Matthew Ridgway

Ridgway was appointed commander of the 82nd Airborne Division in August 1942, transforming it into the first American airborne division. He trained the division for parachute and glider operations, establishing airborne tactics and doctrine that would be used in World War II.

Ridgway led the 82nd Airborne Division in the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) in July 1943. The division conducted parachute and glider landings, though the operation suffered from poor coordination and friendly fire incidents. Despite these problems, the division secured key objectives.

Ridgway commanded the 82nd Airborne Division during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. Paratroopers landed behind German lines in Normandy, securing key bridges and causeways. The division suffered heavy casualties but successfully disrupted German defenses and supported the beach landings.

Ridgway was appointed commander of the U.S. Eighth Army in Korea in December 1950, replacing General Walton Walker who had died. He took command during a period of retreat after Chinese intervention, and immediately began restoring morale and reorganizing defensive positions.

Ridgway launched a series of offensives in early 1951 that reversed the Chinese advance and recaptured Seoul. His aggressive tactics, including Operation Thunderbolt and Operation Ripper, pushed Chinese forces back across the 38th parallel, restoring the front line and stabilizing the war.

Ridgway was appointed Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan in April 1951, replacing General Douglas MacArthur. He oversaw the occupation of Japan and the transition to the post-occupation period, including the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco in 1951.

Ridgway was appointed Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army in August 1953, serving until 1955. He advocated for a strong conventional military force and opposed the Eisenhower administration's 'New Look' policy that emphasized nuclear weapons over ground forces, arguing it weakened the Army.