This Deceased Army Profile is not currently maintained by any Member.
If you would like to take responsibility for researching and maintaining this Deceased profile please click
HERE
Contact Info
Last Address Chicago, ILL
Date of Passing Feb 25, 1971
Location of Interment West Point Cemetery - West Point, New York
Wall/Plot Coordinates Section V, Row C, Site 164.
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Major General Jens A. Doe (20 June 1891-25 February 1971) was an American soldier and General in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his command of the 41st Infantry Division in the South West Pacific Area during World War II.
Education and Early Life
Jens Anderson Doe was born on 20 June 1891 in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 11th Infantry on 12 June 1914. He was stationed with the 11th Infantry successively at Texas City, Texas, Naco, Arizona, and Douglas, Arizona.
Great War
Doe was promoted to first lieutenant on 1 July 1916 and captain on 15 May 1917. From May to August 1917 he was stationed with the 11th Infantry Fort Oglethorpe. He attended a machine gun training course at Fort Sill before assuming command of the 15th Machine Gun Battalion in December 1917. In April 1918, he sailed for France.
Promoted to major on 7 June 1918, Doe served as 5th Infantry Division before assuming command of the 14th Machine Gun Battalion in July. As such, he participated in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Offensive, where he was wounded. His gallantry earned him the Silver Star.
In November 1918, Doe organised and became an instructor at the Army Machine Gun School at Langres. He was an instructor at the II Corps Schools, and a student at the Artillery Center. In June 1919 he joined the 61st Infantry, returning to the United States with it in June 1919.
Interwar Years
In September 1919 he became an instructor at the Infantry School at Fort Benning. He attended the Field Officers' Course in 1921-1922, after which he was assigned to the 2nd Infantry at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, as a machine gun officer at Fort Custer, and to the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Doe attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth from 1925 to 1926 and on graduation was posted to the 15th Infantry at Tientsin, China. He did not return to the United States until 1930, when he joined the 16th Infantry at Fort Jay. He then commanded the machine gun school at Fort Dix until 1932, when he left to attend the U.S. Army War College. After nearly 18 years as a major, he was finally promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 January 1936. He was an instructor at the Command and General Staff College and Professor of Military Science and Tactics at University of California, Berkeley.
World War II
Doe joined the newly-reformed 7th Division at Fort Ord in September 1940 and assumed command of its 17th Infantry in November. He was promoted to colonel on 26 June 1941. In June 1942 he was sent to Australia to command the 163rd Infantry.
The 163rd Infantry was selected as the first regiment of the 41st Infantry Division to enter combat, at Sanananda in January 1943. For his leadership, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
This is to Certify that
The President of the United States of America
Takes Pride in Presenting
THE
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
to
Jens A. Doe
His citation read:
For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Commanding Officer of the 163d Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 21 and 22 January, near Sanananda, New Guinea. As commander of an infantry regiment which was engaged in wiping out the remaining points of enemy resistance, Colonel Doe distinguished himself with his coolness and gallantry under fire. In the reduction of these strongly fortified areas his outstanding leadership and courageous conduct were a continuous inspiration to his troops. Colonel Doe's presence in the most forward areas and his disregard of personal danger were largely responsible for the high morale of his troops and the successful outcome of these operations. Colonel Doe's inspiring leadership, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 41st Infantry Division, and the United States Army.
This action also resulted in Doe becoming Assistant Division Commander and being promoted to Brigadier General on 2 February 1943.
Doe led the Persecution Task Force that landed at Aitape, and the Tornado Task Force that landed at Wakde, both of which were built around the 163rd Infantry. For these actions he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal.
His task force was absorbed back into the 41st Infantry Division for the Battle of Biak. In this battle he earned an oak leaf cluster to the Silver Star he had won in the Great War. His citation read:
In the Southwest Pacific in June 1944, he displayed outstanding leadership and devotion to duty under Japanese machine gun, rifle and mortar fire, and in personally moving among forward assault troops. By his calm manner and courageous actions, he greatly assisted the advance.
At Biak the commander of the 41st Infantry Division, Major General Horace H. Fuller asked to be relieved of his command. Both Fuller and Eichelberger had recommended Doe for the next available divisional command, so Doe assumed command of the 41st Infantry Division and was promoted to major general on 1 August 1944. For his leadership at Biak he was also awarded an oak leaf cluster to his Distinguished Service Medal.
In February and March 1945, Doe led 41st Infantry Division at Palawan and Zamboanga, where he earned a second oak leaf cluster to his Silver Star. His citation read:
For gallantry in action at Zamboanga, Mindanao, Philippine Islands from 10 March 1945 to 23 April 1945. During this time in the capacity of division commander General Doe directed the initial assault and the consequent capture of Zamboanga. His outstanding leadership, indomitable courage and skilful tactical knowledge resulted in his division scoring a firm foothold on Mindanao Island. On many occasions without regard to his personal safety, he went forward to units engaged in heavy fighting in order to gain first hand information bout the tactical situation.
Doe also received the Air Medal for his numerous flights over Japanese held areas.
Later life
Doe remained in command of the 41st Infantry Division until it was inactivated in Japan at midnight on 31 December 1945. He returned to the United States for a brief tour of duty at the War Department before assuming command of the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Campbell on 9 August 1946. On 29 September 1946 he assumed command of 3rd Infantry Division, and the 4th Infantry Division from 15 July 1947 – 28 February 1949.
Doe was promoted to the permanent rank of major general in 1948, backdated to 6 September 1944.
He retired from the Army in February 1949.
Other Comments:
BG Jens A. Doe and his aide, 1st Lt. Rob D. Trimble, of the 41st Infantry Division, during the landing at Arare
Southern Philippines Campaign (1945)/Battle of Mindanao
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
July / 1945
Description The Battle of Mindanao was fought by United States forces and allied Filipino guerrillas against the Japanese from 10 March - 15 August 1945 at Mindanao island in the Philippine Archipelago, in a series of actions officially designated as Operation VICTOR V, and part of the campaign for the liberation of the Philippines during World War II. The battle was waged to complete the recapture of the southernmost portions of the archipelago and secure them from remaining Japanese forces.
The campaign for Mindanao posed the greatest challenge for the liberating American forces, primarily for three reasons: the island's inhospitable geography; the extended Japanese defenses; and the strength and condition of the Japanese forces, which contained the significantly remaining concentration of combat troops in the Philippines.
Like most of the Philippine Islands and other similar places the U.S. Army operated elsewhere in the Pacific, the geographical conditions of Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines, offered very little inspiration for soldiers who would have to fight there. It boasted a long and irregular coastline, the inland topography generally characterized as rugged and mountainous. Rain forests and numerous crocodile-infested rivers covered the terrain, the rest by either lake, swamp or grassland. These grassland regions—along with dense groves of abacá trees, source of hemp fiber—offer the worst obstacles which limit vision and sapping the strength of soldiers who would have to force their way through.
The few roads in Mindanao further complicated the problem of movement. Two of these, was the generously named Highway 1, which cuts across the southern portion of the island, from just south of Parang on Illana Bay in the west to Digos on the Davao Gulf in the east and then north to Davao. The other, Sayre Highway the main north-south road, starts at Kabacan, midway between Illana Bay and Davao Gulf, then runs north through the mountains of Bukidnon and Macajalar Bay (off Misamis Oriental Province) on the northern coast.
The strongest of the Japanese defenses were concentrated around the Davao Gulf area, which was heavily mined to counter an amphibious landing, and in Davao City, the island's largest and most important city. Artillery and anti-aircraft batteries extensively ringed the coastal shoreline defenses. Believing that the Americans would ultimately attack from Davao Gulf and also anticipating that they would be eventually driven from the city, the Japanese also prepared defensive bunkers inland behind its perimeter where they could retire and regroup, with the intention of prolonging the campaign as much as possible.
Operation VICTOR V
On 10 March 1945, the U.S. Eighth Army—under Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger—was formally ordered by Gen. Douglas MacArthur to clear the rest of Mindanao, with the start of Operation VICTOR V, with expectations that the campaign would take four months. Eichelberger had misgivings about the projected timetable for the operation, but nonetheless, his Eighth Army staffers came up with a more effective plan.
Instead of the expected headlong frontal assault on the Japanese defenses, the plan called for securing a beachhead at Illana Bay in the undefended west, then a drive eastward more than a 100 mi (160 km) through jungle and mountains to strike from the rear. The objective, which called for achieving surprise and pressing forward quickly and aggressively by the invading forces, deemed Eichelberger, could unhinge the Japanese both physically and psychologically. The key to the operation's success involved the beachhead performance of the landing force and the ability of the participating units to maintain the momentum of their attack, preempting Japanese reactions, and hopefully before the rainy season started which would complicate movement in the island.
Ground operations were assigned to X Corps under Maj. Gen. Franklin C. Sibert, with Maj. Gen. Roscoe B. Woodruff's 24th Infantry Division and Maj. Gen. Clarence A. Martin's 31st Infantry Division as principal combat units. Amphibious Task Group 78.2 (TG 78.2)—under Rear Adm. Albert G. Noble—was tasked to carry the 24th Division and X Corps headquarters to the assault beaches near Malabang by 17 April to secure a forward airfield. Five days later, the 31st Division was expected to be in Parang, 20 mi (32 km) south, located near Highway 1, the route to Davao.