US World War Two Generals Trivia Quiz

Answer: Terry de la Mesa Allen

Loved by the men under his command "Terrible Terry" led the "Big Red One" through some tough battles in Tunisia and Sicily. Although regarded as tough and fearless in battle his law discipline of his division led to a few unpleasant encounters which finally forced Ike to dismiss Gen. Allen from command.

Answer: Clarence R. Huebner;

Huebners association with "The Big Red One" dated back to the WW I when he served with the divisions 18th Infantry Regiment from Luneville to the Meuse-Argonne offensive. He took over the divisions command in 1943 while the division was still engaged in the Sicilian campaign.

Answer: Courtney R. Hodges

As commander of 1st US Army Hodges divisions were "the first to enter Paris, the first to enter Germany, the first to cross the Rhine, and the first to make contact with the Russians." M. Boatner, p. 230. Hodges received orders to take 1st Army to Japan for the invasion shortly before VE day and set up HQ in Manila when Japan surrendered.

Answer: Lloyd R. Fredenhall

Fredenhall was considered by Ike to be a fine general before this battle but his faulty deployment of troops allowed the Germans to break through at Faid Pass and score a major victory over US troops. Subsequent to this disaster Ike sent Bradley to investigate what went wrong who then recommended that Fredenhall be relieved by Patton. Ironically, Fredenhall later was to prove a superior staff officer as he was awarded the DSM for his fine performance as head of 2nd Army HQ and of the Central defense Command.

Answer: Mark W. Clark

Clark had a long carrer in the US Army. A wounded veteran of WWI Clark went fast up the command ladder, becoming a Major-General two weeks short of his 46th birthday. Clark was to command US II Corps troops in an emergency cross Channel attack (Bolero) if Russia appeard to be on the verge of defeat but the assault was cancelled in favor of "Torch", the invasion of North Africa.

Answer: Henry H. "Hap" Arnold

Arnold became interested in flying during his service at Governor's Island when he saw Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss early airplanes. Taking flying lessons from the Wright brothers Arnold became one of the US Army's first pilots in 1911. An early advocate of airpower Arnold was instrumental in the development of the B-29 Superfortress, the B-25 Mitchell, and the B-24 Liberator.

Answer: Curtis E. LeMay

Another of the pioneers of strategic air power concept LeMay began his carrer in the USAAF as a "pursuit" plane pilot. He was transferred to AF GHQ were he began piloting the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator in record setting flights. As commander of 21st Bomb Command on Guam he directed the massive incendiary bombing of Japanese cities which eventually killed over 260,000 people, injured more than 412,000 and left 9.2 million homeless.

Answer: John P. Lucas

Proposed by Churchill as a "left hook" to turn the Gustav Line, the Anzio landing turned into a battle for survival for the Allies when Lucas failed to aggressively pursue the operation's objectives. Of the operation Churchill commented; "I had hoped that we were hurling a wildcat onto the shore but all we had got was a stranded whale."

Answer: Walter Krueger

Krueger, whose family immigrated to America from West Prussia when he was eight, was a methodical planner who conducted military operations in similar fashion to Civil War general George G. Meade or Bernard L. Montgomery

Answer: George C. Kenney

The unheralded Kenney was one of the top airmen serving the Allies during the war. His innovative tactics of using skip bombing revolutionized air tactics.