Terrible Terry Allen, Gerald Astor
Terrible Terry Allen, Gerald Astor
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Terrible Terry Allen
Combat General of WWII - The Life of an American Soldier

Author: Gerald Astor

Narrator: Reathel Bean

Abridged: 1 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/30/2004


Synopsis

Terry de la Mesa Allen’s mother was the daughter of a Spanish officer, and his father was a career U.S. Army officer. Despite this impressive martial heritage, success in the military seemed unlikely for Allen as he failed out of West Point—twice—ultimately gaining his commission through Catholic University’s R.O.T.C. program. In World War I, the young officer commanded an infantry battalion and distinguished himself as a fearless combat leader, personally leading patrols into no-man’s-land.

In 1940, with another world war looming, newly appointed army chief of staff Gen. George C. Marshall reached down through the ranks and, ahead of almost a thousand more senior colonels, promoted Patton, Eisenhower, Allen, and other younger officers to brigadier general.

For Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, Allen, now a two-star general, commanded the Big Red One, the First Infantry Division, spearheading the American attack against the Nazis. Despite a stellar combat record, however, Major General Allen found himself in hot water with the big brass. Allen and his troops had become notorious for their lack of discipline off the battlefield. When Seventh Army commander George Patton was pressed by his deputy Omar Bradley to replace “Terrible Terry” before the invasion of Sicily, he demurred, favoring Allen’s success in combat. At the end of the Sicily campaign, with Allen’s protector Patton out of the way (relieved for slapping a soldier), Omar Bradley fired Allen and sent him packing back to the States, seemingly in terminal disgrace.

Once again, however, George Marshall reached down and in October 1944, Terrible Terry was given command of another infantry division, the 104th Timberwolves and took it into heavy combat in Belgium. Hard fighting continued as Allen’s division spearheaded the U.S. First Army’s advance across Germany. On 26 April 1945, Terrible Terry Allen’s hard-charging Timberwolves became the first American outfit to link up with the Soviet Union’s Red Army.

Terrible Terry Allen was one of the most remarkable American soldiers of World War II or any war. Hard bitten, profane, and combative, Allen disdained the “book,” but he knew how to wage war. He was a master of strategy, tactics, weaponry, and, most importantly, soldiers in combat.

About The Author

Gerald Astor is a critically acclaimed military historian and author of such books as The Mighty Eighth, A Blood Dimmed Tide, The Right to Fight, The Greatest War, and Bloody Forest. He lives near New York City.


Reviews

Goodreads review by William on December 14, 2017

An entertaining and engrossing book on leadership and how too provide it and instill loyalty.......more

Goodreads review by Clarke on June 15, 2017

This is a great biography of one of the most distinguished divisional commanders in world war 2. Allen commanded a battalion in World War One and commanded the 1st infantry division in Tunisia and Sicily and the 104th Division in Europe. Allen flunked out of West Point, racking up a pile of demerits......more

Goodreads review by Jim on December 16, 2014

A interesting read of Major General Terry Allen, if not the best combat general of the second world war then perhaps second to George S. Patton. This story is biographical starting with his early days in Texas and follows him through the early wars including World War I. It gives a family genealogic......more

Goodreads review by Steve on July 06, 2023

I thought this was one of the better biographies I have read. It references many personal communications and looks at multiple aspects of the Generals character. A great soldier but more complex as a General.......more

Goodreads review by JerryDeanHalleck on June 08, 2023

Good objective biography of Terry Allen, one of America's best WW II Divisional commanders. If anyone in the MTO was the "GI General" it was Allen, who looked after his men and went easy on the red tape and spit and polish. The hightpoint is Astor setting the facts straight on Allen's August 1943 re......more


Quotes

“A ripsnortin’ life of an unorthodox—and barely tolerated—American general . . . Hard-drinking, hard-fighting, beloved by his troops: Allen has a fine chronicler here—fans of Band of Brothers ought to snap this up.”
Kirkus Reviews