Edward L. Rowny
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I received good support from the whiz kids, two of whom, Alain Enthoven and
Harry Rowan, I had worked with previously. The third person, Charles Hitch, had
worked with McNamara at Ford. Every Wednesday afternoon I would bring
McNamara and his staff up-to-date on my plan and get approval for the next
week's actions.
At the first such Wednesday meeting, I had prepared some charts and was going
through them. Every time I got to a sticking point, Hitch would wink at me. It
encouraged me to go on. Afterwards I said to him: "Mr. Hitch, I don't know you
very well, but I'm certainly appreciative of the encouragement you gave me."
"Encouragement hell," said Hitch. "I thought much of what you said was wrong.
Every time I did," he added, "my nervousness made me wink."
Q ..
Who were the two officers with you on the chairman's staff group?
A
One was a colonel, Thomas Wade, a tactical pilot in the Air Force. Tom was
killed several years later in an auto accident just 200 yards from where I lived in
Brussels. He was coming up to visit me from Italy and after a 10- or 12-hour
drive, apparently fell asleep.
The other officer was Captain Norman Gray of the Navy. Captain Gray was a
lawyer. Later he successfully defended the captain of an aircraft carrier who was
relieved because there had been a fire on board. Up until this time, in strict
accordance with the Navy tradition that a captain is responsible for everything that
happens on his ship, no commander who had a ship fire had been acquitted.
Assistant Commander, Support, 82d Airborne Division
Q ..
When you left the chairman's staff group I gather you were assigned to the 82d
Airborne Division. Had you completed your tour?
A
I was nearing the completion of my tour when General Ted Conway, who later
became a four-star general in command of U.S. Army, Europe, took over
command of the 82d Airborne Division. I had known Conway in Italy when he
was an assistant to General Gruenther who was then Mark Clark's chief of staff.
Q ..
Were you then in the 92d Division?
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