Entering West Point from central Oklahoma, Raymond O. Barton's prowess on the football field and wrestling team earned him the nickname "Tubby," an appellation used by his friends and fellow officers for the rest of his life. Based on personal letters and documents, this biography explores Barton's military career from his days as a cadet through thirty-seven years of military service, culminating with his command in World War II of the 4th Infantry Division during the US Army's campaign in France. From the inside readers have a picture of officership during the intense days of training and expansion on the eve of World War II. Finally, thanks to the discovery of his war diary, we have a close-up view of his senior leadership as he trained in England for the landing on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944.
Through 204 days of continuous combat, Barton led the 4th Infantry Division as it fought through German defenses on its way into Cherbourg. His division led the VII Corps' breakthrough on Operation COBRA and then held the north shoulder during the German counterattack at Mortain. Now assigned to the V Corps, the 4th Infantry Division liberated Paris alongside the French 2nd Armored Division. On September 12 he became the first American general to cross the border into Nazi Germany. In November he moved his command to the Hürtgen Forest and for two weeks fought through some of the most inhospitable terrain in Europe. In December Barton's exhausted soldiers moved to Luxembourg to a more restful portion of the front lines, only to face the southern flank of the German Ardennes Offensive. By the time the Ivy Division stopped the enemy outside of Luxembourg, Barton was exhausted and physically unable to continue in command. He returned home to live the rest of his life as a distinguished citizen of Augusta, Georgia.
Industry Reviews
"This biography would serve as a great guide to staff rides conducted in Europe, to include the D-Day invasion, Operation Cobra, the penetration of the Siegfried Line and the Battle of the Bulge. Bourque's descriptions of the 4th Infantry Division's part in all these events is lucid, well researched and compelling. I highly recommend this book for military leaders of all ranks and for anyone interested in Army history. Its research is impeccable, and Bourque's assessments are logical and well-defended. It is a great addition to understanding high-level leadership."--Col. James Scott Wheeler, U.S. Army retired, ARMY Magazine "As an expert on operational art and US Army doctrine, Bourque brings a unique analytical skill to this biography. Barton commanded the 4th Infantry Division, one of the divisions that landed in Normandy on D-Day. This alone makes Tubby original and important, but the book is also an excellent model for a WWII division commander's biography/military life. Unlike many works on WWII leaders, this book does not suffer from an excessive focus on strategic and high-operational level command and the difficult personalities of senior leaders. Instead, it gives the reader a detailed image of both the day-to-day life of a WWII division commander and the intensive training required to prepare an officer for division command. As Bourque explains, command at the high tactical level was more direct, more dangerous, and more physically and mentally demanding than many readers probably realize, and the casualty rates among regimental through division-level leaders would probably surprise many."--Mark Calhoun, senior historian at the National World War II Museum and author of General Lesley J. McNair: Unsung Architect of the US Army "Tubby will have great significance as a model for the division/corps level bio. The lesson: it is still possible to find totally unique, or rare, or personal sources that open a whole new vista over well-trodden ground, especially about the Normandy Campaign and just how bloody it was, the leadership of Lawton Collins, the work of staffs and lots of other noncombat activities at war, regiment/battalion-level tactics, and the uses of the division in operational arts at corps and army level. The author knows these things as soldier and teacher."--Steven L. Ossad, author of Omar Nelson Bradley: America's GI General, 1893-1981 "Tubby is a MUST READ for the Field Grade officers who run our brigades, divisions, and corps. It's not just the leadership lessons that make this book powerful, but thinking about how a division fits into a larger fight. It is difficult to conceive and visualize that fight within the context of the forever wars. Bourque does an incredible job describing that fight within the life of one commander. And despite the author's protestations, this book is as much about 'Tubby' Barton as a person and leader, as it is about the 4th Infantry Division's exploits in WWII. I cannot recommend this incredibly captivating story about a WWII division commander enough. Go grab a copy."--Goodreads
