Evening star., 1941-07-11
Youth Emphasized
AsRooseve|t Names
81 General Officers
Il Brieodiers Promoted
And Is ColoneIs Are
Designated for Stors
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.

NLLSoN IL AMI.
President Roosevelt again has
emphasized younger leadership, plus
proven ability, in promoting 81 high
ranking Army officers recently as
signed to important field commands
and administrative posts in the
rapidly expanding land forces.
Only 2 of the IL brigadier gen.
erals nominated yesterday for tenn
porary promotion to major generals
have reached or passed their 6Oth
birthday anniversary. Youngest is
sl-year-old Lewis H. Brereton,
commanding the 18th Bombardment
Wing, Savannah, Ga, an Air Corps
officer with an outstanding record.
At the same time. the President
disregarded strict rules of seniority
IN nominating "a cclonelS and l
Lieutenant colonel to be advanced
to the rank of temporary brigadier
generals. OF the new Army briga-
diers, 1t. Col. Charles H. Gerhardt,
cavalry, on duty at General Head
quarters. Army War College, was
jumped over many others. He is
Is, youngest on the list of Regulars.
For the most part, the brigadier
generals range only a year or so
younger than the major generals,
although several are under so years
Of age.
Have Important Commands.
Their promotion is due to the
fact that each had previously been
given a highly important command
which rated rank corresponding
to increased responsibilities. Since
the expansion of the Army year
ago, the War Department has gen.
orally disregarded seniority and
length of service in filling new COM
mands. In each case selection has
been based primarily on efficiency.
For both general officers and
younger field officers, the supreme
test is yet to come The Nation wide
maneuvers this fall will decide the
future ranks of many officers who
are to be tried and tested in actual
field operations. There is no secret
of the fact in War Department cir
cles that some of the higher officers
may be busted" and their COM
mands given to younger officers who
have demonstrated battle" eff
cheney.
Before the Army expanded, the
newly designated major generals
were colonies on the permanent list.
In accordance with policy patterned
after World War experience, they
are given temporary promotions to
brigadier generals. Should the
emergency end abruptly and the
Army revert to normal, most of
them probably would go back to
their former rank.
Commands Schofield Barracks.
Prominent among the new major |
generals is 56-year- Maxwell
Murray, acting commander of the
Hawaiian Division. Schofield Bar
racks. This officer, who commands
the most important Pacific outpost.
was born at West Point, N. Y, and
graduated from the Military Aca-
DENY In 1874. Seven Of the new
major generals are West Pointers.
Well known in Washington, Gen.
Murray served on the General staff
after the World War, at Fort Myer,
with the 10th Field Artillery and as
commander of the Washington Pro-
visional Brigade until July, 1910. |
when he was sent to Hawaii. He !
was appointed to his present COM
mand April 20, 1941.
John w. Greely, Sc, native Wash |
ingtonian and son of the ate Mai |
Gen. Adolphus Greely of Arctic /
exploration fame, is another en- the |
list of major generals. Last March
%. he was assigned to command the |
I'd Division at Fort Sam Houston
Tex. Graduating from Yale Uni
versity, he entered the Army in
1908, going into the field artillery.
Gen Greely was in command OF the
Washington Provisional Brigade at
the time of his transfer.
Graduated From Naval Academy.
Gen. Brereton was born in Pitts
burgh, and is the only one on the
list graduating from the Naval
Academy. That was in 1911. He
resigned as an ensign that year and
was appointed to the coast artillery.
The Air Corps appealed TO him, and
in the World War he was in COM
mand of one Of the first flying
souadrons in France. He was as
signed to the Savannah post |
October "a.
Brig. Gen. Herbert A. Dargue, So,
Is the assistant chief Of the Air
Corps in Washington. A native OF
New York City. he graduated from
West Point into artillery in 1911.
One of the best known wing Off |
GERS. he participated as a pilot and
as commanding officer in the Pan
American goodwill" fight of 1927.
He has held his present post since
October, 1910.
Another we'll known to Washing |
ton is Rush B. Lincoln. now COM |
manding the Mississippi Valley |
Technical Command Army Air |
Corps. Chanute Field, ILL., At go
years of age, Gen. Lincoln has seen
much overseas duty in both the in
fantry and Air Corps. He was born !
at BooneSboro. Iowa, entering the /
Army in 1903 as an enlisted man. /
He has been at Chanute Field since .
October, 1940
Military Academy Superintendent.
Robert L. Eichelberger, superin-
tendent of the United States Mill
tary Academy. is S. and his home is
Asheville, N. C.
Others on the list of newly pro-
NOTED generals are:
John Millikin, commanding the t.
I'd Cavalry Division Fort Rilev |