|
Russell William Volckmann (September 23, 1911 – June 30, 1982) was a West Point graduate, a U.S. Army infantry officer and a leader of the Philippine Commonwealth military and guerrilla resistance to the Japanese conquest of the Philippines during World War II.〔Hogan 1992.〕 After the war, he remained in the U.S. Army and helped create the U.S. Army Special Forces. In addition to his other services to his country, Russell Volckmann, at that time a colonel, is considered a co-founder of the U.S. Army Special Forces (the "Green Berets"), together with Colonels Aaron Bank and Wendell Fertig. He eventually retired as a brigadier general. ==Pre-war== Russell Volckmann was born 23 October 1911, in Clinton, Iowa, to Hattie May (Dodds) and William J. C. Volckmann. He attended high school at Shattuck Military Academy, Fairbault, Minnesota. In 1930, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry upon graduation in June 1934.〔Guardia 2010, pp. 17–18.〕 Although he asked for assignment to the Philippines, a choice duty station requested by many officers, his below average performance at West Point resulted in assignment elsewhere. Volckmann received orders to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, where he was a rifle platoon leader and later a company executive officer with the 3rd Infantry Division. In 1937, he received orders to attend the Infantry Officer Advanced Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. After completing this school he served at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, as a company commander〔Guardia 2010, p. 193.〕 with the 2nd Infantry Division. In 1940, he finally received orders for duty in the Philippines〔Guardia 2010, p. 18.〕 In the summer of 1940, 29-year-old Captain Volckmann loaded himself, his wife Nancy and their young son aboard a ship for duty in the Far East. Upon arrival in the Philippines, he became the commander of Company H, 31st Infantry Regiment.〔Guardia 2010, p. 20.〕 In July 1941, he was transferred to the 11th Infantry Regiment, 11th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, as the regimental executive officer. This was unusual duty for a company-grade officer, but political tensions in the Pacific resulted in accelerated expansion and training for the Philippine Commonwealth Army.〔Guardia 2010, pp. 20–22.〕 In August 1941, Volckmann's wife and son, along with all other U.S. military dependents, were sent back to the United States due to war concerns.〔Guardia 2010, p. 23.〕 On 8 December 1941, the Japanese attacked the Philippines. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Russell W. Volckmann」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|