Evening star., 1945-04-02
|'KN Jops Faster First Aim
IOf Buckner, 10th Army Head
Gen. Geieer Directs
Marine Amphibious.
Corps at Okinowu

BY the Associated Press.
GUAM, April 2.-Lt. Gen. Simon
Bolivar Buckner. jr., commander OF
America S new 10th Army which has
invaded Okinawa, is the son OF
Confederate general and Kentucky
Governor named for South Amer
ics's famed liberator, Bolivar.
The general insists there is only
one way to speed the end OF the
Pacific war-"kill more Japs-and
faster. The faster you kill them
the quicker the war will be over.
The man who kills the most Japs
is my man"
The generals father and Gen.
Grant studied together at West
Point only to clash later at Fort
Donelson in the Civil War. The
senior Buckner fought stubbornly
even after two of his superiors fed,
but he was finally forced to sur
render his garrison to Grant.
The 10th Army commander not
only has a background of warfare,
he also has had some practical ex-
perience in killing Japanese.
AS the builder of the defenses Of
Alaska and the nearby Aleutians
he had surprises awaiting the Jap
anese at Dutch Harbor in 1912. He
had gone to North Pacific outposts
in 1910 and worked quietly behind
the scenes and when the japanese
struck toward Alaska June 3, 1912,
they were hit by land based planes
from Gen. Buckners base west of
Dutch Harbor The Japanese air
aircraft and surface ships fell back
on bleak Attu and Kiska and finally
were driven clear out of the Aleu-
tians in the American offensive of
May, 1943.
Organized New Army.
Then Gen. Buckner dropped from
sight in June, 1914, and began
organization of the 10th Army. AS
overall commander of Army. Navy,
air and Marine elements, he insists,
I'VE have harmony and We are going
to maintain it."
The rugged. ruddy-faced. soldierly
general has very human interest
in ordinary people. Once in Alaska
a carpenter friend invited him to
dinner. Meanwhile invitations from
higherups to more elaborate af-
fairs arrived but the general said
sorry-and ate with the carpenter.
He is great outdoorsman and
likes to hunt. He even enjoys listen
ing to tall stories of fishermen. He
likes drink with congenial group
bourbon with very little water He
smokes two or three packs of cigar
cites a day and then suddenly will
stop for as long as three months
just to show that he can do with
out.
Gen. Buckner likes to pop in un-
expectedly and inspect his men s
mess halls. If the food is good the
mess sergeant gets a pa. on the
back. If not, all concerned catch it
Tested Arctic Boots.
When two types of Arctic boots
were proposed for Alaska, the gen.
eral tried one kind on his right foot
and the other on his left foot. goine
for long hikes over rocks and ice
to see which was best for the
soldiers. He also tested sleeping
bags in so below weather.
Gen. Buckner is in excellent phys
ical condition at So and takes il
with men 80 years his junior.
He entered Virginia Military In
stitute in 1902 at 16 and West Point
in 1904. He has served in the Philip
pines. AS a captain he commanded
aviation training brigades at Kelly
Field. Tex in 1918
After the World War the general
taught infantry tactics at West
Point and in the following years
filled several Institutional posts as
well as infantry commands.
Gen Buckner's wife. the former
Adele Blanc of Louisville, KY. is
living in San Francisco for the dura-
| ton His Oldest son. Simon, Sd, is
a captain in the Signal Corps in
Europe A younger son. William. is