Eugene M Landrum

Early life and military career

Eugene Manuel Landrum was born in Pensacola, Florida, on February 6, 1891. He was educated in Florida and enlisted in the Alabama National Guard’s Company M of the 1st Regiment in 1909. He joined the United States Army as a member of the Coast Artillery Corps on August 20, 1910, and quickly transferred to the Infantry Branch. Landrum served in the 17th and 2nd Infantry Regiments, and attained the rank of sergeant.

He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry Branch, and was assigned to the 20th Infantry Regiment in November 1916. He served initially in Hawaii, where he was promoted to first lieutenant.

At the start of World War I Landrum was assigned to the 43rd Infantry Regiment, and performed duty as aide-de-camp to Robert K. Evans in the Philippines. Landrum later took part in action in Russia as part of American Expeditionary Force Siberia.

Between the wars

After the war Landrum continued his army career, receiving promotion to captain and carrying out Infantry and Adjutant General assignments in Washington, D.C., and at forts including Leavenworth, Benning, and Lewis. He was promoted to major in 1927. In the mid-1930s, he commanded the 23rd Forestry District of the Civilian Conservation Corps, with headquarters in Marion, Illinois.

Landrum graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School in 1933 and the U.S. Army War College in 1936. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1938.

World War II

When World War II began Landrum was Chief of Staff of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, and he received temporary promotion to colonel.

In 1942 he was promoted to temporary brigadier general. Landrum commanded the 7th Infantry Division and other forces in the Aleutian Islands Campaign during combat as the United States reclaimed islands in the Aleutians which had been seized by the Japanese.

For his service in Alaska Landrum received both the Army and Navy Distinguished Service Medals.

Landrum was promoted to temporary major general in 1943 and commanded the 87th Infantry Division during its training in the United States. He went to Europe shortly before the D-Day invasion, with the U.S. First Army commander, Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, intending to keep him unassigned and available to command a division on short notice.

The 90th Infantry Division took part in the D-Day invasion, coming ashore on D-Day plus one and conducting combat activities in Normandy.

In June, 1944, Major General J. Lawton Collins, commanding the VII Corps, became concerned that the 90th Division was not performing effectively in combat. As a result, he relieved the division commander, Brigadier General Jay W. MacKelvie and two regimental commanders. Landrum was then assigned to replace MacKelvie.

Landrum commanded the 90th Infantry Division during the rest of June and into August. During this period Landrum became involved in a verbal altercation with his assistant division commander (ADC), Brigadier General Samuel Tankersley Williams, and requested that Williams be reduced in rank to colonel and reassigned. Landrum’s superiors concurred, and the action was carried out. (Williams remained in the army and was promoted again to brigadier general in 1951, and advanced to lieutenant general before retiring in 1960.)

In August, Landrum’s corps, army and army group commanders were still not satisfied with the performance of the 90th Division, and Landrum was relieved. He was succeeded by Major General Raymond S. McLain, and returned to the United States.

Upon returning to the United States Landrum succeeded Major General Robert L. Spragins as commander of the 71st Infantry Division during its mobilization and training before it departed for combat in Europe. He then commanded the Infantry Advanced Replacement Training Center at Camp Maxey.

Postwar

Following World War II Landrum returned to his permanent rank of colonel and continued his career, including assignment as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Fifth Army in Chicago.

Korean War

During the Korean War Landrum served with the Eighth Army, first as Deputy Chief of Staff and then Chief of Staff.

At the time numbered army commanders were not officially authorized to have deputy commanders, so Landrum served as the de facto deputy for General Walton Walker, the Eighth Army commander.

Walker, who had served with Landrum at Fifth Army, relied on him during the Eighth Army’s organization of the Pusan Perimeter as the Eighth Army organized the defensive action which enabled U.S. and South Korean forces to begin the counterattack that pushed the North Koreans north across the 38th Parallel. Walker, who always referred to Landrum as “General Landrum” in recognition of his temporary World War II rank, made Landrum responsible for finding replacement troops and reinforcements and employing them where they could be most effective. Landrum received a second award of the Distinguished Service Medal to recognize his efforts in Korea.

Landrum served until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60, retiring in a ceremony at Fort Mason, California at his wartime rank of major general.

Death and burial

In retirement Landrum resided in San Jose, California. He died in Springfield, Illinois, on July 24, 1967, and was buried at San Francisco National Cemetery, Section DE, Site 17-A.

Family

Landrum was married to Frances Richardson Yeater (1894–1961), the daughter of Charles Yeater. Their children included son Eugene and daughter Marianna. Eugene M. Landrum, Jr. (1920–2009) was a lieutenant colonel in the army and served during World War II and the Korean War.