October 16, 1944 – A huge and successful diversion totally fools the Germans
October 16, 2024October 18, 1944 – After two months of non-stop fighting, Phil and his men were exhausted
October 18, 2024On the morning of October 17, 1944, General Lucian K. Truscott, the commander of the VI Corps, was called to the army command post at Épinal, the capital of the Vosges Départment, to confer with General Eisenhower and General Patch about the operation.[1]
While meeting, Truscott learned he was being promoted to lead the Fifteenth Army.
Truscott wanted to retain his command of the VI Corps, but Ike said he’d decided that the Fifteenth Army needed him more, and that Major General E. H. (Ted) Brooks was already on his way to take over command.
To his credit, and coming as no surprise to his men, Truscott stayed on another week to visit his commanders and welcome General Brooks before leaving the field on October 25 for a short leave stateside.
The long trip would be his first home to visit his wife and family in more than two years.[2]
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[1] Larimore, At First Light, 155.
[2] Ibid.
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