Evening star., 1946-10-17

81, 1914, for alleged '1ack of drive,
and reduced later in rank from that
Of major general, Col. Sylvester pro-
tested:
IT have no apologies for the 7th
Division-a good outfit, one Of the
very best"
Earlier he had heard testimony OF
superiors, counter to their written
letters of commentator, casting
aspersions on his own and his divi-
sion's combat records. He had in
formed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
in Paris and Gen. George G. Mar
shalls office in Washington, later
that he was requesting an Army
court hearing to clear his name.
First Hearing Of Type.
Col. Silvester's case is unusual In
that he is the first deposed and
denoted Army division commander
to get such a hearing in this war
The War Department hs never di-
vulged how many division COM
manders have been "ousted," but a
few cases did become known.
At the prodding Of his counsel
Samuel T. Ansell, a former judge
advocate general of the Army, Col
Sylvester reviewed and defended his
divisions record. He took the court
from the first day under fire on
August IA to the day he was relieved
in Holland, serving with the British
Col. Sylvester pulled no punches
in disputing his superiors and some
times in criticizing those who had
criticized him: He singled out Gen
Omar N. Bradley, then 18th Army
Group commander, for one particu-
lar blast. 1t was Gen. Bradley who
relieved him of his command. He
took Gen. Bradley to task for the
Ardennes counteroffensive of the
Germans.
Characterized as "SlOw."
Gen. Bradley had testified ir
court that Col. Sylvester had always
been slow-even as an Army in.
Structor.
Bristling, Col Sylvester remarked
"If Gen. Bradley had applied the
principles he was taught at school
he might not have taken 'calcu.
lated risk in the Ardennes, where
he lost 5000 men in the Battle o.
the Bulge"
The name of 1t. Gen. Walton H
Walker, then goth Corps commander
in Gen. George S. Patton's Sd Army
was mentioned frequently through
out the testimony. Differences be-
tween Gen. Walker and Col. Silves-
ter had existed in the United State:
and were renewed in France, 1t was
said. Lavish in written praise o.
the 7th Armored Division, Gen
Walker was verbally critical of mos
of it's operations-but after Sylvester
had been broken" To these criti'
cisms, Col. Sylvester replied tina
they were unjust" false" "un'
true'-in a sweeping denunciatior
of the generals testimony.
Two letters from Gen. Eisenhower
to Gen. Marshall about the case
came into question. The court de-
manded original copies to COM
pare differences. In the first, the
Allied Supreme Commander said
Col. Sylvester had been the subject
of complaints by his corps, Army
and group commanders. The second
letter omitted mention of the group
ommander-Gen. Bradley.
The name of the British Marshal
Bernard L. Montgomery and tea
that 1t. Gen. Sir Richard O'Connor
British corps commander, had given
for King George vi intrigued the
court. Col. Sylvester had ignored
the first invitation-not knowing
about the Kings anticipated visit
But when he received a second in
vitation next day and learned who
the honor guest was, he felt obliged
to attend.
mo Thought of Teas"
A former subordinate had testi-
fed he thought Col. Silvester's at
titude toward the tea had perhaps
annoyed the British. Busy leading
his division in a hard fight, Col
Sylvester said he had mo thought
of teas" at the time. However, once
there, he met the King pleasantly
enough and Marshal Montgomery
suddenly confronted the American
officer for five minutes, Col. Silves-
ter said.
Marshal Montgomery told me
that he didn't like the organization
of American armored divisions,
Col. Sylvester testified Il told him
that was something I had nothing
to do with and changed the sub
ject."
Before returning to Washington
Col. Sylvester said he was given an
order which put the muzzle COM
pletely over my mouth" He said he
thought the order was "aimec
directly at me- because it forbio
any discussion by him of military
matters, which included his case