Roderick R. Allen
| Roderick Random Allen | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
January 29, 1894 Marshall, Texas, United States |
| Died | February 1, 1970 (aged 76) Washington, D.C., United States |
| Buried at | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1916–1954 |
| Rank |
 Major General
|
| Service number | 0-4652 |
| Unit |
 Cavalry Branch
|
| Commands held |
32nd Armored Regiment 20th Armored Division 12th Armored Division 1st Armored Division 3rd Armored Division XVI Corps 9th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II Korean War |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star Legion of Merit Bronze Star |
Major General Roderick Random Allen (January 29, 1894 - February 1, 1970) was a senior United States Army officer, who commanded the 20th and 12th Armored Divisions during World War II. Under his command of the 12th AD, the division defended Strasbourg from recapture against overwhelming odds; it provided the armored contingent in the closure of the Colmar Pocket and the liberation of Colmar; it spearheaded General George Patton's drive to the Rhine; captured intact the remaining bridge over the Danube River and broke the German defense line, making it the first time in recorded history that the Danube had failed to stop an invading army; and played a major part in blocking the Brenner Pass, thereby trapping over a million German soldiers in Italy as the war ended. En route to the Brenner Pass it overran eleven concentration camps at Landsberg, Germany.
During the Korean War, he served on General Douglas MacArthur’s general staff, was Director of Intelligence for the Army Ground Forces and commanded XVI Corps and the 9th Infantry Division.
Roderick Random Allen was born on 29 January 1894 as a son of Jefferson Buffington and Emma (Albers) Allen in Marshall, Texas, and spent his childhood in Palestine, Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1915 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.
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