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John W. O'Daniel
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John W. O'Daniel
Lieutenant General John Wilson O'Daniel (February 15, 1894 – March 27, 1975), nicknamed "Iron Mike", was a senior United States Army officer who served in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He is perhaps best known for serving with the 3rd Infantry Division in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Southern France during World War II. He was the commanding general (CG) of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in the U.S. Army during World War II.
O'Daniel was an athlete, a teacher, a diplomat, and a lifetime military professional. He was short of stature (five foot six inches), an outspoken, doughty, gravel-voiced, combat leader of men through three major wars (World War I, World War II and the Korean War) spanning a forty-year military career. His motto was, "sharpen your bayonet". In his memoirs, General Dwight D. Eisenhower called him "one of our outstanding combat soldiers". The press likened him to General George S. Patton Jr. for his strong personal opinions and his fearless demeanor, as well as his dash and daring in moving the 3rd Infantry Division across the European Theater of Operations (ETO).
John Wilson O'Daniel was born in Newark, Delaware on February 15, 1894. He graduated from high school at Oxford, Pennsylvania in 1912 and attended Delaware College in Newark, Delaware (now known as the University of Delaware), where he played varsity football and received the nickname "Mike". He enlisted in the Delaware National Guard in 1913 with Company E, 1st Delaware Infantry. On July 19, 1916, he was mobilized, and served as a corporal and sergeant with the First Infantry at the Mexico border in Deming, New Mexico. He was honorably discharged from service on his 23rd birthday, February 15, 1917.
After graduation from Delaware College in 1917, the same year the United States entered World War I, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Infantry Branch of the United States Army Reserve on August 15 at Reserve Officers Training Camp at Fort Myer, Virginia. He received his regular commission on October 26 and was assigned to the 11th Infantry Regiment, part of the 5th Division, at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. O'Daniel was assigned to command a platoon in K Company of the regiment. His company commander, First Lieutenant Mark W. Clark, would go on to become a great friend and would be destined to play a large part in the newly commissioned O'Daniel's future military career.
In May 1918 he was, together with the rest of his battalion and division, shipped out to the Western Front to reinforce the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), commanded by General John J. Pershing, for the remainder of the war and many months afterward. He took over command of the K Company when Clark, now a captain, was promoted to command the battalion, only to be wounded soon after. O'Daniel participated in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, where he was badly wounded on September 12, 1918, the first day of the battle. Testifying to his endurance and aggressiveness in battle was his nickname, "Iron Mike", awarded by his peers, said to be a result of his actions at Saint-Mihiel, where he fought for twelve hours, even though he was hit in the face by a German machine gun bullet and severely wounded. It was for this action that he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the nation's second highest award for valor, for his actions, as well as the Purple Heart. The citation for his DSC reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) John Wilson O'Daniel (ASN: 0-7342), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Division, A.E.F., near Bois-St. Claude, in the St. Mihiel salient, 12 September 1918. After being severely wounded in the head early in the action Lieutenant O'Daniel continued in command of his platoon, leading his men for several hours until forced to give in to complete physical exhaustion, thus displaying most exceptional courage, determination, and devotion to duty.
He recovered shortly afterward and went on to participate in what was, and still is, the largest battle in the history of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Meuse–Argonne offensive.
After the war ended, on November 11, 1918 at 11:00am, he returned with the regiment to the United States in September 1919 and was later transferred to the 25th Infantry Regiment at Camp Stephen D. Little at Nogales, Arizona.
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John W. O'Daniel
Lieutenant General John Wilson O'Daniel (February 15, 1894 – March 27, 1975), nicknamed "Iron Mike", was a senior United States Army officer who served in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. He is perhaps best known for serving with the 3rd Infantry Division in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Southern France during World War II. He was the commanding general (CG) of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in the U.S. Army during World War II.
O'Daniel was an athlete, a teacher, a diplomat, and a lifetime military professional. He was short of stature (five foot six inches), an outspoken, doughty, gravel-voiced, combat leader of men through three major wars (World War I, World War II and the Korean War) spanning a forty-year military career. His motto was, "sharpen your bayonet". In his memoirs, General Dwight D. Eisenhower called him "one of our outstanding combat soldiers". The press likened him to General George S. Patton Jr. for his strong personal opinions and his fearless demeanor, as well as his dash and daring in moving the 3rd Infantry Division across the European Theater of Operations (ETO).
John Wilson O'Daniel was born in Newark, Delaware on February 15, 1894. He graduated from high school at Oxford, Pennsylvania in 1912 and attended Delaware College in Newark, Delaware (now known as the University of Delaware), where he played varsity football and received the nickname "Mike". He enlisted in the Delaware National Guard in 1913 with Company E, 1st Delaware Infantry. On July 19, 1916, he was mobilized, and served as a corporal and sergeant with the First Infantry at the Mexico border in Deming, New Mexico. He was honorably discharged from service on his 23rd birthday, February 15, 1917.
After graduation from Delaware College in 1917, the same year the United States entered World War I, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Infantry Branch of the United States Army Reserve on August 15 at Reserve Officers Training Camp at Fort Myer, Virginia. He received his regular commission on October 26 and was assigned to the 11th Infantry Regiment, part of the 5th Division, at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. O'Daniel was assigned to command a platoon in K Company of the regiment. His company commander, First Lieutenant Mark W. Clark, would go on to become a great friend and would be destined to play a large part in the newly commissioned O'Daniel's future military career.
In May 1918 he was, together with the rest of his battalion and division, shipped out to the Western Front to reinforce the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF), commanded by General John J. Pershing, for the remainder of the war and many months afterward. He took over command of the K Company when Clark, now a captain, was promoted to command the battalion, only to be wounded soon after. O'Daniel participated in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, where he was badly wounded on September 12, 1918, the first day of the battle. Testifying to his endurance and aggressiveness in battle was his nickname, "Iron Mike", awarded by his peers, said to be a result of his actions at Saint-Mihiel, where he fought for twelve hours, even though he was hit in the face by a German machine gun bullet and severely wounded. It was for this action that he was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), the nation's second highest award for valor, for his actions, as well as the Purple Heart. The citation for his DSC reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) John Wilson O'Daniel (ASN: 0-7342), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 11th Infantry Regiment, 5th Division, A.E.F., near Bois-St. Claude, in the St. Mihiel salient, 12 September 1918. After being severely wounded in the head early in the action Lieutenant O'Daniel continued in command of his platoon, leading his men for several hours until forced to give in to complete physical exhaustion, thus displaying most exceptional courage, determination, and devotion to duty.
He recovered shortly afterward and went on to participate in what was, and still is, the largest battle in the history of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Meuse–Argonne offensive.
After the war ended, on November 11, 1918 at 11:00am, he returned with the regiment to the United States in September 1919 and was later transferred to the 25th Infantry Regiment at Camp Stephen D. Little at Nogales, Arizona.
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