WI: War Hero Richard Milhous Nixon

I plan to make TL about alternate United States - Nixon volunteering to Army instead of Navy and becoming war hero after his actions in European Theathre of War. I have few questions: what rank he should have when enlisted? Ensign or Second Lieutenant? How fast he should be promoted to next ranks assuming that he took part in Operation Torch and through his bravery was used by American war propaganda as war hero? With what rank he should be after end of World War II? And finally - is there any chance for him to commanding people (as captain, major or higher) during battle of Monte Cassino and befriending with Eisenhower during war? Maybe during Operation Greife (capturing several German spies by Nixon and claiming that they tried to capture/kill Ike)?
 
Well the absolute record for promotion to high rank in WWII, is Private to Brigadier-General (Fitzroy Maclean and Enoch Powell).
It might be interesting to have a meeting between Nixon and Powell in Algiers.

So its possible that starting as a 2nd Lt in 1941 he might get as far as Major-General.

If he performs some heroic MOH worthy act of bravery during Torch, and is then transferred to a staff position where he manages a praiseworthy accomplishment in sorting out the supply snarl-up after Normandy, and subsequently replaces John Lee in some capacity (At which point the ASB's start circling)
 
Just my opinion, but I think Nixon as a war hero might turn out to be a very different person than Nixon turned out to be OTL. The man was a mess of insecurities around issues of social and economic class and educational background. A Nixon who felt he proved himself in battle might avoid or temper these insecurities and be a far more confident person going forward. The 1960 election is a perfect example: he was up against JFK, who in his mind was everything he was not: a war hero with a Harvard degree. The downside of this scenario from an AH point of view is that the insecurity is part of what drove Nixon. A war hero Nixon might have been less ambitious and quite content to make money practicing law or going into business.
 
So:
Private - 30th June 1940*
Corporal - 12th January 1941
Sergeant - 11th November 1941
Sergeant Major - 15th July 1942
Officer cadet - 14th December 1942**
Second lieutenant - 19th August 1943
First lieutenant - 16th March 1944***
Captain - 19 December 1944****

*After French armstice Nixon joined Army because he felt that next World War will happen just like twenty years before.
**Promoted after Operation Torch in which he rescued his six wounded companions from battlefield and was praised by war propaganda as hero. Earlier he participated in battle of El Alamein.
*** Wounded in right arm after rescuing several companions including his superior officer Major John Enoch (ATL)
****After capturing German spies who tried to capture General Eisenhower.

Is it right?
 
I agree with Apollo 20. He did good service in the SW Pacific as a admin type guy, he always felt under appreciated. That fueled a lot of his problems that bled into his governance.
 
I have other idea - could he join West Point academy in 1937 instead of practicing with the law firm Wingert and Bewley? I this case he should be graduated in 1941 with rank of second lieutenant.
So:
June 1941 - Second lieutenant
March 1942 - First lieutenant
December 1942 - Captain*
December 1943 - Major**
May 1944 - Lieutenant Colonel***
March 1945 - Colonel

*After his braverous action in Algiers and second battle of El Alamein.
** After Operation Husky and advance into Southern Italy
*** After battle of Monte Cassino

It this more possible than my before posts?
 
I'm somewhat confused, why is a American officer at El Alamein? I'm sure there were some observers and liaisons, but Nixon in 1942 would be rather junior for that work.
And going from 2nd El Alamein to Operation Torch at the other end of the desert seems even more unlikely.
 
Dear Winicjusz,
Assuming that RMN enlisted (or was drafted) either before or immediately after Pearl Harbor, the best way for him to become an Army officer was to be selected for Officers Candidate School after basic training or after a short time as an enlisted man. OCS was a 90 day course and the successful candidates became second lieutenants. A college educated man such as RMN would probably have a good shot at being selected for OCS, especially since in OTL he became a Navy officer and I believed the rose to Lieutenant (the equivalent of an Army Captain). Being promoted from sergeant to second lieutenant (a "battlefield promotion") was less common, although it was possible.
Most OCS graduates topped out at Captain or, in rare circumstances, Major. Major Dick Winters of "Band of Brothers" fame was a non-West Pointer who rose to command a battalion.
Best regards,
AH
 
Assuming that RMN enlisted (or was drafted) either before or immediately after Pearl Harbor, the best way for him to become an Army officer was to be selected for Officers Candidate School after basic training or after a short time as an enlisted man.

Agreed. OCS is the best method. In fact, as a college graduate and practicing attorney, he would probably be selected as a potential officer right at the start. There is very little chance the Army is going to keep a college graduate as an enlisted man when there is a desperate need for junior officers. He'd be given a commission as a second lieutenant. Most likely he'd rise to the rank of Captain as AH suggested. However, if he served in combat, he'd potentially receive commendations or medals that burnish his reputation.

In order for him to be promoted to major or above, he'd need to have lots of combat experience and have performed very well. As well as getting lucky in the opportunities for promotion. Major would be pushing it. I'd only see Colonel if his service was completely outstanding AND a senior general noticed him and choose to promote him to staff duty near the end of the war.

The chances of Nixon befriending Eisenhower is extremely low. However, if Nixon ends up on some general's staff, then Ike would learn of the kind of man Nixon was through knowing that general. Certainly it would create some kind of bond if they had a mutual friend (Ike's subordinate and Nixon's superior) when their political careers intersected. Assuming OTL's Nixon's career in politics, Ike might be much more strongly committed to Nixon as VP.

However, if Nixon is at Monte Cassino, it means he probably stays in the Italian theater. That makes it much less likely he comes into any kind of contact with Ike. Why do you want him to be at Monte Cassino? The best chance is if he is in a unit that gets transferred to Britain for the invasion of France. I wonder if it would be possible for Nixon to be posted in the 1st Infantry Division? While he might not make it in time for Torch, perhaps he'd be a replacement for the Sicilian campaign. If he was in one of the units that received heavy casualties on Omaha Beach and displayed great leadership and heroism, it might be enough to fast track him into available officer positions. Let's say he was one of the men who helped Colonel George Taylor, and commander of the 16th Infantry Regiment, rally. Taylor was impressed and remembers Nixon. Later when Taylor was promoted to Brigadier General and later assistance division commander Taylor eventually brings Nixon on board as staff after Nixon continues to display superb combat leadership in the months following Normandy.
 
The 1st Division replacement at the end of Torch or during Husky (Sicily) would be very believable. I think one might have to also look at Nixon's physical fitness. I think he played football at Whittier, but I always thought of him as a bit frail. Just the perception of a kid (was born in 65 and he was the first president I was really conscience of).
Doing a little wiki...he played basketball well, football not so well (made the team but was small). By Dec 7 41 he was almost 29 and married though still childless. He had tried to get a govt job in DC and succeeded early in 42 but quickly volunteered for the Navy. 2 awards for admin in the SW Pacific and in California...lots of legal type work at the end to terminate contracts no longer needed. I think we would need a POD during college or high school even, that allowed him to be more physical and athletic while he was at Duke Law School and his early law career. Maybe something that led him into a ARNG unit a couple of years before Dec 7. Maybe he could find some of the camaraderie and appreciation he sought through it and begin to bloom.
Just my two cents.
 
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A better what If; What if Whittier College had an ROTC program in the 1930's when Nixon attended, and he was comissioned as an officer, either Navy or Army.After Law school he would most likely been assigned to JAG as a reservist. When the war breaks out Nixon could apply for active duty If he stays navy he could be assigned to surface forces either Atlantic SHAEF staff than combat operations, or Pacific as a line officer serving in the Solomons.. Possible Navy Cross or MoH for combat operations in the slot or cruiser battles.. just my 2 cents worth.
Army again JAG and SHAEF staff then line transfer.. right place at right time in Normandy .
 
One problem with that is that Nixon's family and Whittier were Quaker. I know Whittier is now seen as secular. I don't know when they changed. ROTC unlikely if he stays at Whittier. He had been offered a Harvard scholarship. Maybe a CA state school offers a scholarship.
 
Dear Winicjusz,
Assuming that RMN enlisted (or was drafted) either before or immediately after Pearl Harbor, the best way for him to become an Army officer was to be selected for Officers Candidate School after basic training or after a short time as an enlisted man. OCS was a 90 day course and the successful candidates became second lieutenants. A college educated man such as RMN would probably have a good shot at being selected for OCS, especially since in OTL he became a Navy officer and I believed the rose to Lieutenant (the equivalent of an Army Captain). Being promoted from sergeant to second lieutenant (a "battlefield promotion") was less common, although it was possible.
Most OCS graduates topped out at Captain or, in rare circumstances, Major. Major Dick Winters of "Band of Brothers" fame was a non-West Pointer who rose to command a battalion.
Best regards,
AH

If Nixon enlists in the Army after Pearl Harbor-and this was scarcely unprecedented-he will eventually be taken aside, and it will be strongly suggested that he apply to be commissioned in the Judge Advocate General's Corps as a temporary second lieutenant. JAG had an OTC for military attorneys at Ann Arbor. Nixon will be sent there. After graduation, his promotion to lieutenant will be rubber-stamped after six months. Not too many officers in the JAG saw combat, but it occasionally happened. A couple of JAG officers-one of them assigned to a base section in Normandy-managed to be in the wrong time at the wrong place, ran into Germans and proved themselves sufficiently valorous as to be decorated for heroism. But these guys weren't Audie Murphy, and none of them built a political career out of it. Decoration or not, he'll top out as a captain unless he's lucky enough to get himself assigned to a Board of Review (*) in which case Nixon might leave the service as a major.

Alternatively, Nixon could sign up for an obscure little outfit in 1961 as a civilian, and go to work for one William Donovan of OSS fame. He favored attorneys from the Ivy League schools, but it wasn't mandatory. Nixon would be commissioned in due course-that was standard procedure. Maybe he'll end up assigned to a JEDBURGH mission in France (charitably assuming he can handle the physical demands of parachute training), and do well enough to be recognized.

(*) The Board of Review was the Army's equivalent of an appellate court, and no soldier could be executed or sent to a penitentiary (or get a DD) without its approval. The junior member of a BOR was usually a major.
 
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