U.S. Tenth Army

U.S. Tenth Army was a Field army of the United States Army activated during World War II for the specific purpose of conducting the Battle of Okinawa. Established in 1944, it was a unique joint command that included both United States Army and United States Marine Corps formations under its operational control. The Tenth Army's successful but costly campaign on Okinawa was its only major operation, and it was in the process of redeploying for the planned invasion of Japan when the war ended.

History

The Tenth Army was activated on 20 June 1944 at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, under the command of Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.. Its creation was directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to provide a unified command structure for the complex amphibious assault on the Ryukyu Islands. The army's headquarters moved to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii for advanced training and planning before embarking for the Pacific Theater. Following the conclusion of hostilities, the Tenth Army moved to Korea to oversee the Japanese surrender and initial occupation duties there, before being inactivated on 15 October 1945.

Organization

The Tenth Army was a composite force, unprecedented in its integration of Marine and Army units. Its major ground components were the XXIV Corps, an Army formation consisting of the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th Infantry Divisions, and the III Amphibious Corps, a Marine formation with the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions. Tactical air support was provided by the Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army, while the Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet handled naval and logistical support. This structure was designed for the specific challenges of the Battle of Okinawa.

Commanders

The army had three commanders during its brief existence. Its first and most notable commander was Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., son of a Confederate general of the same name, who led the army through the majority of the Battle of Okinawa. Buckner was killed by enemy artillery fire on 18 June 1945, becoming the highest-ranking U.S. officer killed by enemy fire during World War II. He was succeeded by Roy Geiger, a Marine Corps general, who briefly commanded for the final days of the campaign. The final commander was General Joseph Stilwell, who assumed command in August 1945 to oversee post-war duties.

Campaigns and operations

The Tenth Army's sole combat operation was the monumental Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg. The assault began on 1 April 1945 (L-Day), with landings by the III Amphibious Corps and XXIV Corps on the beaches of Hagushi. The campaign evolved into a brutal, protracted battle of attrition against the deeply entrenched Japanese Thirty-Second Army under Mitsuru Ushijima in the Shuri defensive line. The fighting involved fierce confrontations at places like Hacksaw Ridge, Sugar Loaf Hill, and Conical Hill. After Buckner's death, the army secured the island on 21 June 1945, following the collapse of organized Japanese resistance.

Legacy and honors

Though short-lived, the Tenth Army is historically significant for executing one of the largest and most brutal amphibious assaults of the Pacific War. The severe casualties suffered by both sides during the Battle of Okinawa heavily influenced President Harry S. Truman's decision to employ the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The army's shoulder sleeve insignia, featuring a red Okinawan *tomoe* symbol on a blue background, was authorized in 2004. The command is memorialized in numerous historical works, military studies on joint operations, and at sites like the National Museum of the United States Army and the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Category:Field armies of the United States Army Category:Military units and formations of the United States in World War II