World War II Honoree

Roderick Random Allen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Palestine, Texas

Honored By

Lee E. Huff

DURING WWII HE COMMANDED VARIOUS ARMORED UNITS. IN JULY 1940 HE WAS OPERATIONS OFFICER, FIRST ARMORED REGIMENT, FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY. IN APRIL HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE THIRD ARMORED DIVISION, CAMP BEAUREGARD, LOUISIANA. HE WAS PROMOTED TO COLONEL, ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, ON OCTOBER 14, 1941, AND TOOK COMMAND OF THE THIRTY-SECOND ARMORED REGIMENT. HE BECAME CHIEF OF STAFF, SIXTH ARMORED DIVISION, IN JANUARY 1942 AND WAS PROMOTED TO BRIGADIER GENERAL, ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, ON MAY 23. HE COMMANDED COMBAT COMMAND A, FOURTH ARMORED, AND PARTICIPATED IN MANEUVERS IN TENNESSEE (1942) AND CALIFORNIA (1942-1943). FROM OCTOBER 1943 TO SEPTEMBER 1944 HE COMMANDED THE TWENTIETH ARMORED DIVISION AT CAMP CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY. HE WAS PROMOTED TO MAJOR GENERAL, ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, ON FEBRUARY 23, 1944. HE COMMANDED THE TWELFTH ARMORED DIVISION IN EUROPE FROM SEPTEMBER 1944 TO AUGUST 1945. THE DIVISION WAS ATTACHED TO THE UNITED STATES SEVENTH ARMY (IN FRANCE), DETACHED TO THE FIRST FRENCH ARMY, THEN TO THE THIRD ARMY TO SPEARHEAD THE TWENTIETH CORPS DRIVE FROM TRIER TO THE RHINE. HIS DIVISION ACCOMPANIED THE TWENTY-FIRST CORPS INTO AUSTRIA. FROM AUGUST 1945 TO FEBRUARY 1946 HE COMMANDED THE FIRST ARMORED IN GERMANY, THEN WAS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, PLANS, AND TRAINING AT EUROPEAN THEATER HEADQUARTERS.