Thread by @18airbornecorps

1 of 10:

Let's close out Marne Birthday weekend with a thread on Lucian Truscott, the most accomplished officer to ever command the 3rd Infantry Division and one of the most celebrated Soldiers in 3ID history.

2 of 10:

Lucian's WWII legacy begins before he commanded 3ID: as a 1-star General, he formed the US Army Rangers in 1942. Lucian was actually the senior US officer involved in the momentous Dieppe, France Raid in Sept 42 that offered invaluable lessons for D Day two years later

3 of 10:

He took command of the Third Infantry Division in March, 1943 as a 2-star General. He was 48, the youngest Army Division commander at the time. He led 3ID through the invasion of Sicily under Patton's 7th Army.

4 of 10:

Lucian then led 3ID into the Italian mainland (Sep, 43) and the assault on Anzio (Jan, 44). After Anzio, Lucian was given a 3rd star and command of VI Corps, which he led into Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France in August 44.

5 of 10:

By the time Germany surrendered, Lucian had participated in more amphibious assaults (4: Morocco with the 60th Infantry Regiment, Sicily & Anzio with 3ID, and South France with VI Corps) than any American General in history. #LittleKnownFact

6 of 10:

Lucian briefly commanded 5th Army and, during the occupation of Germany, took over 3rd Army from Patton. By this time, Eisenhower rated Lucian as his second most capable combat commander (behind Patton).

7 of 10:

Lucian retired from the Army due to health concerns in 1947 and was give a 4th star in retirement.

In the 1950s he served as CIA Director Allen Dulles' Deputy CIA Director in the Eisenhower administration.

Lucian died in 1965.

8 of 10:

Lucian embraced, but did not invent, the DogFace Soldier moniker for the 3rd Infantry Division. "Dog Face Soldier" was a compliment within the American Army milieu dating back to at least 1938 and the Dog Face Soldier song was written before Lucian's time in 3ID.

9 of 10:

Nonetheless, Lucian, a hardened, fearless combat leader embodied the term. He was a true Soldier's General. Many WWII troops had stories of Lucian jumping into foxholes and walking into front-line positions to check on them.

Lucian's is the spirit of 3rd ID.

FINAL:

Unlike many of his American WWII contemporaries (Ridgway, Patton, Gavin), Lucian never promoted himself, never sought out press, and never concerned himself with his own legacy. Never flashy, always steady, Lucian stands as the consummate DogFace Soldier.