Keith, I'm glad to see another admirer of General Marshall. Yes, Marshall saved Ike's ass on at least a few occasions. I'll mention a lesser-known example of this here. I'll wind around a bit to finally get to that instance.) My father was part of Ike's General Staff in London starting in September 1942 as they planned Operation Torch, …
Keith, I'm glad to see another admirer of General Marshall. Yes, Marshall saved Ike's ass on at least a few occasions. I'll mention a lesser-known example of this here. I'll wind around a bit to finally get to that instance.) My father was part of Ike's General Staff in London starting in September 1942 as they planned Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. The planners were really rushed for time and worked round the clock, doing in two months which normally would take at least six months. Ike arrived in Algeria in late Nov. or Dec. [after the Op. Torch landing] with half of his staff to set up his HQ in Algiers. The second half of Ike's staff, which included my father, sailed from Scotland on the SS Strathallan with 5,000 British and American soldiers on Dec. 12 headed for Algeria. Also on board were American photographer Margaret Bourke-White and Ike's driver/companion Kay Summersby. After a rough crossing through the Bay of Biscay with 60 ft. waves, the ship passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and into calmer waters. It was the night before their scheduled arrival, and around 1:30-2:00 am, they were torpedoed, and the ship started going down. My father went over the side and ended up in the water clinging to a piece of flotsam and swallowing sea water and oil all night long. He lost everything on the ship and swam [naked] to the beach the next morning. Dad was in hospital for at least a week with horrendous headaches. So, he arrived at the Algiers HQ at the end of December, a few weeks before the Casablanca Conference in January. FDR and Gen. Marshall wanted Ike to come there from Algiers which he did of course.
Now, here's an item which you probably won't find in history books or at least I didn't nor was this item known by the librarian at the Eisenhower Library; and it relates to Ike being saved by Marshall. After Ike went back to Algiers and while the Casablanca Conference was still going on, Ike sent Marshall a telegram, asking him to make a stop in Algiers before returning to Washington, D.C. Ike was having a lot of problems with antagonism between British and American staff members, notably the officers. There had been some serious fights and supposedly one British officer was killed. Ike didn't know how to handle it all since he was really OJT in his command position. Marshall did stop by for a quick meeting with all the staff officers. Gen. Marshall had such presence, and he simply told the American officers that if they didn't behave properly, they'd be sent home, which meant in shame. Marshall's experience and bearing saved Ike in this case.
Ref. the Wisconsin incident, I believe Ike's ambition to be President is what led him to leave Gen. Marshall "out to dry" after Wisconsin's Senator Joe McCarthy had made allegations about Marshall leading a secret communist gathering in Washington. I've read that Ike regretted his behavior in that incident for the rest of his life. The guilt must have been horrendous--that is, to abandon the esteemed Marshall who had given Ike every opportunity to be where he was.
I better stop for now. I really get carried away on this subject. I wrote a book about my parents' journey through WWII ("Buck and Bernice: Love in the Reign of War") in which I wrote a chapter about General Marshall. I'd be happy to send you a copy of that chapter if you write me at: buckandbernice@gmail.com and request it.
Keith, I'm glad to see another admirer of General Marshall. Yes, Marshall saved Ike's ass on at least a few occasions. I'll mention a lesser-known example of this here. I'll wind around a bit to finally get to that instance.) My father was part of Ike's General Staff in London starting in September 1942 as they planned Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. The planners were really rushed for time and worked round the clock, doing in two months which normally would take at least six months. Ike arrived in Algeria in late Nov. or Dec. [after the Op. Torch landing] with half of his staff to set up his HQ in Algiers. The second half of Ike's staff, which included my father, sailed from Scotland on the SS Strathallan with 5,000 British and American soldiers on Dec. 12 headed for Algeria. Also on board were American photographer Margaret Bourke-White and Ike's driver/companion Kay Summersby. After a rough crossing through the Bay of Biscay with 60 ft. waves, the ship passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and into calmer waters. It was the night before their scheduled arrival, and around 1:30-2:00 am, they were torpedoed, and the ship started going down. My father went over the side and ended up in the water clinging to a piece of flotsam and swallowing sea water and oil all night long. He lost everything on the ship and swam [naked] to the beach the next morning. Dad was in hospital for at least a week with horrendous headaches. So, he arrived at the Algiers HQ at the end of December, a few weeks before the Casablanca Conference in January. FDR and Gen. Marshall wanted Ike to come there from Algiers which he did of course.
Now, here's an item which you probably won't find in history books or at least I didn't nor was this item known by the librarian at the Eisenhower Library; and it relates to Ike being saved by Marshall. After Ike went back to Algiers and while the Casablanca Conference was still going on, Ike sent Marshall a telegram, asking him to make a stop in Algiers before returning to Washington, D.C. Ike was having a lot of problems with antagonism between British and American staff members, notably the officers. There had been some serious fights and supposedly one British officer was killed. Ike didn't know how to handle it all since he was really OJT in his command position. Marshall did stop by for a quick meeting with all the staff officers. Gen. Marshall had such presence, and he simply told the American officers that if they didn't behave properly, they'd be sent home, which meant in shame. Marshall's experience and bearing saved Ike in this case.
Ref. the Wisconsin incident, I believe Ike's ambition to be President is what led him to leave Gen. Marshall "out to dry" after Wisconsin's Senator Joe McCarthy had made allegations about Marshall leading a secret communist gathering in Washington. I've read that Ike regretted his behavior in that incident for the rest of his life. The guilt must have been horrendous--that is, to abandon the esteemed Marshall who had given Ike every opportunity to be where he was.
I better stop for now. I really get carried away on this subject. I wrote a book about my parents' journey through WWII ("Buck and Bernice: Love in the Reign of War") in which I wrote a chapter about General Marshall. I'd be happy to send you a copy of that chapter if you write me at: buckandbernice@gmail.com and request it.