With Eisenhower in London and Marshall in Washington, D.C., the generals depended upon radiograms, cables, and letters to convey their views, share news, and solve problems. There was a war to be won and the success of OVERLORD was essential to an Allied victory. Marshall had been a leading contender for the job of Allied Supreme Commander, but, following Eisenhower’s appointment, he put aside any hard feelings. Marshall, the stately Virginian who served as the chief of staff of the U.S. One of Eisenhower’s biggest supporters and advocates was General George C. It was an immensely stressful job that involved managing the egos and mindsets of both the American and British military establishments. From London, Eisenhower then ordered, planned, cajoled, and charmed his way to making OVERLORD a reality. The plainspoken farm boy from Kansas received the lofty title of Allied Supreme Commander. Roosevelt selected, with Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s blessing, Major General Dwight D.
The previous December, President Franklin D. More than two million Allied soldiers would be in France come August. The invasion of Normandy served as a turning point on the western front in World War II, putting the American and British armies on the road to Berlin and one step closer to defeating Adolf Hitler. This June marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the first stage of Operation OVERLORD, or D-Day as it is popularly known. The Allies had just launched the largest amphibious operation in history with the goal of ousting Nazi Germany from France. Overhead, more than 1,200 Allied aircraft made 11,000 sorties, dropping 12,000 tons of bombs on the entrenched German army. Before the day was out, 160,000 Allied troops would come ashore in France, their delivery made possible by a naval task force consisting of 5,000 ships. He holds a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Pepperdine University.As June 6 turned from night into morning, American, British, and Canadian soldiers shook off their sea legs, adjusted their packs, and stumbled from the landing craft into sandy reaches of the French coastline. General Neller is a graduate of the Armor Officer Advanced Course, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, NATO Defense College, and the Armed Forces Staff College. His Joint assignments include service in the Policy Division of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Casteau, Belgium, and as the Director of Operations (J-3) of the Joint Staff in Washington, D.C. General Neller also served as Deputy Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (05-07) Assistant Division Commander for 1st and 2d Marine Divisions and President of Marine Corps University.
He has served as an infantry officer at all levels, including command of Marine Security Force Company Panama during Operations JUST CAUSE and PROMOTE LIBERTY 3d Light Armored Infantry Battalion during Operation RESTORE HOPE 6th Marine Regiment and 3d Marine Division. Prior to that assignment, he served as the Commander, Marine Forces Command from July 2014 to September 2015 and Commander, Marine Forces Central Command from September 2012 to June 2014.Ī native of East Lansing, Michigan, General Neller graduated from the University of Virginia and was commissioned in 1975. Neller served as the 37th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.