Simon
Buckner
was born in Munfordville, Kentucky, on 16th July, 1886. He attended
West
Point Military Academy and
graduated in 1908. Commissioned in the infantry he joined the USA
Air Service in
1917. However, he left the following year without seeing action in
the First World War.
Buckner
returned to West
Point and
worked in its tactical department before becoming commander of cadets
(1933-36). A strict disciplinarian, he was known to confiscate after-shave
lotions from cadets with the words: "If you're going to be a
man, you've got to smell like a man."
In July
1940 Buckner was promoted to brigadier general and sent to Alaska.
After directing the defence of the region for 15 months he was promoted
to the rank of lieutenant general and transferred to 10th Army Headquarters
in Hawaii.
In April,
1945, Buckner was given command of the invasion of Okinawa.
On the first day 60,000 troops were put ashore against little opposition
at Haguushi. The following day two airfields were captured by the
Americans. However when the soldiers reached Shuri they came under
heavy fire and suffered heavy casualties.
Reinforced
by the 3rd Amphibious Corps and the 6th Marine Division the Americans
were able to repel a ferocious counter-attack by General Mitsuru
Ushijima on 4th May. The United States Army
gradually gained control of the island but on 18th June 1945, Buckner
was mortally wounded by artillery fire while observing an attack by
the 8th Marine Regiment. Simon Buckner was the highest ranking American
field commander killed during the Second World War.
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