John K. Herr
| John Knowles Herr | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
October 1, 1878 Whitehouse, New Jersey |
| Died | March 12, 1955 (aged 76) Washington, D.C. |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/ |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1902–1942 |
| Rank |
 Major General
|
| Commands held | Chief of Cavalry |
| Battles/wars |
Spanish–American War World War I World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal |
John Knowles Herr (October 1, 1878 in the Whitehouse section of Readington Township, New Jersey – March 12, 1955 in Washington, D.C.) was a career American soldier. Herr served for 40 years in the United States Cavalry and participated in the final battles of World War I as chief of staff of the 30th Division, but is best remembered for being the last Chief of U. S. Cavalry in history. In March 1938 Major General Herr was appointed Chief of Cavalry and became a fierce advocate of traditional horse cavalry troops. He defended cavalry as an independent branch of service and opposed conversion of mounted troops into mechanized or armored units. Herr's affection to horse, "somewhat quixotic" for the period, temporarily made him "a hero and a standard bearer" to generations of officers indoctrinated in cavalry tactics.
German blitzkrieg in Poland and France compelled the military leadership in favor of armoured warfare, and the United States cavalry was mechanized contrary to Herr's objections. General Robert W. Grow wrote that "had General Herr, from the beginning, taken a strong stand to mechanization of the Cavalry Branch, the Armored Force would have never been created" (as a separate combat arm). Instead, Herr "lost it all": and his troops were gradually converted to armor. On March 9, 1942, War Department Circular No. 59 created the Army Ground Forces, Services of Supply, and Army Air Forces; and disbanded the offices of the combat arms chiefs, including Chief of Cavalry. Herr retired. He continued to speak in favor of the horse and co-authored The Story of the U.S. Cavalry (1953).
Historians' assessment of Herr's four-year service as Chief of Cavalry range from "stubborn obstructionist" (Hofmann), "conservative and downright mossback" (Millett), "diehard proponent of the horse" (Winton and Mets) to "noble and tragic in his loyalty to horse ... and refusal to accept reality after Munich." (Jarymowycz). and "gallant and highly regarded officer ... proof that outdated beliefs would die hard" (D'Este).
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