Background
Robert Lawrence Eichelberger was born at Urbana, Ohio on 9 March 1886, the youngest of five children of George Maley Eichelberger, a farmer and lawyer, and Emma Ring Eichelberger.
Robert Lawrence Eichelberger was born at Urbana, Ohio on 9 March 1886, the youngest of five children of George Maley Eichelberger, a farmer and lawyer, and Emma Ring Eichelberger.
He graduated from Urbana High School in 1903, and entered Ohio State University, where he joined Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
When Graves left Washington in July 18 to command a division, Eichelberger went along as his operations officer (G3). When Graves led the American expeditionary force to Vladivostok in Sep 18, Eichelberger was his G3 and G2. In the confused political and military situation in Siberia, where the AEF was supposed to help some 70,000 Czech soldiers who were trying to escape the Bolshevik revolution, Lt Col (T) Eichelberger won the DSC and DSM for action in the Suchan District around Novitskaya on 2 July 1919. (CB 43.) He also got a liberal, grass roots education in international relations and a valuable insight into the superior discipline and tactical training of the Japanese soldier.
I Eichelberger’s subsequent inter-war service was primarily in intelligence and the Adjutant General’s Dept, culminating with a tour in the SGS office in Washington, 3 Jul 35-9 Nov 1938. On the fast track for high wartime rank, he commanded a regiment, was promoted to brigadier general in the fall of 1940, awarded his second star the next year, and was superintendent at West Point from 18 Nov 40 to 11 Jan 1942.
Shortly after the US went to war he took over the newly activated 77th Div in March. On 22 Jun 1942 he became commander of the 1st Corps Hq. With CofS, Brig Gen Clovis E. Byers and other staff officers he reached Australia at the end of Aug 42 and established himself on eastern seaboard city of Rockhampton. Eichelberger was assigned the 32d and 41st Divs on 5 Sep 1942 and given his third star on 15 Oct 1942. The next month he was training the 41 st Div in Australia when the Allied effort in New Guinea became desperate. The Japanese had occupied Buna on 22 July, and Horil had driven along the Kokoda Trail to threaten Port Moresby. Green American troops and officers of the 32d US Inf Div, getting their baptism of fire in some of the world’s worst jungle terrain, were performing poorly.
Furious about Australians having to take over operations, Mac- Arthur ordered Eichelberger to New Guinea and gave him a simple order to “take Buna, or not come back alive”.
Eichelberger flew to Dobodura on I Dec 1942 and took charge of the American sector. This included Buna village and mission (the objective of Urbana force) and an airstrip about two miles to the SE (the objective of Warren force). As so often happens in such turnover situations but cannot be appreciated at the time, the tide of battle was turning: the beseiged Japanese were being weakened by starvation and disease as the Allied logistical situation improved and green US troops were maturing. But the capable and aggressive Eichelberger promptly replaced the 32d Div commander, Maj Gen Edwin F. Harding, and the two task force commanders. By 1 Jan 1943 the 32d Div had taken all its objectives and driven the Japanese into a small beachhead. The 7th Aus Div, to the west, was closing in on the Sanananda area. On 13 Jan Eichelberger replaced the Australian general Edmund F. Herring as commander of the Advance New Guinea Force, which comprised all AIF and US troops on the Buna-Gona front in Papua. Japanese resistance ended 22 Jan 1943, “the first victory of the war against Japan on land”.
Eichelberger’s 1st Corps was assigned to the 6th Army when it was established on 16 Feb 1943 under Walter Krueger. After the continuing campaigns in New Guinea, New Britain, the Admiralties, Biak, Numfoor, and Morotai, Eichelberger was ordered in May 44 to plan the Hollandia invasion, which started 4 Sep 1944.
He then moved up to head the 8th Army for four years beginning 7 Sep 1944, leading it in the reconquest of the Philippines and as commander of Allied Occupation Forces in Japan until 3 Sep 1948. Not again promoted during the war, he retired as the senior of the army’s 22 lieutenant generals. He was promoted in 1954 to full general and died 26 Sep 1961 at Asheville, NC.
