Joseph T. Dickman

Dickman graduated from the United States Army Cavalry School in 1883 and proceeded directly to the Indian territory, where he participated in the Apache War from 1885–1886, to include the Geronimo Campaign. He next participated in the Mexican border patrol operations during the Garza Revolution against Garza revolutionists and the bandits, Benavides and Gonzales.[1]

Dickman's early experience sent him to Fort Riley, where he was an Instructor at the Cavalry and Light Artillery School from 1893–1894. He deployed to the Pullman Strike in Chicago 1894. Later that year, he was assigned to Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont.[2]

Dickman's deployment during the Spanish–American War was notable. He participated in the Battle of San Juan Hill-El Caney, Santiago de Cuba. He served on the staff of General Joseph Wheeler during the Philippine–American War from 1899–1902 and at the Battles on the Island of Panay from 1899–1900.[1]

During the Boxer Rebellion, Dickman was chief of staff to General Adna R. Chaffee for the Peking Relief Expedition and fought in the battle at Pa-ta-Chao, Peking on September 26, 1900.[1]

Dickman was on the Army General Staff from 1902–1905. He was an instructor at the Army War College from 1905–1912. Dickman was the US Army Inspector General from 1912–1915, taking over 2nd US Cavalry in 1915.

He was given command of the 85th Infantry Division, at Camp Custer, Michigan, in August 1917, four months after the American entry into World War I.[3]

Dickman (center), CG IV Corps, with generals Frank L. Winn (left), CG 89th division, and Augustin Gérard (right), CG 8th army in Lucey August 1918.

Dickman was then given command of the 3rd Infantry Division in November 1917.[2] He deployed the 3rd Division to France aboard the Leviathan at noon, on March 4, 1918. He was the 3rd Division commander at Chateau-Thierry in May 1918 and was made famous at the Second Battle of the Marne in July 1918. While allied forces on both flanks retreated, the 3rd Division stood fast in the face of enemy offensives, which led to their moniker, "The Rock of the Marne."[2]

General John J. Pershing, C-in-C of the AEF, conversing with Major General Joseph T. Dickman, commanding the 3rd Division, and members of his staff at Dickman's division headquarters, France, July 1918.

Dickman commanded IV Corps from August to September 1918, to include the Saint-Mihiel Offensive in September 1918.[2] He then commanded I Corps from October to November 1918, to include the Meuse–Argonne offensive.[2]

The Third Army was established under the command of Dickman by General John J. Pershing in France to advance to the Rhein and hold the Coblenz bridgehead, then prepare to serve after the war as the Army of Occupation of the Rhineland. The Third Army would have become the Army of Occupation whether or not the enemy signed the peace agreement. American fighting units not sent home were consolidated under Third Army and prepared to attack if Germany did not accept the terms of peace. The United States itself was not to sign the agreement but remained technically at war with Germany for two more years.[1]

For his services during the war he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the citation for which reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Joseph Theodore Dickman, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I, as Commander of the 3d Army, American Expeditionary Forces. General Dickman commanded the 3d Division and contributed in large measure to success in hurling back the final enemy general attack commencing 14 July 1918. He participated in the offensive operations northward to Vesle River; commanded the 4th Army Corps from 18 August to 11 October 1918, including the operation of the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient, and the 1st Army Corps during the Meuse-Argonne operations from 12 October until after the armistice. Later he commanded the 3d Army of Occupation at Coblenz, Germany.[4]

Dickman returned from World War I to serve as president of the Tactics and Organization Board, which reported on lessons learned during the war from April–July 1919. Dickman served as commanding general of the VIII Corps Area from 1919–21. He retired on October 6, 1921. He was later recalled to preside over postwar-army downsizing board in 1922. His memoirs were published in 1927.

Dickman died in Washington, D.C., on October 23, 1927.[1] He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[5]

The USS Joseph T. Dickman (APA-13) and the USS Hunter Liggett (APA-14), along with the USS Leonard Wood (APA-12), were the largest attack transports in the Amphibian Force during World War II. They each carried 35 landing boats and 2 tank lighters, along with 51 officers and a crew of 634. These newly commissioned U.S. Navy vessels were operated by the US Coast Guard. The USS Joseph T. Dickman carried soldiers of the 4th Infantry to the beaches of Normandy during Operation Overlord on D-Day.

The famous National Society of Pershing Rifles had its origin in 1894, when future general John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, then a second lieutenant in charge of military instruction at the University of Nebraska, started a "Varsity Rifles" drill team. A year later the unit was recognized as a fraternity and took on the formal name of "Pershing Rifles."

Similarly, the Dickman Rifles was an honorary military society formed at the University of Dayton to honor Maj. Gen. Joseph T. Dickman, Class of 1871. In May 1931 the Dickman Rifles were invited to a Pershing Rifles drill competition. This exposure to the National Society of Pershing Rifles led to a petition from the members to join the National Society.

• General Von der Goltz's "Conduct of War."