Edward H. Brooks
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Edward Hale Brooks (April 25, 1893 – October 10, 1978) was a decorated officer in the United States Army and a veteran of World War I, World War II and the Korean Conflict. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for valor as a young officer in World War I and commanded the 2nd Armored Division "Hell on Wheels" during the breakout from Normandy following D-Day in World War II.
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[edit] Early Life and Education
Brooks was born on 25 April 1893 in Concord, New Hampshire. His father, Edward Waite Brooks, was a salesman. His mother was the former Mary Frances Hale. Ted Brooks had three sisters, Harriet, Gretchen and Alice Brooks. Both Gretchen and Alice died in their infancy. He was graduated from Concord High School, after which he attended Norwich University (The Military College of Vermont) in Northfield, Vermont, graduating in 1916 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. He later also received a Master of Science degree from Norwich University and an honorary doctoral degree in Military Science from Pennsylvania Military College.
[edit] World War I and the Distinguished Service Cross
Brooks began his military career in June 1915 as a Captain with the 1st Cavalry of the Vermont National Guard. During World War I, he served with the 3rd Division in five major engagements. He was first a Battery Commander in the 76th Field Artillery and later Assistant G-3 of the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade. During the Meuse-Argonne Campaign, he earned a Distinguished Service Cross when he "... exposed himself to heavy and accurate artillery fire directed on an ammunition train while driving a loaded ammunition truck to safety, the driver of which had been killed by enemy fire."
[edit] Between the Wars
Capt. Brooks was in the Army of the Occupation in Europe until August 1919. On his return to the United States, Capt. Brooks was a member of the 3rd Division football team. In 1921, at the American Legion Convention in Kansas City, he captained the Army team that defeated Great Lakes Naval Training Station 20-6. Capt. Brooks served as a Gunnery instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from 1922 to 1926, then was in the Philippines for two years where he had command of Battery D of the 24th Field Artillery, a pack mule outfit. He was then transferred to Fort Riley, Kansas, serving there from 1928 to 1932. At Fort Riley his artillery battery, a horse drawn outfit, was the first to complete a 100 mile forced march in less than 24 hours. From 1932 to 1934 Brooks attended Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, then went to Harvard University as ROTC instructor from 1934 to 1936. He attended War College from 1936 to 1937 and was then detailed as an instructor in the attack section of the Command and General Staff School.
[edit] Preparing for World War II
Gen. Brooks was chief of the statistics branch of the War Department General Staff from 1939 to 1941, where he was closely associated with General George C. Marshall and Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson. By this time he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In September 1941, General Jacob L. Devers requested that Brooks be named to the staff of the new armored force being formed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. With this came promotion to Brigadier General. Consequently, he never held the rank of Colonel (O-6). In 1942 he was promoted once again to Major General. In this capacity he played a major role in the development of the M-7 self-propelled artillery piece and the M-8 assault gun, both potent forces in armored tactics.
[edit] World War II
From 1942 until 1944 Brooks established and was commander of the 11th Armored Division, preparing them for the impending invasion of continental Europe. In March 1944 he was sent to England to take command of the 2nd Armored Division ("Hell on Wheels") and led that elite unit into battle at Normandy on 9 June 1944. The division was prominent in the break-through at St. Lo, crossed the Rhine, and was said to be the first Allied division to enter Belgium. General Brooks contributed, in particular, his skills in artillery coordination to the division. Brooks was awarded a Silver Star for repeatedly attacking enemy positions along his line and for the rapid commitment of his division against the enemy. He was cited for in particular for "personal gallantry and leadership", sometimes personally manning machine guns along with other senior officers. Later in the war he rose to the command of the VI Corps and its nearly 150,000 men. Accepting the surrender of the German 19th Army during this time (two days before V-E day) was what he considered to be one of his greatest achievements.
[edit] Personal Tragedy
In 1946, General Brooks' son, Maj. Edward Hale Brooks, Jr. (USMA Jan 1943), died in an airplane crash in Germany while piloting a bomber back to the United States.
[edit] After World War II
In 1949 Gen. Brooks was promoted to Lieutenant General when he was named Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel (G-1). He then served as commanding general of the U.S. Second Army at Fort Meade, Maryland from 1951 until he retired from active service in 1953.
[edit] Civilian Life
Ted Brooks spent the rest of his years in Concord and Melvin Village, New Hampshire.
[edit] Eulogy Excerpt
(The following paragraph is an excerpt from his eulogy as written and presented by Gen. Charles D. Palmer.) "He was an exceptional and courageous leader who inspired confidence, demanded much of his subordinates but gave more of himself, was very strict but fair, never sought personal power and glory. He pushed forward deserving subordinates, but never pushed forward himself, was very modest and very human. Subordinates sometimes referred to him as a "lucky general" not meaning that he himself was lucky but that he was lucky for them - such was their confidence that he and they would succeed."
[edit] Notes
General Brooks was known as "Standing Eddie" for his unusual habit of standing up in his jeep as he reviewed the troops so he could better see them. He had a special railing welded into his jeep to hold onto for this purpose. An example of his legendary fairness is the story of his hiking 20 miles himself in full pack in order to set a reasonable time in which to expect his troops to complete it.
