Lieutenant Colonel James D. Summer, Jr
General Wilbur's Aide-de-Camp

I was a 1st Lieutenant serving as company commander of a heavy weapons company in the 60th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry division in 1942. On the morning of November 8, 1942, my unit made an amphibious landing at Port Lyautey (now known as Kenitra) in French Morocco. Port Lyautey is located on the northwest Atlantic coast of Africa. At the time of the invasion, there was Spanish Morocco and French Morocco. Since 1957 these two areas form the nation of Morocco.

In the invasion I received a battlefield promotion to Captain and was awarded the Silver Star.

Shortly after the fighting ended in French Morocco I was asked by Brigadier General William H. Wilbur to be his Aide-de-Camp. He was a very interesting officer. At one time he was regimental commander of the 60th Infantry. General Wilbur was a West Point Graduate and was in school there with Generals Patton, Eisenhower and Bradley. Furthermore, he was a graduate of Ecole Superior de Guerre in the same class as Charles de Gaulle. He was probably the strictest disciplinarian in the Army and was a fanatic about physical fitness. Wilbur, a colonel at the time of the invasion, had talked General Patton into putting him on his staff for the invasion of North Africa, but had no particular assignment. During the invasion he performed heroic duties over and beyond the call of duty. For these acts he received a battlefield promotion to Brigadier General and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Now that he was a General he was entitled to an Aide de Camp. Unknown to me, General Wilbur had decided that he wanted me for his aide. He knew me well. He had appointed me a company commander when I was a Second Lieutentant in the 60th Infantry Regiment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The problem was that I was now a Captain, and a Brigadier General is only entitled to a 1st Lieutenant for an aide. General Wilbur talked to General Patton about the problem. General Patton informed Wilbur that he would transfer me to his headquarters in Casablanca and assign me to the G-2 (intelligence section), but that I could be Wilbur’s Aide de Camp. General Wilbur approached me about the assignment. At first I was reluctant to accept. However, after much pressure was placed on me I accepted. So in December of 1942 I joined Patton’s staff and became General Wilbur’s unofficial aide.

At that time General Wilbur and several other staff officers were living with Patton. I likewise took up residence in the same villa with Patton and 7 other officers.

This assignment led to many fascinating and unforgettable experiences. I met all of the world leaders at one time or another, such as President Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Charles DeGaulle, General George Marshall, etc. I was also present for the Casablanca (Anfa) Conference.

General Wilbur and I stayed with General Patton in Casablanca and Rabat until General Patton was transferred to Tunisia. Incidentally, this is the starting point in the movie "Patton."

Thereafter, General Wilbur and I were assigned to the headquarters of the 5th Army situated in Oujda, French Morocco. 5th Army was commanded by Lieut. General Mark Clark. While on the staff of 5th Army, General Wilbur and I started a Battle School at Slisson, Morocco, which is near Sidi Bel Abbes (at that time headquarters for the French Foreign Legion). Incidentally, this was the first Battle School that the American Army had ever established. General Fred L. Walker, Commander of the 36th Division, visited the school in July, 1943. Later, over a hundred officers from the 36th Division attended the Battle School.

When the invasion force left Africa to go to Italy, General Wilbur and I went along. He had no particular assignment. I remember that we made the voyage on an LCT (Landing Craft Tank).

General Wilbur and I landed at Salerno (more accurately, at Paestum) on D Day. We had some exciting, historical and frightening experiences upon landing in Italy. (If the editors so desire, I could relate some of these experiences in another article.)

Of course the 36th Division was part of the amphibious landing at Salerno on D Day.

After the fighting had eventually ceased in the Salerno area, the 36th Division was withdrawn from combat.

It is common knowledge that the 36th suffered severe casualties during the invasion. In fact one entire battalion became a casualty through captures, injuries and deaths.

Reorganization of the 36th Division started before fighting at Salerno had ended.

General Wilbur, at one time or another, had commanded several 36th Division units during the fighting at Salerno. General Walker was very impressed by General Wilbur’s performance. On September 15, 1943, General Otto F. Lange was relieved of his position as Assistant Division Commander by General Walker. General Wilbur was named Assistant to replace him.

Reorganization of the Division continued after it was pulled out of the fighting. Lt. Colonel Joseph S. Barnett had commanded the 3rd Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment during the amphibious landing. After the fighting, he was relieved of his assignment and Major Howard K. Dodgen of Temple, Texas, was appointed Commander of the 3rd Battalion. He had previously been the Battalion Executive Officer.

I had been General Wilbur’s Aide-de-Camp approximately 10 months and I had some fascinating experiences in this position. This assignment was most enjoyable, but it was my desire to return to a combat unit. Several requests to be assigned to a combat unit had been denied, or ignored, in the past. Now my request was granted. Fifth Army Headquarters transferred me to the 36th Division on September 20, 1943. 1 was then designated by the 36th Division Headquarters to be the Battalion Executive Officer of the 3rd Battalion, 143rd Infantry Regiment on September 23, 1943. 1 served with the 3rd Battalion, from September 20, 1943 until June 24, 1944 when I was wounded in action at Piambino, Italy. At that time, I was the Battalion Commander. My rank was Major.

And that is how James D. Sumner, Jr. became a member of the famous 36th Infantry Division.