U.S. Army World War II Corps Commanders: A Composite Biography

This study describes and assesses the common background of World
War II corps commanders from their entrance on active duty during
1904-17 through the end of World War II. My hypothesis is that these
officers developed common professional skills and abilities. Early service
with troops; education at the Command and General Staff School;
and tours as instructors, staff officers, and commanders during the
interwar years provided a career path that ably prepared most of these
officers for high-level command. However, such preparation did not in
itself enable these officers to attain their positions, and thus this paper
also examines how the U.S. Army selected corps commanders during
World War II. Finally, this paper provides a brief evaluation of those
corps commanders who were relieved and those who were promoted.