New Boss in ETO

The Army last week announced a new commanding general for field forces in the European Theater of Operations (which does not include Mediterranean operations). His name: Major General Leonard T. Gerow (pronounced ja-roe).

Pentagon pundits offered explanations: 1) his predecessor, Major General Russell P. ("Scrappy") Hartle (new assignment unannounced), was due for relief from 18 months of duty overseas; 2) Townsend Gerow holds the confidence of Chief of Staff George Marshall, whom he followed by ten years at Virginia Military Institute.* Best guess was that Gerow's reputation earned him a job that may take him to the bridgeheads on Western Europe. He is one of the Army's top infantry tacticians.

* Other V.M.I, alumni: Lieut. General George H. Brett, head of the Caribbean Defense Com mand; Major General Thomas T. Handy, Chief of the General Staff's Operations Division; Major General William P. Upshur, Commanding Gen eral of the Marines' Department of the Pacific; four more major generals; 18 brigadiers. Lieut. General Patton started at V.M.I., finished at West Point.

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