| Matthew Bunker Ridgway | |
|---|---|
| March 3, 1895 – July 26, 1993 (aged 98) | |
 |
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| Place of birth | Fort Monroe, Virginia |
| Place of death | Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1955 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | 15th Infantry Regiment (United States) 82nd Airborne Division XVIII Airborne Corps 8th US Army |
| Battles/wars | World War I{not overseas} Banana Wars World War II *Operation Overlord *Battle of the Bulge Korean War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross (2) Distinguished Service Medal (4) Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star w/ Valor Device Purple Heart Presidential Medal of Freedom |
Matthew Bunker Ridgway (March 3, 1895–July 26, 1993) was a United States Army general. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Fort Monroe (also known as Fortress Monroe) is a Hampton Virginia, military installation located at Old Point Comfort, which is on the tip of the Fox Chapel is a Borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA and is an affluent suburb of Pittsburgh located (10km northeast of The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The XVIII Airborne Corps is the Corps of the United States Army designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All For the 1974-1975 Banana war against US monopolies and Central American countries see Union of Banana Exporting Countries. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Operation Overlord was the code name for the invasion of northwest Europe during World War II by Allied forces The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 was a major German offensive launched towards the end of World War II through the forested Ardennes Mountains The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, awarded for extreme The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States of America military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration which may be awarded for bravery acts of merit or meritorious service The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. He held several major commands and was most famous for salvaging the United Nations war effort in the Korean War. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the
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Early life and career
Born in Fort Monroe, Virginia, he graduated West Point, where he served as an Army Football Manager, in 1917, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U. Fort Monroe (also known as Fortress Monroe) is a Hampton Virginia, military installation located at Old Point Comfort, which is on the tip of the The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. S. Army. After returning to West Point as an instructor in Spanish the year after he graduated, Ridgway completed the company officers' course at the United States Army Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia, after which he was given command of a company in the 15th Infantry. The United States Army Infantry School is located in Fort Benning, Georgia. Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southwest This was followed by a posting to Nicaragua, where he helped supervise free elections in 1927. Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office
In 1930, he became an advisor to the Governor General of the Philippines. The term governor general or governor-general refers to a vice-regal representative of a Monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP He graduated from the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1935 and from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania in 1937. The Command and General Staff College ( C&GSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a United States Army facility that functions as a Graduate school Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County Kansas (just north of the city of Leavenworth) in the upper northeast Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre (2 km² campus of the historic Carlisle Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern During the 1930s he served as Assistant Chief of Staff of VI Corps, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Second United States Army, and Assistant Chief of Staff of the Fourth United States Army. The VI Corps took part in some of the most high profile operations in World War II. Second United States Army was formed October 15 1918 during World War I. The Fourth United States Army was activated in 1932 The mission at that activation was to be a training army which was for defense of the Pacific coast General George Marshall was impressed with his performance and he assigned Ridgway to the War Plans Division shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe in September 1939. George Catlett Marshall Jr (December 31 1880 &ndash October 16 1959 was an American military leader Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including He served in the War Plans Division until January 1942, and was promoted to brigadier general that month.
World War II
In August 1942, Ridgway was promoted to major general and was given command of the 82nd Airborne Division, upon Omar N. Bradley's assignment to the 28th Infantry Division. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Omar Nelson Bradley KCB ( February 12, 1893 &ndash April 8, 1981) was one of the main U The 28th Infantry Division is a unit of the United States Army and is the oldest division-sized unit in the armed forces of the United States. The division was selected to become one of the army's five airborne divisions, based in no small part on Ridgway's skill as a trainer, and flexibility of thinking compared to his peers. At that time, the airborne division concept was an experiment for the US Army.
Ridgway helped plan the airborne invasion of Sicily in July 1943, and commanded the 82nd in combat there. The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. During the planning for the invasion of the Italian mainland, the 82nd was tasked with taking Rome by coup-de-main in Operation Giant II. Ridgway strongly objected to this unrealistic plan, which would have dropped the 82nd on the outskirts of Rome in the midst of two German heavy divisions. The operation was cancelled only hours before launch.
In 1944, Ridgway helped plan the airborne operations on Operation Overlord. Operation Overlord was the code name for the invasion of northwest Europe during World War II by Allied forces In the Normandy operations, he jumped with his troops, who fought for 33 days in advancing to St-Sauveur near Cherbourg (St Sauveur le Vicomte, in the middle of the Cotentin Peninsula, was liberated on June 14th 1944). Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. In September of 1944, Ridgway was given the command of the XVIII Airborne Corps and led his troops into Germany during Operation Varsity, and was wounded in the shoulder by German grenade fragments on March 24, 1945. The XVIII Airborne Corps is the Corps of the United States Army designed for rapid deployment anywhere in the world Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Operation Varsity was a joint American&ndashBritish airborne operation that took place in March 1945 towards the end of World War II. In June 1945 he was promoted to lieutenant general. Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the At war's end, Ridgway was on a plane headed for a new assignment in the Pacific theater, under General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, with whom he had served while a captain at the United States Military Academy at West Point. General of the Army is a military rank used in some countries to denote a senior military leader usually a General in command of a nation's Army. General MacArthur redirects here for other meanings see General MacArthur (disambiguation. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, West Point is a federal military reservation (and a Census-designated place) located North of the Village of Highland Falls in Orange County New York
Post World War II
He was a command at Luzon for some time in 1945, before being given command of the US forces in the Mediterranean Theater, also gaining the title of Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean. Luzon is the largest and most economically and politically important Island in the Philippines and one of the three island groups in the country with Visayas This page deals with the United States military 's Mediterranean Theater of Operations From 1946 to 1948, he served as the U. S. Army representative on the military staff committee of the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security He was given command of Caribbean Command, controlling U. S. forces in the Caribbean, in 1948, and in 1949 was assigned to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for administration under Army Chief of Staff General J. Lawton Collins. For the region see Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea (kəˈrɪbiən or /ˌkærɨˈbiːən/ is a tropical Sea in the Western Hemisphere The Chief of Staff of the United States Army ( CSA) is the highest ranking officer in the United States Army and is member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph "Lightning Joe" Lawton Collins ( 1 May 1896 &ndash 12 September 1987) was a General in the United
Korean War
Ridgway's most important command assignment occurred in 1950, upon the death of Lieutenant General Walton Walker. Walton Harris Walker ( December 3, 1889 &mdash December 23, 1950) was an American army officer and the first commander of the U Upon Walker's death, he received command of the 8th US Army, which had been deployed in South Korea upon the invasion of North Korea in June of that year. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, At the time Ridgway was serving on the Army staff in the Pentagon as deputy chief of staff for operations and administration, yet he was knowledgeable about conditions in Korea and the Far East, and had a strong and dynamic personality. Both proved invaluable for the task ahead. When Ridgway took command, the army was still in a tactical retreat, after a strong foray into North Korea had been met with an unexpected and overwhelming Communist Chinese advance. Ridgway's success in turning Eighth Army’s morale around, using little more than a magnetic personality and bold leadership, is still a model for the Army for how the power of leadership can dramatically change a situation.
Perhaps another reason he was chosen was because Ridgway was not fazed by the Olympian demeanor of General Douglas MacArthur, then overall commander of UN forces in Korea. General MacArthur redirects here for other meanings see General MacArthur (disambiguation. MacArthur in turn gave Ridgway a latitude in operations he had not given his predecessor. After Ridgway landed in Tokyo on Christmas Day 1950 to discuss the operational situation with MacArthur, the latter assured his new commander that the actions of Eighth Army were his to conduct as he saw fit. Ridgway was encouraged to retire to successive defensive positions, as was currently under way, and hold Seoul as long as he could, but not if it meant that Eighth Army would be isolated in an enclave around the city. In a foreshadowing of his aggressive nature, Ridgway asked specifically that if he found the combat situation "to my liking" whether MacArthur would have any objection to "my attacking"? MacArthur answered, "Eighth Army is yours, Matt. Do what you think best. "[1]
Upon taking control of the battered Eighth Army, one of Ridgway's first acts was to restore soldiers' confidence in themselves. To accomplish this he aggressively went about finding other leaders in Eighth Army who were not defeatist or defensive oriented, despite the hard knocks of November and December, and put them in charge. He was quick to reward commanders who shared his sentiments, and just as quick to relieve those officers at any level who did not. For example, during one of his first briefings in Korea at I Corps, Ridgway sat through an extensive discussion of various defensive plans and contingencies. At the end he asked the startled staff where their attack plans were. The corps G–3 (operations officer) responded that he had no such plans. Within days I Corps had a new G-3 and the message went out: Ridgway was interested in taking the offensive. In furtherance of this goal, he established a plan to rotate out those division commanders who had been in action for six difficult months, and replace them with fresh leaders who would be more interested in attack and less in defense. He also sent out guidance to commanders at all levels that they were to spend more time at the front lines and less in their command posts in the rear. The men had to see their commanders if they were to have confidence that they had not been forgotten. All these positive leadership steps had a dramatic effect almost from the first. Eighth Army was in Korea to stay.
Still, with the entry of China, the makeup of the Korean War had changed. Political leaders, in an attempt to prevent expansion of the war, would not allow UN forces to bomb the supply bases of the Chinese Army that were in China, nor the bridges across the Yalu river. Thus the American Army had to move from being always aggressive, to fighting protective, delaying actions until the supply lines of China had been extended enough to allow equilibrium. Under Ridgway's leadership, the Chinese offensive was slowed and finally brought to a halt at the battles of Chipyong-ni and Wonju. Jipyeong-ri is a village in Jije-myeon, Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi-do Province South Korea. He then led his troops in a subsequent counter-offensive in the spring of 1951.
When General Douglas MacArthur was relieved of command by President Harry Truman in April, Ridgway was promoted to full general, assuming command of United Nations forces in Korea. General MacArthur redirects here for other meanings see General MacArthur (disambiguation. As commanding general in Korea, Ridgway gained the nickname, "Old Iron Tits," for his habit of wearing hand grenades attached to his load-bearing equipment at chest level. {Photographs however show he only wore one grenade on one side of his chest; the so-called "grenade" on the other side was in fact a first-aid packet}.
Military historians generally credit Ridgway with leadership that helped restore the Eighth Army as an aggressive fighting force, allowing it combat the overwhelming masses of troops from the People's Republic of China to a standstill, and eventually driving them out of South Korea across the 38th parallel. Ridgway's personal example, as well as his thorough knowledge of basic military operational principles, set a leadership standard few in US Army history could match.
Chief of Staff
In May 1952, Ridgway replaced General Dwight D. Eisenhower as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR). Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe ( SHAPE) is the central command of NATO Military forces However, he upset other European military leaders by surrounding himself with American staff, and returned to the U. S. to replace General Collins as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. The Chief of Staff of the United States Army ( CSA) is the highest ranking officer in the United States Army and is member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff President Eisenhower asked for his assessment of US military involvement in Vietnam in conjunction with the French. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially In response, Ridgway prepared a comprehensive outline of the massive commitment that would be necessary, which dissuaded the President from intervening. However, the experience sorely tested the relationship Ridgway had enjoyed during World War II with Eisenhower, who wanted to intervene, and he retired from the US Army in 1955, succeeded in the Chief of Staff post by his one time 82nd Airborne Division Chief of Staff Maxwell D. Taylor. General Maxwell Davenport Taylor ( August 26, 1901 &ndash April 19, 1987) was an American Soldier and Diplomat In the opinion of a number of military historians, Ridgway's stand as Chief of Staff delayed US intervention in Vietnam for around ten years.
Retirement
Because of his disagreements with the Eisenhower administration over the policy of massive retaliation, Ridgway was forced into early retirement. Yet, he was secure in the belief he had served his nation to the best of his ability. The year after his retirement, he published his autobiography, Soldier: The Memoirs of Matthew B. Ridgway.
Ridgway's success in the military was not matched by success in his personal life. He married three times. For a while, he held the position of chairman of the board of trustees of the Mellon Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, founded in 1913 by Andrew W According to his friends and colleagues, Ridgway was never the same after his son died in a camping accident in 1971, becoming increasingly depressed and morose. On 5 May 1985 he was a key player in the controversial Ronald Reagan visit to Kolmeshöhe Cemetery near Bitburg, when former Luftwaffe ace Johannes Steinhoff in an unscheduled act firmly shook his hand in an act of reconciliation between the former foes. Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Bitburg (ˈbɪtbʊʁk is a city in Germany, capital of the district Bitburg-Prüm, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. Johannes Steinhoff ( September 15, 1913 – February 21, 1994) was a German Luftwaffe Fighter ace of
Ridgway died at his home in the Pittsburgh suburb of Fox Chapel at age 98 in March 1993 of cardiac arrest, holding permanent rank of General in the United States Army. Fox Chapel is a Borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA and is an affluent suburb of Pittsburgh located (10km northeast of He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and a street "Ridgway Court" was named after him in Pittsburgh, the avenue serves as the entrance to the Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial located in the city's education and cultural district. Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States, established during the American Civil War Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial is a National Register of Historic Places landmark in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States Oakland is the academic cultural and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest " Downtown " Also bearing his name is the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a non-sectarian coeducational independent state-related, "public" research University
Awards and decorations
General Ridgway was awarded numerous decorations, including the:
- Distinguished Service Cross with oak leaf cluster
- Distinguished Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
- Silver Star with oak leaf cluster
- Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
- Bronze Star with "V" device for valor and one oak leaf cluster
- Purple Heart
- Parachutist Badge. The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, awarded for extreme An oak leaf cluster or oakleaves is a common device which is placed on U This article concerns the United States Army Distinguished Service Medal The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration which may be awarded for bravery acts of merit or meritorious service The Valor device, also known as a combat distinguishing device, V-device, "V" device, and Combat V, is an award of the The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving The Parachutist Badge, also commonly referred to as "Jump Wings" or "Snow Cone" is a military badge of the United States Armed Forces which [1]
- In 1986, Ridgway was awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed The citation said: "Heroes come when they are needed. Great men step forward when courage seems in short supply. WWII was such a time, and there was Ridgway. "
- In 1991, he received the Congressional Gold Medal by General Colin Powell, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Not to be confused with the Medal of Honor, sometimes called the "Congressional Medal of Honor" which is the highest military decoration of the United States Colin Luther Powell, KCB (Honorary MSC, (born April 5, 1937) is a retired General in the United States Army.
- In 1996, the National Infantry Association awarded him the Order of Saint Maurice (Primicerius) and their annual Doughboy Award. Order of Saint Maurice is awarded by the National Infantry Association and the Chief of Infantry of the United States Army. Order of Saint Maurice is awarded by the National Infantry Association and the Chief of Infantry of the United States Army.
Also, he appeared on the April 30, 1951 and May 12, 1952, covers of the LIFE Magazine and the March 5, 1951, and July 16, 1951 editions of TIME Magazine. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and
Notes
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by General Douglas MacArthur |
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) Japan 1951–1952 |
Succeeded by General Mark Wayne Clark |
| Preceded by General Dwight D. Eisenhower |
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (NATO) 1952–1953 |
Succeeded by General Alfred Gruenther |
| Preceded by General J. Lawton Collins |
Chief of Staff of the United States Army 1953–1955 |
Succeeded by General Maxwell D. Taylor |
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