In February 1944, he was reassigned to England in preparation for the D-Day invasions of France. Nevertheless, Roosevelt proved to be a competent general and was assigned as assistant commander of the 1st Infantry Division during the Allied invasion of Sicily. General Patton recorded his disdain for Roosevelt’s unorthodox behavior in his personal journal. His contempt for personal danger and unorthodox tactics made him popular amongst his troops but often brought him in conflict with high command. When the US entered World War II in 1941, Roosevelt returned to active duty to command the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.Īfter promotion to brigadier general, Roosevelt led the 26th Infantry Regiment in the attack on Oran, Algeria. By the outbreak of World War II in 1939, he had graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, and was eligible for a senior commission. Throughout the interwar years, Roosevelt continued military training each summer. After returning to the US, Roosevelt became the governor of Puerto Rico and later governor-general of the Philippines. In Europe, Roosevelt’s regiment fought in several major battles including the Battle of Cantigny and the Battle of Soissons.įor actions, he was awarded several medals and commendations, including the Distinguished Service Cross and the French Chevalier Légion d’Honneur. soldiers deployed to France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces. Roosevelt commissioned into the Army as a major when the United States entered World War I in April 1917. In 1914, Roosevelt began the junior officer summer program in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

After graduating high school, Roosevelt attended Harvard College and worked as a branch manager at an investment bank.

was the oldest man and the only general to participate in the first wave of landings on D-Day.

Theodore roosevelt jr