Landrum was promoted to temporary major general on March 13, 1943[13] and commanded the 87th Infantry Division during its training in the United States. He relinquished command and went to Europe shortly before the June 1944 D-Day invasion, with U.S. First Army commander Omar Bradley, keeping Landrum unassigned and available to command a division on short notice.[22]
The 90th Infantry Division took part in the D-Day invasion, coming ashore on D-Day+1 and conducting combat activities in Normandy.[23] Major General J. Lawton Collins, commanding the VII Corps, became concerned that the 90th, which had not seen service in the war so far, was not performing effectively in combat. As a result, he relieved the division commander, Brigadier General Jay W. MacKelvie and assigned Landrum as his replacement.[24][25]
Landrum commanded the division during the rest of June and into August. During this period, he became involved in a verbal altercation with his ADC, Brigadier General Samuel Tankersley Williams, and requested that Williams be reduced in rank to colonel and reassigned. Landrum's superiors concurred, and the action was carried out. (Despite this, Williams remained in the army and was eventually promoted again to brigadier general in 1951, and advanced to lieutenant general before retiring in 1960.)[26] In August, Landrum's corps, army and army group commanders were still not satisfied with the performance of the 90th Division, and Landrum was relieved. He was succeeded by Major General Raymond S. McLain, and returned to the United States.[27]
Upon returning to the United States Landrum succeeded Robert L. Spragins as commander of the 71st Infantry Division during its mobilization and training before it departed for combat in Europe.[28][29] He did not remain in command when the division departed for Europe, but was reassigned to command the Infantry Advanced Replacement Training Center at Camp Maxey, Texas.[30]
Postwar
Following World War II Landrum returned to his permanent rank of colonel and continued his career, including assignment as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Fifth Army in Chicago.[31][32][13]
Korean War
During the Korean War Landrum served with Eighth Army, first as Deputy Chief of Staff and then Chief of Staff.[13]
At the time, commanders of numbered armies were not officially authorized deputies, so Landrum served as the de facto deputy for GeneralWalton Walker, the Eighth Army commander.[33]
Walker, who had served with Landrum at Fifth Army, relied on him during organization of the Pusan Perimeter as Eighth Army organized the defensive action which enabled U.S. and South Korean forces to begin the counterattack that pushed the North Koreans north across the 38th Parallel. Walker, who always referred to Landrum as "General Landrum" in recognition of his temporary World War II rank, made Landrum responsible for finding replacement troops and reinforcements and employing them where they could be most effective.[34][35] Landrum received a second award of the Distinguished Service Medal to recognize his efforts in Korea.[36]
Landrum served until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60. He retired at his wartime rank of major general in a ceremony at Fort Mason, California.[13][37]
Landrum was married to Frances Richardson Yeater (1894–1961), the daughter of Charles Yeater.[41][42] Their children included son Eugene and daughter Marianna.[43]
References
^Alabama, National Guard Index Cards, 1897–1924 Record for Eugene M Landrum, 1909
^U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798–1914, Record for Eugene M Landrum, 1910
^"90th Infantry Division". Order of Battle of the US Army - WWII - ETO. Washington, DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History. Archived from the original on January 27, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
^Spragins, Robert B.; Spragins, Charles E.; Spragins, Stewart V. (1965). "Memorial, Robert L. Spragins". westpointaog.org/. West Point, NY: West Point Association of Graduates. Archived from the original on 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2016-12-30.
