Ernest J. Dawley

Ernest Joseph Dawley
Nickname(s)	"Mike"
Born	(1886-02-17)February 17, 1886 Antigo, Wisconsin, United States
Died	December 10, 1973(1973-12-10) (aged 87) Fort Ord, California, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1910–1947
Rank	Major general
Service number	0-2843
Unit	Field Artillery Branch
Commands held	82nd Field Artillery Regiment Division Artillery, 7th Infantry Division 40th Infantry Division VI Corps Army Tank Destroyer School Army Tank Destroyer Center Ground Forces Reinforcement Command, European Theater of Operations
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Honour

Major General Ernest Joseph "Mike" Dawley (17 February 1886–10 December 1973) was a senior officer of the United States Army, best known during World War II for commanding the U.S. VI Corps during Operation Avalanche (the landings at Salerno). After the landings, he was relieved of his command by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, commander of the U.S. Fifth Army, and returned to the United States.

Biography

Early life and military career

Ernst Joseph Dawley was born on February 17, 1886 in Antigo, Wisconsin. After graduation from the Ribbon College in Ripon, Wisconsin and subsequently entered the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York in 1906, at the age of 20. He graduated four years later on June 15, 1910 and was also commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Field Artillery Branch of the United States Army on that date. He served in both the United States and in the Philippines, attending various schools. He took part in the Mexican Punitive Expedition in 1916, serving under the command of Brigadier General John Joseph "Blackjack" Pershing.^[1]

With the American entry into World War I, which occurred in April 1917, Dawley was transferred to the newly created 7th Field Artillery Regiment stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The 7th Field Artillery was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division. Together with his division Dawley, by now a captain (having been promoted in May), was sent to the Western Front as part of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), which was commanded by John Pershing, who Dawley had served with in Mexico the previous year.^[2]

After arrival in France, Dawley attended a short course in l’Ecole d'Artillerie at Fontainebleau and was appointed the executive officer (XO) for the Saumur Artillery School.^[3] He was promoted to major in February 1918. He stayed in this capacity until May 1918, when he was transferred to the 12th Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 2nd Infantry Division. For his service with the 12th Field Artillery, Dawley was decorated with the Silver Citation Star for gallantry in action near Vierzy, France.^[4]

At the end of July 1918, he was transferred to the General Staff of the U.S. First Army. He was also promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in this capacity. He was briefly assistant chief of staff for the field artillery of the U.S. Second Army. During this assignment the war ended, on November 11, 1918. On November 20 he served with the 16th Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 4th Infantry Division.^[5]

Between the wars

Dawley remained in the army after the war, which ended on November 11, 1918, at 11:00am, and in the subsequent interwar period.

World War II

In September 1941, during World War II (although the United States was still officially neutral at this stage) Dawley took command of the 40th Infantry Division, a National Guard formation. December 1941 saw the American entry into the war, due to the attack on Pearl Harbor. In April 1942 he was promoted to command of the VI Corps. The corps was later sent to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, initially to participate in the Allied invasion of Sicily, where it was to come under command of the U.S. Seventh Army, commanded by Lieutenant General George Patton. However, Major General Omar Bradley's II Corps was chosen instead.

The VI Corps was instead selected for participation in the Allied invasion of Italy, coming under command of Lieutenant General Mark Clark's U.S. Fifth Army. The 36th Infantry Division, under Major General Fred Walker, and the 45th Infantry Division, under Major General Troy Middleton, both National Guard divisions, were under command for the operation. The corps took part in the Allied invasion of Italy at Salerno on September 9, 1943, with the British X Corps also under Fifth Army command, as part of Operation Avalanche. The stiffness of the German defences sorely tested VI Corps, inflicting heavy casualties. German attempts to throw the American force back into the sea were thwarted by the artillery of both divisions, strongly supported by naval and aerial bombardment and the approach of the British Eighth Army from the south.

Although thought highly of by many officers, Dawley had been moved on by Patton in Sicily and his suitability for high command had been questioned by the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. "Ike" Eisenhower, and British General Sir Harold Alexander, the 15th Army Group commander. After the problems at Salerno, Dawley was replaced by Clark after Salerno, as he was judged to be "worn out", although many believed Clark to be finding a scapegoat to cover his own failures.^[6] He reverted to his permanent rank of colonel on 23 December 1943 and was assigned as the commander of the Tank Destroyer School and Center in the United States, the first of several appointments to military training establishments. Some sources say that he was subsequently promoted to brigadier general on 30 September 1947. However, the "Biographical Dictionary of World War II Generals" states that he was "Commanding general" of the Tank Destroyer Center from February 1944-March 1945." He retired from the army in 1947 and was given the rank of major general (Retired) on 29 June 1948.^[7]

Major General Ernest Joseph Dawley died on 8 September 1973 at Silas B. Hays Army Hospital at Fort Ord, California, almost exactly 30 years since the Salerno landings. His body was cremated and ashes scattered at sea.^[8]

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Major general Dawley:^[9][10]

References