Jimmie Leach

Who was Jimmie Leach?

Colonel James Herbert "Jimmie" Leach was a US Army officer who served as a World War II battlefield Company Commander in Lt. Col. Creighton Abrams' 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division in Gen. George Patton's 3rd Army, from July 1944 and Operation Cobra, the subsequent rapid advance across France, through the Lorraine Campaign and the Battle of the Bulge. From May to September, 1948, Leach served as US Army liaison to the government of South Korea on Jeju island at the beginning of the insurrection that has been termed the Jeju Uprising. Col. Leach later commanded the 11th Armored Cavalry as the 40th "Colonel of the Regiment" in Vietnam from April–December, 1969 having taken command from Col. George Patton IV, son of his 3rd Army World War commander. As Chief of Armor Branch of the US Army in 1970-1972 he oversaw the careers of 3500 field-grade Army officers. As Chief, Col. Leach paid particular attention to the desire of battle-wounded officers to remain active in the Army. General Frederick M. Franks, Jr. credits Col. Leach with the critical role in maintaining his Army career and the career of other officers after Franks lost a foot in combat in Vietnam.