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inspired and aggressively backed to the limit the work of those assigned to assemble vast scattered
masses of material and shape them into a history of XII Corps. His decisive influence was felt at many a
critical moment while the project was still in operation in Germany, and continuep to be an important
factor after transfer of the work to America. Major General Manton S. Eddy, while not in Europe at the
time the history was initiated, showed the keenest interest in the project from the start and when it
returned to the United States, he willingly assumet the responsibility of an active place on the Executive
Committee, and forwarded the work of preparation in many essential respects. It is no exaggeration to
say that the thousands of former GI's and officers who enjoy this record of their joint exploits in Europe
will owe their enjoyment in large measure to these two generals, without whose inspiration and
backing the project would not have been completed along the ambitious lines originally planned, if
indeed it could have been started at all.
Major General S LeRoy Irwin, as noted above, while at no time on paper a member of the
Executive Committee, was often asked for help and never failed in either active interest or support,
throughout the almost two years required to complete the work. Among a great many other acts of
assistance, he freely gave access and permission to quote from his private diary, as will be observed in
later stages of the narrative. Both Major General Gilbert R Cook and Lieutenant General William H
Simpson, early commanders of XII Corps, accorded the project complete cooperation. Brigadier
General John M Lance, last of the XII Corps' combat general officers to leave the Corps headquarters
before it was officially disbanded in Germany, was several times in a unique position to advance the
project, and did so in the same way he had fought the war, generously and up to the hilt. Colonel Paul
M Martin, first Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee, also remained long in XII Corps
Headquarters, and later from his office in Headquarters Third Army was able to facilitate greatly the
actual transfer of the work to the United States.
The member of the Executive Committee whose task was undoubtedly the most trying was
Colonel Albert C Lieber, Jr. As former Deputy Chief of Staff of XII Corps Headquarters during almost
its whole period of active existence he was a "natural" for the job of final review of the work. He
cheerfully and meticulously threaded his way through some 250,000 words of beaten-up draft typescript,
catching countless mistakes of fact, fancy and grammar, and adding hundreds of words of original
material. The improvement resulting from his devoted labors will be evident from one end of the book
to the other. Responsibility for any errors of omission or commission which may have slipped by his
alert attention will confidently be assumed entirely by the author.
A word of special appreciation should go to the Treasurer of the XII Corps History Association,
(then) Captain Charlotte L Dyer. One of the two WAC officers who originally came down from
Frankfurt shortly after the end of the fighting in Germany to assist with organization and preparation of
XII Corps History, she stayed on the job and on active duty for months after her "point" score entitled
her to return to the United States and be separated. Then for months after her release from active duty
she remained in close touch with the project as a volunteer, giving freely of her time to keep the
financial records straight until publication had been accomplished.
The extensive promotional activity necessary to lay a firm foundation of subscription money for
the enterprise was largely the effort of (then) 1st Lieutenants L D Gilbertson and Donald G MacLeod.
The former acted as the original secretary of the Executive Committee; the latter took over in this
capacity after Gilbertson went home, and carried out a most energetic campaign of publicity and
promotion. Lt William C blamer and Horace E Curran carried out essential administrative functions in
connection with the operation and in addition collected quantities of medical and engineer source
material, respectively.
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