Leadership in the Face of Battle
Omaha Beach, July 2014
As part of our journey in Normandy, each of us completed research on a particular topic that we would then present to the group. My topic was about the importance of leadership, and I presented at Omaha Beach where Leroy Jacobson led his men and was killed.
As hard as the army tries, it simply cannot predict just how men will act when they experience battle for the first time. Equally important, amphibious operations must be fluid in order to succeed, which Eisenhower knew. He also knew his men had to be flexible as circumstances changed and plans adapted. All of this requires great leadership to ensure the soldiers respect and trust.
Eisenhower created cohesive units that would encourage leaders to emerge by implementing an intense training schedule, during which units trained together for almost two years. The 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the 82nd airborne in particular became as close as, if not closer than, family. This time together also allowed the men to build trust not only with each other, but with their leaders, which would prove to be of utmost importance during the assault. Finally, this period allowed the Brigade and Division commanders to weed out unfit leaders.
Eisenhower also fostered the growth of great leaders by having seasoned units lead by example. The 1st Infantry Division, which fought on Omaha Beach, best exemplifies this. F Company, for example, of the 16th Infantry Regiment, had only 11 enlisted men and no officers by the end of June 6, but carried on nonetheless. E Company, of which Jacobson was a part, continued and destroyed enemy strongpoints like WN62 despite having lost radio communication and having their weapons jammed with sand.
Secondly, Eisenhower ensured, to his maximum possible capacity, that his leaders would be able to adapt as situations changed and plans went awry. Fortunately, he acknowledged that no plan survives the first of battle. That leaders need to be fearless enough to make quick decisions in crucial times, and they need to utilize in themselves the confidence Eisenhower saw in them. Pre-invasion training paid off on D-day in many ways:
The first is LT Commander Ramsey of the USS McCook. Despite his orders, he ordered his destroyer to advance within 200m of Omaha Beach, turn parallel to it, and engage the German defenses. This one instance of initiative inspired other destroyers to follow suit, which historians credit as an integral component of the 1st ID and 29th ID being able to take the cliffs.
The second example is General Roosevelt's heroic actions on Utah Beach. Son of a President, the general did not need to be there, yet he was. When it was clear his forces had landed in the wrong spot, he did not call back to General Bradley in the USS Augusta. Instead General Roosevelt altered his plan unlike Lt. Col. Has von Luck of the 21st Panzer who saw the invasion, but did not act until given orders. Because the Germans did not permit combat leadership, commanders, even General von Rundstedt, did not have the authority to react to unexpected situations.
Omaha Beach, July 2014
As part of our journey in Normandy, each of us completed research on a particular topic that we would then present to the group. My topic was about the importance of leadership, and I presented at Omaha Beach where Leroy Jacobson led his men and was killed.
As hard as the army tries, it simply cannot predict just how men will act when they experience battle for the first time. Equally important, amphibious operations must be fluid in order to succeed, which Eisenhower knew. He also knew his men had to be flexible as circumstances changed and plans adapted. All of this requires great leadership to ensure the soldiers respect and trust.
Eisenhower created cohesive units that would encourage leaders to emerge by implementing an intense training schedule, during which units trained together for almost two years. The 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment of the 82nd airborne in particular became as close as, if not closer than, family. This time together also allowed the men to build trust not only with each other, but with their leaders, which would prove to be of utmost importance during the assault. Finally, this period allowed the Brigade and Division commanders to weed out unfit leaders.
Eisenhower also fostered the growth of great leaders by having seasoned units lead by example. The 1st Infantry Division, which fought on Omaha Beach, best exemplifies this. F Company, for example, of the 16th Infantry Regiment, had only 11 enlisted men and no officers by the end of June 6, but carried on nonetheless. E Company, of which Jacobson was a part, continued and destroyed enemy strongpoints like WN62 despite having lost radio communication and having their weapons jammed with sand.
Secondly, Eisenhower ensured, to his maximum possible capacity, that his leaders would be able to adapt as situations changed and plans went awry. Fortunately, he acknowledged that no plan survives the first of battle. That leaders need to be fearless enough to make quick decisions in crucial times, and they need to utilize in themselves the confidence Eisenhower saw in them. Pre-invasion training paid off on D-day in many ways:
The first is LT Commander Ramsey of the USS McCook. Despite his orders, he ordered his destroyer to advance within 200m of Omaha Beach, turn parallel to it, and engage the German defenses. This one instance of initiative inspired other destroyers to follow suit, which historians credit as an integral component of the 1st ID and 29th ID being able to take the cliffs.
The second example is General Roosevelt's heroic actions on Utah Beach. Son of a President, the general did not need to be there, yet he was. When it was clear his forces had landed in the wrong spot, he did not call back to General Bradley in the USS Augusta. Instead General Roosevelt altered his plan unlike Lt. Col. Has von Luck of the 21st Panzer who saw the invasion, but did not act until given orders. Because the Germans did not permit combat leadership, commanders, even General von Rundstedt, did not have the authority to react to unexpected situations.