Russell P . Hartle Major General Russell Peter Hartle ( June 26 , 1889 – November 23 , 1961 ) was a U . S . Army officer who commanded the 34th Infantry Division and V Corps in the European Theater of Operations ( ETOUSA ) during World War II . Early military career . Hartle graduated from St . John ’ s College , Annapolis , Maryland in 1910 , and received a commission as an infantry Second Lieutenant in the United States Army . Soon thereafter , he was sent to the Philippine Islands as the American military government was still attempting to stabilize the country nine years after the end of the Philippine Insurrection , yet still in turmoil due in large part to the Moro Rebellion . In 1912 , Hartle served with the 10th Infantry at Fort Douglas , Utah . From 1913 to 1916 , he served with the 20th Infantry on the US border with Mexico during the Mexican Border War . During WWI , Hartle served as a Captain in the 13th Division as it was preparing to leave for France in 1919 . After WWI , he was a professor of Military Science and Tactics at Utah Agricultural College ( now Utah State University ) . Hartle graduated from the Army Infantry School in 1924 , the Command and General Staff College in 1925 , and the Army War College in 1930 . He returned to the Philippines in 1930 , was promoted to the rank of Major , and went on to Shanghai in 1932 , as senior battalion commander of the 31st Infantry , under orders to protect American lives and property as the Japanese invaded China . In 1934 , Hartle graduated from the Naval War College , and from 1934 to 1938 , he served as a member of the War Plans Division of the War Department General Staff . Hartle was the first person to graduate from both the Army and Naval War Colleges . Promoted to the rank of Colonel , Hartle commanded the 65th Infantry Regiment in Puerto Rico from 1939 to August 1941 . His mission was to pull together American and Puerto Rican forces and prepare them to defend the Caribbean and eastern coast of the United States from any Axis aggression . In October 1940 , while serving as commander of the mobile forces of Puerto Rico , Hartle was promoted to Brigadier General . WWII . In April 1941 , war plan RAINBOW 5 was issued to counter further military assault by Germany against England . On August 5 , 1941 , Hartle was promoted to Major General and placed in command of the 34th Infantry Division while the 34th was on maneuvers in Louisiana . Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 , and the declaration of war by Germany against the United States on December 11 , 1941 , war plan MAGNET Force was activated . Pursuant to that war plan , in January 1942 , the 34th Division under Hartle ’ s command was the first U . S . division shipped overseas – to Northern Ireland to begin the ETOUSA . In the Spring of 1942 , Hartle recommended his aide - de - camp , artillery Captain William Darby , to organize and train the first modern - day American Ranger unit , the 1st Ranger Battalion . The recommendation was authorized by General George Marshall in May 1942 . On May 20 , 1942 , Hartle was designated commanding general of V Corps under Major General James E . Chaney , commanding general , U . S . Army Forces in the British Isles . Hartle continued to serve in that capacity under Lt . General Dwight D . Eisenhower from June 15 , 1942 , to October 24 , 1942 . On November 2 , 1942 , Hartle became Deputy Commander of American troops in the ETOUSA . Hartle commanded V Corps until his reassignment effective July 7 , 1943 , to Headquarters , Army Ground Forces , Washington D . C . On July 17 , 1943 , Hartle was reassigned to Camp Fannin , Texas to train replacement troops . The exact reason for the reassignment is unclear ; however , it was most likely due to General Marshall ' s dissatisfaction with Hartle as a potential battlefield commander . Marshall was believed to keep a " little black book " containing the names of key officers he deemed worthy of battlefield command . It is possible that Hartle just did not make it into the book . Major General Hartle retired from the Army with a physical disability on June 30 , 1946 , while living in Tyler , Texas . Post military . Upon his retirement from the military , Hartle returned to Washington County , Maryland . On December 14 , 1945 at the Scottish Rite Temple , in Wichita , Kansas , Hartle was awarded his 33rd Degree Rank of Freemasonry . In 1950 , Hartle made an unsuccessful run as a Democrat to become Congressman for the 6th Congressional District of Maryland . He died November 23 , 1961 in Bethesday , Maryland , and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery , Hagerstown , Maryland .