Existing comment:
Adna Romanza Chaffee Jr. Commissioned a Cavalry Lieutenant, his first tour of duty was with the 15th Cavalry as part of the Army of Cuban Pacification. Later, he served with the 7th Cavalry in the Philippines (1914-1915). He was Senior Cavalry Instructor in the Tactical Department at West Point (1916-1917). After World War I, he served in various capacities, including the War Department's General Staff (1927-1931) where he worked on developing mechanized and armored forces for the Army. Chaffee left the General Staff in 1931 to serve as the Executive Officer of the newly formed 1st Cavalry (Mechanized) at Fort Knox. Later, he returned to Fort Knox in 1938 to assume command of the 1st Cavalry (Mech). He was promoted to Brigadier General in November 1938 and given the command of the 7th Mechanized Brigade. He led the embryonic unit through crucial maneuvers conducted in Plattsburgh and Louisiana (1939-1940). The Louisiana Maneuvers in particular are noteworthy for the impact they had on developing U.S. mechanized doctrine.
In June 1940, Brigadier General Chaffee was appointed the Commander of the Armored Force, responsible for integrating all branches of the Army into mechanized warfare As such he played a major role in the development and fielding of the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions. Promoted to Major General in October 1940, he was given command of the I Armored Corps. Unfortunately, he died of cancer in August 1941 before many of the major armored battles of World War II that changed the face of modern warfare forever.
He is the first chief of the armored force in the United States. |