Evening star., 1951-10-14
Maj. Gen. FoxConner,
.Tactician for Pershinq
In World War |, Dies

Maj. Gen. Fox Conner. a bril-
liant tactician as Gen. Pershing's
chief of operations In World Wal
II, died yesterday in Walter Reed
Hospital. He would have been n
years old on November 2.
An intimate Of many other
noted soldiers, including Gems
Marshall, Eisenhower and Patton
Gen. Conner was said to have
been the only man who ever de-
iclined the position of Army Chief
of Staff.
But in his 40-year career he
filled many another notable posi-
ton, among them Gen. Pershing' s
Chief of Staff after the war, as
sistant Army Chief of Staff for
supply and deputy chief of staff.
A sturdy 6-footer, with distin-
guished bearing, Gen. Conner en-
tered the hospital last September
20 with a lung ailment. Physi-
clans were amazed that he had
carried on so long in that condi-
tion.
Eisenhower Was on Staff.
Thirty years ago, when he was
assigned to command the Panama
Canal Zone. Gen. Conner took
along. as his executive officer, a
young man named Eisenhower.
The appointment was made on
recommendation of George Pat
ton, then a tank commander at
Fort Meade.
Recently Mrs. Conner. in her
book, What Father Forbade, ="
told Of her nearly so years with
the general and said:
Il never saw two men more
congenial than Ike Eisenhower
and my husband. They spent
hours discussing wars, past and
future. Fox had always felt that
the Versailles peace treaty had
been the perfect breeder of a new
war that would take place in
about 20 years.
Gradually Ike became con-
vinced that Fox was right and
began the intensive study that
found its fulflllment in World
War II. Ike had always given
Fox full credit for this. both In
his speeches and his writings, and
has often stated that my husband
had more influence on him than
any officer under whom he had
ever served"
Native Of Mississippi.
War apparently was bred into
Gen. Conner. His father was
wounded and blinded at Shiloh in
the Civil War at the age OF II.
AS a boy at Slate Springs, Miss
where he was born on November
2, 1874 the future general played
soldier. and after a meager edu-
cation. wen an appointment to
West Point. An attack Of malaria
caused him to fail one examina-
tion. but he took another and
passed.
In 1898 he was commissioned
an artilleryman and, after duty
with the army Of occupation in
Cuba, pursued q brilliant career
as teacher and tactician. He was
teaching in the Army War Col
lege at the age OF %, while fin
ishing his own courses there.
Gen. Joffre, heading a French
mission here in 1917. had the aid
Of then 1t Col. Conner and COM
menoed him for tact. zeal and in
telligence
His record was such by the fol-
lowing May that Gen. Pershing
took him overseas to American
Expeditionary Forces headquar-
tiers.
Played Major Role In Success.
Many military men have since
given Gen. Conner credit for @
major part Of the Allies success
in the movement and operations
Of combat troops.
On an inspection of front lines
at Seicheprey on February 8, 1918,
he wss wounded by German shell
fragments.
1t was noted as singular. during
a withdrawing action. that Gen.
Conner was struck in the nose
and neck. This later was ex-
planned by the fact that he was
peerine backward. seeking to
learn more of how the Germans
were plotting their fire.
After the war, the general had
an interesting experience with
Gems. Pershing and Marshall. the
latter Gen. Pershing's aide.
It occurred on the Conners'
a, ,000-acre estate, Brandreth. In
New York State. which Mrs. Con-
ner's grandfather bought 100
years ago at Is cents an acre.
Gen. Pershing. being talked up
I'm mrnturfant