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MAJ Mark E Cooper
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Boudinot, Truman Everett, MG.
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Contact Info
Home Town Hamilton
Date of Passing Dec 11, 1945
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Brigadier General Truman Everett Boudinot Born September 2, 1895 in Hamilton, Iowa Died December 11, 1945
Second Lieutenant 1917 First Lieutenant 1917 Captain (Temporary) 1918 Captain 1920 Major 1935 Lieutenant Colonel 1940 Colonel (Aus) 1941 Brigadier General (AUS) 1944 Major General 1945 (Posthumous)
Served with 8th Cavalry Regiment 1917-19 Student, Cavalry School 1919-20 Served with Army Air Service 1922-23 Served with Signal Corps 1923-27 Served in the Philippines 1925-27 Student, Infantry School 1927-28 Student, Command & General Staff School 1936-37 Served with 13th Cavalry Regiment 1937-40 Plans & Training Officer, AFRTC, Ft. Knox 1940-42 Commanding Officer, 32nd Armored Regiment 1942-44 Commander, Combat Command "B", 3rd Armored Division 1944-45 Commanding General, 7th Armored Division 1945
Other Comments:
BRIGADIER GENERAL
TRUMAN E. BOUDINOT
Commanding
Combat Command "B"
Brigadier General Truman Everett Boudinot, leader of Combat Command "B" in action from Normandy to the River Elbe, was famed for his firecracker temperament and competitive drive. He was a commander who knew the capabilities of both armor and infantry, having studied both throughout a long army career.
General Boudinot joined the 3rd Armored Division in March, 1942, as commanding officer of the 32nd Armored Regiment. He remained with the regiment from that time until July 15, 1944, when he assumed command of CC "B" during the pre-breakthrough phase of the Normandy fighting.
At the head of CC "B", General Boudinot planned and helped to accomplish the great breakthrough, the pursuit across France, and the storming of the Siegfried Line. He commanded the first allied units to cross Germany's border in force, on September 12, 1944, and the first to take a German town, Roetgen, since the days of Napoleon. Later, in the furious Ardennes struggle, his Combat Command "B" inflicted one of the first serious setbacks to von Rundstedf's winter offensive when, at La Gleize, Belgium, it teamed with elements of the 30th Infantry Division to cut up much of the 1st SS LEIBSTANDARDE ADOLF HITLER Panzer Division. In the subsequent return to the Rhineland area, General Boudinot entered Cologne with forward elements of the division. And, during the final drive, it was CC "B" which liberated the death camp slaves at Nordhausen after sharing in the magnificent Ruhr encirclement. His troops went on without rest to Dessau, Germany, and had thrown a bridgehead across the Mulde River when army orders halted forward action at that point.
General Boudinot was studying civil engineering at the University of California when America became involved in the first World War. He was given a direct commission and saw action with the 8th Cavalry in Mexico.
Although the general has always been a horseman, he early realized the capabilities of armored force and the value of an integrated command. In 1928 he was graduated from the Advance Infantry Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. He served with the air forces and is noted as an army free balloon racer. At Fort Sam Houston, Texas, while with the Signal Corps, he built the first meteorological station at Kelley Field.
After tours of duty at various American and territorial posts, the general went to Fort Knox, Kentucky, with the 13th Cavalry in 1937. Here he grew up with the armored force and had much to do with the development of this new and potent arm of service. Because of his intimate knowledge of' tanks, the general was made plans and training officer of the AFRTC, at Fort Knox, on December 20, 1940. His know-how preceded tank victories on the western front of 1944-45.
The general led his old 32nd Armored Regiment at Villiers Fossard, Normandy, in June, 1944, but was soon given command of the powerful assault force which he led to many victories throughout the five campaigns in western Europe.
General Boudinot's decorations include the Mexican Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, Silver Star with three clusters, Bronze Star, Air Medal, the French Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre with palm. He also wears the Distinguished Unit Citation.
Mexican Service Campaign (1911-1919)
From Month/Year
April / 1911
To Month/Year
June / 1919
Description The Mexican Service Medal is an award of the United States military which was established by General Orders of the United States War Department on December 12, 1917. The Mexican Service Medal recognizes those service members who performed military service against Mexican forces between the dates of April 12, 1911 and June 16, 1919.
To be awarded the Mexican Service Medal, a service member was required to perform military duty during the time period of eligibility and in one of the following military engagements.
Veracruz Expedition: April 21 to November 23, 1914
Punitive Expedition into Mexico: March 14, 1916 to February 7, 1917
Buena Vista, Mexico: December 1, 1917
San Bernardino Canyon, Mexico: December 26, 1917
La Grulla, Texas: January 8 – January 9, 1918
Pilares, Chihuahua: March 28, 1918
Nogales, Arizona: November 1–26, 1915, or August 27, 1918
El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua: June 15 – June 16, 1919
The United States Navy issued the Mexican Service Medal to members of the Navy and Marines who participated in any of the above actions, as well as to service members who served aboard U.S. naval vessels patrolling Mexican waters between April 21 and November 26, 1914, or between March 14, 1916, and February 7, 1917.
The Mexican Service Medal was also awarded to any service member who was wounded or killed while participating in action any against hostile Mexican forces between April 12, 1911 and February 7, 1917.
Although a single decoration, both the Army and Navy issued two different versions of the Mexican Service Medal. The Army Mexican Service Medal displayed an engraving of a yucca plant, while the Navy version depicts the San Juan de Ulúa fortress in Veracruz harbor. Both medals displayed the annotation "1911 - 1917" on the bottom of the medal.
The Mexican Service Medal was a one time decoration and there were no service stars authorized for those who had participated in multiple engagements. For those Army members who had been cited for gallantry in combat, the Citation Star was authorized as a device to the Mexican Service Medal. There were no devices authorized for the Navy's version of the decoration.
A similar decoration, known as the Mexican Border Service Medal also existed for those who had performed support duty to Mexican combat expeditions from within the United States.
