World War II Honoree

Robert L. Eichelberger

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Asheville, North Carolina

Honored By

W. S. Stegall

LIEUTENANT GENERAL OF 'I' CORPS IN THE SOUTH WEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. BECAUSE OF ALLIED OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTIES AGAINST SEASONED JAPANESE DEFENDERS, ORDERED NOVEMBER 29, 1942 TO PAPUA NEW GUINEA, TAKING OVERALL COMMAND DECEMBER 1ST. COMMANDING BOTH AMERICAN AND AUSTRALIAN FORCES OVERCAME DIFFICULT TERRAIN DEFEATING ITS JAPANESE STRONGHOLDS, DECEMBER 31, 1942. HIS TWO AMERICAN TASK FORCES MADE CONTACT AND JANUARY 3, 1943 CAPTURED BUNA VILLAGE. LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN THE PROGRESS OF HIS TROOPS ON THE FRONT LINES. IN 1944, HELPED INITIATE VICTORIES AT HOLLANDIA AND BIAK ISLAND IN THE WESTERN DUTCH NEW GUINEA OFFENSIVES. RELIEVING THE U.S. SIXTH ARMY, HIS U.S. EIGHTH ARMY MOVED INTO THE LEYTE-SAMAR AREA DECEMBER 25, 1944 CLEARING LEYTE BY MAY 1945. CONDUCTED SUCCESSFUL ASSAULT ONTO NASUGBU AREA (BATAAN PENINSULA) JANUARY 31, 1945, EIGHTH ARMY MADE ITS FIRST LANDINGS ONTO LUZON. RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTACKS ON PALAWAN, ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA (MINDANAO) AND SAN BERNARDINO STRAIT (THE VISAYAS). AS WAR ENDED, SERVED AS COMMANDER OF ALLIED OCCUPATION FORCES JAPAN UNTIL SEPTEMBER 3, 1948. RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REVIEW OF SENTENCES UPON CLASS 'B' AND 'C' WAR CRIMINALS AT YOKOHAMA.