Jens A . Doe Major General Jens Anderson Doe ( 20 June 1891 – 25 February 1971 ) was an American soldier and General in the first half of the 20th century . He is best known for his command of the 41st Infantry Division in the South West Pacific Area during World War II . Education and Early Life . Jens Anderson Doe was born on 20 June 1891 in Chicago , Illinois . He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 11th Infantry on 12 June 1914 . He was stationed with the 11th Infantry successively at Texas City , Texas , Naco , Arizona , and Douglas , Arizona . Great War . Doe was promoted to first lieutenant on 1 July 1916 and captain on 15 May 1917 . From May to August 1917 he was stationed with the 11th Infantry Fort Oglethorpe . He attended a machine gun training course at Fort Sill before assuming command of the 15th Machine Gun Battalion in December 1917 . In April 1918 , he sailed for France . Promoted to major on 7 June 1918 , Doe served as 5th Infantry Division before assuming command of the 14th Machine Gun Battalion in July . As such , he participated in the Battle of Saint - Mihiel and Meuse - Argonne Offensive , where he was wounded . His gallantry earned him the Silver Star . In November 1918 , Doe organised and became an instructor at the Army Machine Gun School at Langres . He was an instructor at the II Corps Schools , and a student at the Artillery Center . In June 1919 he joined the 61st Infantry , returning to the United States with it in June 1919 . Interwar Years . In September 1919 he became an instructor at the Infantry School at Fort Benning . He attended the Field Officers ' Course in 1921 - 1922 , after which he was assigned to the 2nd Infantry at Fort Sheridan , Illinois , as a machine gun officer at Fort Custer , and to the United States Military Academy at West Point . Doe attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth from 1925 to 1926 and on graduation was posted to the 15th Infantry at Tientsin , China . He did not return to the United States until 1930 , when he joined the 16th Infantry at Fort Jay . He then commanded the machine gun school at Fort Dix until 1932 , when he left to attend the U . S . Army War College . After nearly 18 years as a major , he was finally promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 January 1936 . He was an instructor at the Command and General Staff College and Professor of Military Science and Tactics at University of California , Berkeley . World War II . Doe joined the newly reformed 7th Division at Fort Ord in September 1940 and assumed command of its 17th Infantry in November . He was promoted to colonel on 26 June 1941 . In June 1942 he was sent to Australia to command the 163rd Infantry . The 163rd Infantry was selected as the first regiment of the 41st Infantry Division to enter combat , at Sanananda in January 1943 . For his leadership , he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross . His citation read : This action also resulted in Doe becoming Assistant Division Commander and being promoted to Brigadier General on 2 February 1943 . Doe led the Persecution Task Force that landed at Aitape , and the Tornado Task Force that landed at Wakde , both of which were built around the 163rd Infantry . For these actions he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal . His task force was absorbed back into the 41st Infantry Division for the Battle of Biak . In this battle he earned an oak leaf cluster to the Silver Star he had won in the Great War . His citation read : At Biak the commander of the 41st Infantry Division , Major General Horace H . Fuller asked to be relieved of his command . Both Fuller and Eichelberger had recommended Doe for the next available divisional command , so Doe assumed command of the 41st Infantry Division and was promoted to major general on 1 August 1944 . For his leadership at Biak he was also awarded an oak leaf cluster to his Distinguished Service Medal . In February and March 1945 , Doe led 41st Infantry Division at Palawan and Zamboanga , where he earned a second oak leaf cluster to his Silver Star . His citation read : Doe also received the Air Medal for his numerous flights over Japanese held areas . Later life . Doe remained in command of the 41st Infantry Division until it was inactivated in Japan at midnight on 31 December 1945 . He returned to the United States for a brief tour of duty at the War Department before assuming command of the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell on 9 August 1946 . On 29 September 1946 he assumed command of 3rd Infantry Division . Doe was promoted to the permanent rank of major general in 1948 , backdated to 6 September 1944 . He retired from the army in February 1949 and died on 25 February 1971 .