48 Star U.S. Flag, General Eichelberger, 8th Army HQ WWII & Occupation of Japan.
This is a US Army National Color, which was used to accompany the designated field flag for the grade of full general belonging to General Robert Lawrence Eichelberger. In the United States Army all general officers are entitled to display personal rank flags and a corresponding National Color.
Eichelberger had a distinguished career with the Army after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) in 1909. Originally an infantry officer, he saw service in Panama and the Mexican border before joining the American Expeditionary Forces in Siberia. In the years 1918 to 1920 the then Major Eichelberger closely observed the Japanese incursion into Siberia and became aware of Japanese culture; the Empire of Japan decorated him on three occasions.
In the inter-war period Eichelberger saw additional service in Asia, becoming familiar with both China and the Philippines. He then attended the US Army Command & Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. He was promoted through the ranks to the grade of Brigadier General and became the 38th Superintendant of the USMA in 1940. Historically, the Superintendence was often a stepping stone to higher prominence within the Army.
At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor he was the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. After the attack, many military officers returned their Japanese decorations and medals by sending them to the U.S. Army Air Corps so they could be attached to bombs marked "return to sender." Thrice decorated Eichelberger held on to his. When asked about letting the Air Force return the honors, he is famously reported to have said, "Hell, no. I'm going to take them back myself."
Eichelberger was promoted to Major-General and appointed to command of the 77th Infantry Division in January 1942. In August, as commander of the United States First Corps, he was ordered to turn back Japanese Papuan offensive. In October of 1942 he was promoted to Lieutenant General and General MacArthur ordered, "Bob, I want you to take Buna, or not come back alive." Eichelberger defeated the Japanese on Buna and continued winning victories with his joint Australian-American Corps. He was the only senior United States land commander in the Pacific able to maintain good relationships with his Australian colleagues, in stark contrast to his superior, MacArthur.
In September of 1944 he was given command of the newly formed Eighth Army, and was responsible for leading the invasion of the Philippines. He had cleared the islands by July 1945. After the fighting in the Philippines ceased, he and his command supervised the surrender of over 50,000 Japanese troops. He was tapped to lead the invasion of the home islands of Japan, but the Japanese surrender after the atomic detonations precluded the necessity.
In August Eichelberger's Eighth Army began a three-year Occupation of Japan where he was instrumental in the rebuilding of a nation. After nearly 40 years service, during which he had been awarded Army Distinguished Service Cross twice, the Army Distinguished Service Medal four times and Navy Distinguished Service Medal, he retired in 1948.
Congress, in recognition of his service, promoted Robert Lawrence Eichelberger to full General in 1954. This 48 star United States flag was made at the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot (PQMD) and dates from that period, and is a companion piece to his wool, 4 star, personal designating field flag (ZFC0518), also a PQMD flag.
Provenance: Acquired with ZFC0518, from the estate of General Robert L. Eichelberger. This is an excellent example of a Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot government made flag. United States flags of this type were issued to Regiments, Independent Battalions, Headquarters and General Officers in the US Army during WWII.
ZFC Significant Flag
Sources:
Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006.
Haggard, John V. , Flag Making Tradition at the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot, 12 November 2011, from: http://www.qmfound.com/Flag_Making_Philadelphia_Depot.htm
General Officer Flags, The Institute of Heraldry, 12 November 2011, from: http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/UniformedServices/Flags/Gen_Officer_Flags.aspx
US Army Regulations No. 260-10, Flags, colors, standards, and Guidons: Descriptions and Use, Washington, DC. War Department, 1931.
Robert Lawrence Eichelberger, Wikipedia, 12 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Eichelberger
Robert Lawrence Eichelberger, ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY WEBSITE, 12 November 2011, from:
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/rleichelberger.htm
