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Reason why Patton was out of fuel Aug 1944?

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Kai-Petri, Aug 24, 2004.

  1. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    One thorn in Patton's side was the person of General John C.H. Lee, the commander of COMZ. COMZ was the supply command. With Patton in dire need of gasoline and other imperative supplies, Lee decided that the end of August was the perfect time to move his non-combatant headquarters to greener pastures. What proved to be "just the ticket" was a move to newly liberated Paris. This, of course, meant newly liberated wine, newly liberated women, and newly liberated song. During the move, Lee used hundreds of trucks, tons of supplies, and thousands of gallons of gasoline that were desperately needed by the Third Army's thirsty tanks. Eisenhower, of course and as usual, remained silent. Bradley quietly remarked, "No one can compute the cost of that move in lost truck tonnage on the front."

    http://www.pattonhq.com/unknown/chap06.html

    :confused: :confused: :confused:
     
  2. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    More info anyone?

    ---------

    devout churchman, somewhat pompus in manner - his initials gave him the nicknames "Courthouse" and "Jesus Christ Himself" - he was conspiciously loyal to his staff and subordinates as well as higher command authority, though he sometimes would oppose the Supreme Commander on principle. While in command in Italy in the postwar period, he was the subject of attacks by newspaper correspondent Robert Ruark, who accused him of living in an excessively lavish lifestyle.

    http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jchlee.htm

    ??
     
  3. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    General John C.H. Lee, the commander of COMZ. Info on him, anyone?
     
  4. Martin Bull

    Martin Bull Acting Wg. Cdr

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    All I know is that I have never read a favourable thing about this person. He seems to have been possibly the most disliked US senior officer in Europe....
     
  5. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    Reason not to end war by Xmas 1944?
     
  6. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Nor I.

    I understand the rumor was that the initials 'C. H.' stood for "Christ Himself".

    I understand Ike was not at all happy that Lee moved CommZ to Paris one week after it fell to the Allies and pretty much commandeered all of the hotel rooms.
     
  7. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    It's quite a bit more complex than that and has more to do with the convoluted American command organization than to Lee's personality, although that was a factor. Lee was originally the Commander of the Services of Supply, ETOUSA and Deputy Commander, ETOUSA, first under General Andrews, then Ike, then under General Devers, who commanded the ETOUSA. That changed when Ike resumed command of ETOUSA in December 1943, because he was concurrently appointed SCAEF, which quickly became his priority. Thus, Ike had little time to act as Commander, ETOUSA, so Lee became defacto commander, while retaining his SOS logistical responsibility. That made him technically the superior of Bradley at 1st/12th Army Group and allowed him as Commander ETOUSA to authorize himself as Commander SOS to do a few things that he probably shouldn't have done, like move the ETOUSA/SOS/COMZ HQ to Paris in September, during the transportation crisis, which made him look pretty arrogant, but also placed his command at the heart of the French communications, arguably where they needed to be to try to clear the mess, which was not his fault.

    The supply problem was a combination of things...the British suffered some as well despite better planning, but the US War Department Army Service Forces managed to shoot ETOUSA in its foot, by refusing to authorize the transportation units Lee's staff estimated were needed for the campaign.

    Lee was deeply religious, like most other Army officers of the time, and gained a reputation of being something of a prig, which is how he got the nickname. He was also an able administrator and worked well with Ike.
     
    green slime and Kai-Petri like this.
  8. ARWR

    ARWR Active Member

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    My aunt was posted to SHAEF advanced HQ in Paris at the time and later mentioned that getting decent accommodation was an issue, however she had been there in 1940 and still had contacts.
     

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