfit at Fort Stotsenburg, in the Philippines.[6]
In October 1928, he was assigned to the 18th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Riley, Kansas. At Fort Riley his artillery battery, a horse drawn outfit, was the first to complete a 100-mile forced march in less than 24 hours. From 1932 to 1934 Brooks attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, then went to Harvard University as a Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) instructor in 1934.[7] He attended the U.S. Army War College from 1936 to 1937 and was then detailed as an instructor in the attack section of the Command and General Staff College.[6]
Preparing for World War II
Brooks was chief of the statistics branch of the
World War II
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From August 1942 until March 1944 Brooks served as the first commander of the 11th Armored Division[9] at Fort Knox, Kentucky, preparing them for the impending invasion of continental Europe. His results with the 11th Armored Division caught the eye of senior commanders, resulting in his selection for overseas assignment to command the 2nd "Hell on Wheels" Armored Division, then stationed in England training for the Allied invasion of Normandy.[1][10]
In January 1943, at the direct request of General Marshall, Brooks, then a
Major General Brooks assumed command of the 2nd Armored Division on March 17, 1944, at
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Churchill_Oversees_Preparations_for_D-Day.jpg/220px-Churchill_Oversees_Preparations_for_D-Day.jpg)
Brooks personally pushed the 2nd Armored Division into being among the first Allied divisions on Belgian soil,[12] and was the first Allied division commander to enter that country by assault.[4]: 67 An incident during the drive into Belgium occurred when a corps staff officer came to Brooks' 2nd Armored command post and told the general that he had a mission for the division that he feared was impossible—to be in Ghent in two days. The staff officer's eyes bugged out when the general said, "Tell the corps commander it's in the bag. We'll be there." After the officer departed, Brooks turned to his chief of staff, Colonel Charles D. Palmer, and said, "Where the hell is Ghent?"[13] (They made the objective behind enemy lines and outside their operational zone, with hours to spare.)
From training in England, through the
On September 12, 1944, while the 2nd Armored Division was poised at the Albert Canal, Brooks relinquished command of the division to take temporary command of the V Corps.[4]: 68 [10] On October 25 Brooks assumed command of the VI Corps under Lieutenant General Alexander Patch's U.S. Seventh Army, replacing Major General Lucian Truscott who was ordered to the 12th Army Group.[14]
Eisenhower's decision to appoint Brooks was by process of elimination because at that point very few other division commanders had been as consistently stellar. He had repeatedly impressed the right people at the right time. Although McNair had initially been concerned with Brooks's inexperience with large formations, by January 1944 he rated Brooks third out of the twelve armored division commanders available for Overlord. Patton listed Brooks as one of four officers he would consider for the Second Armored Division, and Eisenhower put his name at the top of his preferences. Marshall obliged them by dispatching Brooks overseas, and Brooks ably led the Second Armored through the tough fighting in Normandy and the race across France.[10]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Brooks_Ike_pix.jpg/220px-Brooks_Ike_pix.jpg)
In early November, VI Corps was confronted with three problems: to bring the corps' right and left flanks up to the salient held by the
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Brooks_Grant_pix.jpg/220px-Brooks_Grant_pix.jpg)
The army changed its direction of attack on November 24. This resulted in major disengagements, reliefs and redeployments. All were accomplished by December 5. VI Corps, teamed with
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Brandenberger_Luger_Edward_H_Brooks.jpg/220px-Brandenberger_Luger_Edward_H_Brooks.jpg)
On the night of December 20 the Seventh Army's offensive was called off and all troops ordered to prepare defensive lines. This resulted from the apparent success of the German counter-offensive in Belgium and Luxembourg, known as the "
The great spring offensive began in March. VI Corps crossed the Rhine and captured Heidelberg. then came Heilbronn. Turning south and crossing the Danube, the corps drove on to the Italian border to meet the U.S. Fifth Army via Brenner Pass.
On May 5, 1945 (two days before
Personal tragedy
On September 22, 1945, Brooks' son, Major Edward Hale Brooks Jr. (USMA Jan 1943),[18] died in a B-17 crash in Belgium while returning from a night training flight.
After World War II
Upon return to the United States at the close of the European war, General Brooks assumed command of the Fourth Service Command at Atlanta, Georgia. He was appointed deputy commander of the Seventh Army at Atlanta in June 1946, and the following March became deputy commander of the Third Army there. He assumed command of the Antilles Department at Fort Brooke, San Juan, Puerto Rico, in September 1947 and, two months later, was designated Commanding General United States Army Caribbean, with station at Quarry Heights, Panama Canal Zone. On 24 July 1948, he was awarded the Chilean Grand Cross of the Star of Military Merit, 1st Class, for his long service in their national defense.[4]: 71
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Later in 1948 Brooks was named
The following was written of Brooks at the time of his retirement by General Jacob L. Devers: "Ted Brooks is a man of action. He accepts responsibility and then does something constructive about it—and he does it now, not tomorrow. He is a great fighter to have on your side, for he thinks only of the big objective and never of himself. He is quick and sound in his thinking—has tremendous courage—and will tackle any problem with new approaches until he gets the solution. His integrity is of the highest order, and he has great loyalty up and down. He knows when and where to disperse the work load, and when and where to concentrate it. His judgment is unquestionably sound. In addition, Ted has a wonderfully pleasing and dynamic personality. God has truly endowed him with wisdom and with an unfailing ability to understand his fellow man. A great soldier, a keen strategist, and a thoroughly capable administrator, Ted Brooks has all the qualities that would make him an excellent Chief of Staff of the Army."[21]
Dates of rank
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Edward_H_Brooks.jpg/220px-Edward_H_Brooks.jpg)
Insignia | Rank | Date | Component |
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Captain | June 1915 | Vermont National Guard | |
Second Lieutenant | 8 August 1917 | Regular Army | |
First Lieutenant | 8 August 1917 | Regular Army | |
Captain | 8 June 1918 | Regular Army | |
Major | 1 August 1935 | Regular Army | |
Lieutenant Colonel | 8 August 1940 | Regular Army | |
Brigadier General | 15 December 1941 | Regular Army | |
Major General | 5 August 1942 | Regular Army | |
Lieutenant General | 18 March 1949 | Regular Army |
Awards and decorations
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1st row | Distinguished Service Cross | Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster | Silver Star with oak leaf cluster | Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster | ||||||||
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2nd row | Bronze Star
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Army Commendation Medal | World War I Victory Medal with 5 battle clasps | Army of Occupation of Germany Medal | ||||||||
3rd row | American Defense Service Medal | American Campaign Medal | European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 5 service stars
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World War II Victory Medal
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4th row | Gran Cruz de la Fundación Internacional Eloy Alfaro | French Légion d'Honneur , rank of Officer
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French Légion d'Honneur , rank of Officer
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French Croix de Guerre, with two bronze Palms, 1939–1945 | ||||||||
5th row | Netherlands Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords, rank of Grand Officer | Chilean Grand Cross of the Star of Military Merit, 1st Class | Belgian Order of the Crown, Class of Commander, with Palm | Belgian Croix de guerre , with Palm, 1939–1945
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6th row | National Defense Service Medal, awarded as per DD-214, but never worn in ribbon rack |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/LTG_%28USA%29_Edward_H._Brooks_in_retirement.jpg/220px-LTG_%28USA%29_Edward_H._Brooks_in_retirement.jpg)
Civilian life
Brooks spent the rest of his years in
Death
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/ANCExplorer_Edward_H._Brooks_grave.jpg/220px-ANCExplorer_Edward_H._Brooks_grave.jpg)
Lieutenant General Edward Hale Brooks died in Concord, NH on October 10, 1978, leaving his wife of 61 years, Beatrice Leavitt Brooks, their daughter, Elizabeth Brooks Campbell, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Eulogizing Brooks, General Charles D. Palmer said: "He was an exceptional and courageous leader who inspired confidence, demanded much of his subordinates but gave more of himself, was very strict but fair, never sought personal power and glory. He pushed forward deserving subordinates, but never pushed forward himself, was very modest and very human. Subordinates sometimes referred to him as a "lucky general" not meaning that he himself was lucky but that he was lucky for them — such was their confidence that he and they would succeed."[4]: 75
Notes
Brooks was known as "Standing Eddie" for his unusual habit of standing up in his jeep as he reviewed the troops so he could better see them. He had a special railing welded into his jeep to hold onto for this purpose. He once hiked 20 miles himself in full pack in order to set a reasonable time in which to expect his troops to complete it.[4]: 65 [10]
Bibliography
- Taaffe, Stephen R. (2013). Marshall and His Generals: U.S. Army Commanders in World War II. OCLC 840162019.
References
- ^ a b c d e "United States Army officer histories". Unit Histories. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Browne, Paul (2003). Eagles Over Ireland. Athenry, Ireland: Paul Browne and the Flying Fortress Athenry 1943 Project.
- ^ "Edward Hale Brooks". Military Times Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "LTG Edward H. Brooks Acting CG (1947)". Third Army (ARCENT). Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ "Brooks and Bixby New R.O.T.C. Instructors". Harvard Crimson. October 18, 1934.
- ^ a b c "Biography of Lieutenant General Edward Hale Brooks (1893−1978), USA". generals.dk.
- ^ General's Histories, 11th Armored Division. Accessed December 9, 2007.
- ^ a b c d Taaffe 2013, p. 256.
- ^ McNair, Lt. Gen. Lesley J. (1943). Conclusions and Recommendations of Gen. Devers in His Report on His Observations Abroad December 14, 1942 to January 25, 1943. Washington, DC: Army Ground Forces Memo. p. 1.
- ISBN 978-0-8117-3587-2.) have been cited as the first Allied division to enter Belgium
- ISBN 978-0-253-35435-8.
- ^ Clarke, Jeffrey J. and Robert Ross Smith (1993). Riviera to the Rhine. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Center of Military History. p. 322.
- ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 277.
- ISBN 978-1-935149-44-6.
- ISBN 978-1-78200-238-3.
- ^ Cullum, George Washington; Edward Singleton Holden (1950). Biographical register of the officers and graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Houghton, Mifflin. p. 1251.
- ^ Hewes, James E. Jr. (1975). From Root to McNamara Army Organization and Administration. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 396. Archived from the original on 2017-01-23. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
- ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 333.
- ^ Devers, Jacob (March 2013). "Letter of Congratulations".
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Slide Show and LP – Recollections of 2nd Armored Division in World War II, Side 1 on YouTube – GEN Dwight D. Eisenhower and MG Ernest N. Harmon
- Slide Show and LP – Recollections of 2nd Armored Division in World War II, Side 2 on I.D. Whiteand LTG Edward H. Brooks
- Silent film of GdP Erich Brandenburger surrendering the German 19th and 24th Armies to MG Edward H. Brooks in Innsbruck, Austria on YouTube
- Generals of World War II
- United States Army Officers 1939–1945