Re: X Corps Commander

[Ben Frank <ben.frank@tcs.wap.org>]

I have refrained from writing about Ned Almond until now, but I think 
that I would like to add to the discussion. First of all, it was a 
terrible slap in the face to FMFPac commander LtGen Lemuel C. 
Shepherd, Jr., a tested and experienced expert in amphibious assaults 
with an outstanding record for his command in the Guam and Okinawa 
landings, and for MacArthur to appoint Almond, with no such 
experience, as commander of the Inchon landing. Gen Shepherd told me 
that the only reason he didn't complain was because Almond was a 
fellow VMI alumni, but senior to him. MacArthur apologized to 
Shepherd for not putting him in command of the landing. General Brute 
Krulak told me that he was on the same command ship as Almond at the 
time of the landing and he heard Almond saying, as amphibian tractors 
passed the ship on the way in to the landing area, "I didn't know 
that those things floated." Further, I interviewed Gen O.P. Smith, CG 
of the 1st Marine Division in depth about the landing and the Chosin 
Reservoir period, and what he told me about Almond's 
unprofessionalism just appalled me. If it had been left up to Almond, 
the whole 1st MarDiv would have perished. As it was, it was bad 
enough that Almond's leadership led to the utter destruction of Task 
Force Faith on the eastern side of the reservoir. Almond is not too 
well thought of by the veterans of the early days of the Korean War, 
especially the Inchon and Chosin Reservoir periods. Quite honestly, 
he was a disaster. BMF
Benis M. Frank <ben.frank@tcs.wap.org>