Edward M. Almond and the US Army

Edward M. Almond belonged to the generation of US Army officers who came of age during World War I and then ascended to senior command positions during World War II. During WWII, Almond led the 92nd Infantry Division, one of only two African American divisions to see combat in the war. Yet, alongside his achievements, including a command during the Korean War, Almond was a fervent racist and a right-wing political zealot. In his book Edward M. Almond and the US Army: From 92nd Division to the X Corps, published by the University of Kentucky Press in 2019, Dr. Michael E. Lynch of the US Army Heritage and Education Center argues that Almond's racism, while very real, overshadows his accomplishments and contends that Almond played a significant role in the Army's history.

Douglas Bell holds a PhD in history from Texas A&M University and recently completed a yearlong postdoctoral fellowship at the US Army Heritage and Education Center.