Study of the leadership in the First Infantry Division during World War II: Terry De La Mesa Allen and Clarence Ralph Huebner.

The most critical commodity on the battlefield is leadership and each war has provided the background for many leadership studies. Our Armed Forces service schools have conducted numerous of these studies in an effort to establish leadership guidelines which can be presented to military students for their own evaluation and application. Leadership is not an exact science; no two leaders are identical, nor should they be. Our service schools have recognized this and have cautioned students against copying the mannerisms of a particular leader. Each leader must preserve his own identity and capitalize on his dominant leadership characteristics. The leadership of Major Generals Terry Allen and Clarence R. Huebner in commanding the First Infantry Division during World War II is a fine example of two generals who in succession, commanded a division with great success. As leaders they were entirely different. Each capitalized on his dominant characteristics.General Allen, with his magnetic personality and his bold aggressive leadership, achieved an identification with his troops, probably unparalleled in the history of the United States Army. He had a great common touch and was literally loved by his officers and men. They emulated his aggressiveness and his independence with the result that esprit de corps in the Division was extremely high. It was the magnificent spirit of the First Division which made up for training deficiencies and lack of combat experience during the early days of the North African campaign. The First Division landed near Oran, Algeria, 8 November 1942, and drove inland to seize the city. Shortly after the Oran operation, the Division was fragmented, most of the units being attached to the British forces in North Africa. General Allen bitterly protested this action and became antagonistic toward higher headquarters; it was a feeling which he retained throughout the campaign in North Africa and later in Sicily. The First Division vas reunited in March of 1943 and made successive night attacks at .