Terry de La Mesa Allen (Major General) - Command Style

Command Style

From all reports, General Allen was not only respected but was warmly regarded by his 1st Division troops, particularly the enlisted soldiers. Like Patton, he generally placed his headquarters as far forward as possible to the front line. However, unlike the latter he did not bother greatly with his military appearance, frequently going without clean uniforms and haircuts. He was also reportedly the only American general in the European and North African theaters who preferred to sleep on the ground, rather than on a cot or in a bed. However, despite a casual attitude toward his own personal appearance, Allen did not tolerate slovenliness or incompetence in the troops under his command. Allen expected his soldiers to keep their weapons and equipment in perfect working order. He trained them constantly to keep them combat ready.

As war correspondent Ernie Pyle would later write, "Major General Terry Allen was one of my favorite people. Partly because he didn't give a damn for hell or high water; partly because he was more colorful than most; and partly because he was the only general outside the Air Forces I could call by his first name. If there was one thing in the world Allen lived and breathed for, it was to fight. He had been all shot up in the last war, and he seemed not the least averse to getting shot up again. This was no intellectual war with him. He hated Germans and Italians like vermin."

In preparing his division for its first encounter with the enemy, Allen emphasized realistic training exercises, weapons practice, and physical conditioning in the field in place of drill and military ceremony. He felt that the more time his men spent in training realistically, the better prepared they would be for combat with the German army. Allen had a distinct preference for night assaults, which he believed caused fewer casualties, and much time and effort was devoted to company- and battalion-size night movements.