32 Facts About Lucian Truscott

Lucian Truscott taught school and worked as a school principal before he decided to join the United States Army in 1917.

On 27 March 1919, Lucian Truscott married Sarah "Chick" Nicholas Randolph, a descendant of Thomas Jefferson Randolph and Thomas Nelson Jr.

Lucian Truscott served in various cavalry and staff assignments between the wars, including completion of the Cavalry Officers Course, followed by assignment as a Cavalry School instructor.

Lucian Truscott graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College, followed by assignment to its faculty.

In March 1941, Lucian Truscott was appointed to the staff of Ninth Corps Area, at Fort Lewis, Washington.

In May 1942, Lucian Truscott was assigned to the Allied Combined Staff under Lord Louis Mountbatten and in August, he was the primary US observer on the Dieppe Raid.

On 8 November 1942, now a major general, Truscott led the 9,000 men of the 60th Infantry Regiment and 66th Armored Regiment in the landings at Mehdia and Port Lyautey in Morocco, part of Operation Torch under Major General George S Patton.

Lucian Truscott took command of the 3rd Infantry Division in March 1943, and oversaw preparations for the Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky.

Lucian Truscott was known as a very tough trainer, bringing the 3rd Infantry Division up to a very high standard.

Lucian Truscott was confident that the better he trained each soldier, the more likely it was that that man would one day make it home.

Lucian Truscott led the division in the assault on Sicily in July 1943, coming under the command of the Seventh US Army, commanded by Patton, now a lieutenant general.

Lucian Truscott was succeeded in command of the 3rd Infantry Division by Major General John "Iron Mike" O'Daniel, previously the Assistant Division Commander.

At the age of 49, Truscott was the second youngest corps commander in the US Army at the time, behind only Major General J Lawton Collins, then commanding VII Corps in England.

On 2 September 1944, Lucian Truscott was promoted to the three-star rank of lieutenant general and in October he was appointed temporary commander of the newly formed Fifteenth Army, which was largely an administrative and training command.

Lucian Truscott was promoted to command of the US Fifth Army in Italy when its commander Lieutenant General Mark Clark was made commander of the Allied 15th Army Group, formerly the Allied Armies in Italy.

Lucian Truscott then led the army through the Allied Spring 1945 offensive in Italy culminating in the final destruction of the German forces in Italy.

Lucian Truscott was reassigned in April 1946 and retired from the army on September 30,1947.

Lucian Truscott helped evaluate officers as a member of the War Department Screening Board.

Lucian Truscott had been placed in charge of cloak-and-dagger operations in a vital part of Europe.

In 1953, President Eisenhower approved CIA Director Allen Dulles' recommendation that Lucian Truscott be appointed the CIA's Deputy Director for Coordination.

Lucian Truscott's responsibilities included facilitating the overthrow of governments in Iran and Guatemala.

Lucian Truscott was involved in planning Operation PBSuccess, the CIA mission to overthrow Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz.

Lucian Truscott wrote nothing about his service in the CIA in Command Missions, and there is nothing about his CIA activities in his papers at the George C Marshall Library.

Lucian Truscott died on 12 September 1965, in Alexandria, Virginia and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.

In 2012, Lucian Truscott was honored at his birthplace of Chatfield.

Lucian Truscott had a very gravelly voice, said to be the result of an accidental ingestion of acid in childhood.

Lucian Truscott was superstitious about his clothing, and usually wore a leather jacket, "pink" pants and lucky boots in combat.

Lucian Truscott wore a white scarf as a trademark, first during the Sicilian campaign.

Unlike some commanders, Lucian Truscott was not noted for self-aggrandisement, nor did he suffer such from his superiors.

Lucian Truscott was portrayed by actor John Doucette in the 1970 film Patton.

In one scene, as commander of the 3rd Infantry Division during the Allied invasion of Sicily, Lucian Truscott is shown arguing vehemently with General Patton over the latter's orders pertaining to his division.

Lucian Truscott received the United States Army's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross, for valor in action in Sicily on 11 July 1943, the second day of the invasion.