tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889963722674899878.post8143660757960008707..comments2023-07-04T10:09:25.824-07:00Comments on The World War II Letters of William Wellington Taylor, Jr.: Letter 222- July 29, 1945Greg Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01409962933357676885noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889963722674899878.post-68769058599308954832010-05-09T08:36:10.982-07:002010-05-09T08:36:10.982-07:00It certainly seems that Bill's Occupation duty...It certainly seems that Bill's Occupation duty is a letdown from combat in the sense that the "esprit de corps" that sustains a unit during the day to day struggle to survive has been lost. The base practicality of war is increasingly replaced by politics. At least at this time the war continues in the Pacific (although not for very long) and that is a unifying force.<br /><br />I find this letter to be a fascinating glimpse into my father's personality. He certainly had a keen eye of observation and understood politics on both a personal and global level. He never "kissed anyone's ass". This made him a man of integrity, but I believe it prevented him from achieving the level of success in his civilian careers that his skills warranted. The same phenomenon existed in his army career where he never rose above the level of Pfc.Greg Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01409962933357676885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7889963722674899878.post-12551165485175114122010-05-09T07:21:18.762-07:002010-05-09T07:21:18.762-07:00I'm intrigued by Bill's comments about the...I'm intrigued by Bill's comments about the composition of the 100th Division. As the Army expanded it pulled out cadres of senior, supposedly capable, people to form new units. Men who were privates or sergeants found themselves sergeants or captains based on experience and not on competence. Given what Bill says about the division between the "old" men and the "young" men I can understand how matters social and political can impact the performance of a unit. In combat things tend to shake out, at some cost, but off the line the old stuff returns. Throw in the constant flow of replacements and unit cohesion becomes elusive. <br /><br />Today the Army deploys and rotates men as units to preserve cohesion.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09885277626153324891noreply@blogger.com