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MAJ Mark E Cooper
to remember
Corley, John Thomas (DSCwOLC, SSw7OLC), BG USA(Ret).
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Date of Passing Apr 16, 1977
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Brigadier General John T. Corley
(August 4, 1914 - April 16, 1977)
Early life
Born to Irish immigrant parents in Brooklyn, New York. He attended high school at St. Francis Preparatory High School, in Brooklyn and graduated from the class of 1932 and he is also a member of that High School's Hall of Fame. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1938, where he also was an accomplished boxer prior to his active duty service. One story states that after his graduation from West Point he was assigned to the Army Air Corps; where he then flew an airplane under the Brooklyn Bridge and was then reassigned to the infantry.
World War II
He fought in World War II with the 1st Infantry Division. As a major, he landed with the Big Red One in North Africa and two days later earned a Silver Star, America's third highest award for valor, for action in Oran, Algeria. In March 1943, during fighting at El Guettar, Tunisia, he destroyed an enemy machine gun nest, allowing his troops to take the hilltop. This action earned Corley the Distinguished Service Cross, America's second highest award for valor. In May 1943 Corley was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, just five years after graduating from West Point.
While commanding the 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in Mateur, Tunisia, Corley was wounded. He recovered and went on to fight at the front in Sicily. He landed at Normandy during D-Day and fought at the Hurtgen Forest during late 1944. He also accepted the first unconditional surrender of a German city during the war, when he accepted the surrender of Aachen by Col. Gerhard Wilck.
Corley would add 4 oak leaf clusters to his Silver Star for a total of five Silver Stars earned in WWII. After the war, Corley served in a supporting role at the Nuremberg trials. He then returned to West Point to teach as a tactical officer, followed by staff positions with the 1st Army, and graduation from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth.
Korean War
General Corley was one of 21 commanders personally requested by General Douglas Macarthur for duty in the Far East shortly after the invasion of South Korea by North Korea.
He served as battalion commander of the 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, a segregated regiment composed of black enlisted men and mostly white officers. Corley led his troops in close combat and earned an oak leaf cluster for his Distinguished Service Cross. After Korea Corley served as Chief of the Infantry Branch. Following that tour, he graduated from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania in 1954. He would later serve as director of the Infantry School's Ranger Department at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 2003.
Corley would pin on the star of a Brigadier General in July 1962. His last assignment would be as Deputy Commanding General, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He retired September 30, 1966 and died at the age of 62 on 16 April 1977.
He and his wife, Mrs. Mary Buckley Corley, would have 4 sons and 3 daughters. One son, 1LT John Thomas Corley, Jr., USMA 1967, would be killed in Vietnam. Another son made full Colonel in the Army, and a daughter would serve and retire from the Army Nurse Corps also as a Colonel.
Other Comments:
His 2nd Distinguished Service Cross Citation reads:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to John Thomas Corley (0-21325), Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commanding Officer of the 3d Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Corley distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Haman, Korea, during the period 21 through 23 August 1950. Two of Colonel Corley's companies had as their objective the key hill to the regimental sector, Battle Mountain. Company L led off the attack, gained the objective and while attempting to secure the position was driven back by a counterattack. Quickly estimating the situation, Colonel Corley moved from his forward command post under small-arms, machine-gun and mortar fire to a position about two hundred yards from the summit of Battle Mountain to reorganize Company L. He stopped the retreat and reorganized the position. The counterattack was checked, Colonel Corley stayed on this position until the enemy attack had been repelled. He called for artillery fire, but the liaison officer was unable to communicate with his guns. Colonel Corley returned to his command post and obtained communications through Regiment to the guns. He then directed fire on the right flank of Battle Mountain where the enemy was in the process of regrouping. This fire was effective. He then ordered Company L to retake Battle Mountain. Colonel Corley moved from his command post to Company L, where he coordinated small- arms, mortar, and artillery fire. When the attack of Company L was stopped, he directed Company I to move through Company L. Company I gained the approach ridge but later was forced to withdraw. Again Colonel Corley reorganized the men and placed Company I in reserve behind Company L. On 23 August 1950, the companies completed the mission of capturing Battle Mountain. The extraordinary heroism and inspirational leadership displayed by Colonel Corley reflects the highest credit upon himself and the military service.
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Normandy Campaign (1944)/Operation Overlord/D-Day Beach Landings - Operation Neptune
From Month/Year
June / 1944
To Month/Year
June / 1944
Description The Normandy landings (codenamed Operation Neptune) were the landing operations on 6 June 1944 (termed D-Day) of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The largest seaborne invasion in history, the operation began the invasion of German-occupied western Europe, led to the restoration of the French Republic, and contributed to an Allied victory in the war.
Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings. The weather on D-Day was far from ideal, but postponing would have meant a delay of at least two weeks, as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days in each month were deemed suitable. Hitler placed German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in command of German forces and of developing fortifications along the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion.
The amphibious landings were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault—the landing of 24,000 British, US, and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight. Allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France starting at 06:30. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beach. Strong winds blew the landing craft east of their intended positions, particularly at Utah and Omaha. The men landed under heavy fire from gun emplacements overlooking the beaches, and the shore was mined and covered with obstacles such as wooden stakes, metal tripods, and barbed wire, making the work of the beach clearing teams difficult and dangerous. Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs. At Gold, Juno, and Sword, several fortified towns were cleared in house-to-house fighting, and two major gun emplacements at Gold were disabled using specialised tanks.
The Allies failed to achieve all of their goals on the first day. Carentan, St. Lô, and Bayeux remained in German hands, and Caen, a major objective, was not captured until 21 July. Only two of the beaches (Juno and Gold) were linked on the first day, and all five bridgeheads were not connected until 12 June. However, the operation gained a foothold that the Allies gradually expanded over the coming months. German casualties on D-Day were around 1,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. Museums, memorials, and war cemeteries in the area host many visitors each year.
