Gordon’s father was a Regular Army officer in the Class of 1904. Gordon was born in Philadelphia on 19 January 1906. His life from birth to death was Regular Army, but he was always abreast of “times outside.”
He had one sister and a younger brother, Walter, Class of 1941.
Gordon never asked for “breaks.” He enlisted in the Army in 1924, made his way to Fort Belvoir and after passing all exams, ranked high enough to receive a Presidential appointment from the Army, Gordon had a head start at the Military Academy; he had spent four years there when his father was assigned as Assistant Professor of Chemistry.
Gordon was the one to whom we went with our questions—he had the answers and could tell you why. Academics were never a problem for him. Therefore, he had the time to help the rest of us.
On the non-academic side, he was the best rifleman in the Class for four years and spent the last three on the varsity team. In addition to that, he played varsity soccer during his last two years. He was a man of good will, complete aplomb, and his cadet career is well summed up by John Waters, his roommate who later became First Captain; Gordon and I never served together but there always existed that deep feeling of closeness born of sharing our cadet trials and tribulations. I admired him for his marked ability to look up, and lift, and laugh; his love of the Army fostered by his heritage; and deep reverence for ‘Duty, Honor, Country,’ and finally, I know of no one who cared so much for those around him or shared so much of his happiness—starting with his roommates, through the perils of war, and ending with his classmates who so frequently enjoyed his companionship, here abouts. Gordon has marched on—but he leaves with us, his classmates, and all who ever knew him or served with him, a warm spot in our hearts.”
Soon after graduation he married Gretchen C. Tritch of Denver. In 1936, Gordon Campbell was born and now resides in Denver. He gave his father three grandsons.
Gordon’s first assignment was the 5th Infantry at Fort Williams, Maine. (The newspapers from Maine claimed him as theirs.) His next assignments followed the pattern of most of us in the Infantry. In May of 1934 he was transferred to the 33d Infantry in the Canal Zone. After his first foreign service tour, he was assigned to Fort Thomas, Kentucky. In 1937 he went to Benning to The Infantry School, and after graduation, to Fort Warren to the 20th Infantry—then back with the regiment to Fort Sam Houston and later to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, then to Southern states maneuvers (with time out to shoot on the Army team again at the National Matches in Camp Perry), then back to the regiment and then to Fort Leavenworth.
After graduation from Command and General Staff School at Leavenworth, he rejoined the 20th for Louisiana maneuvers and returned to Fort Leonard Wood.
Now that World War II was on, he left the 20th and went to the 81st Infantry Division at Camp Rucker in the fall of 1942 as Division G1, Later he had his first chance at a larger command within a combat division. He went to the 103d Infantry Division as Commanding Officer, Division Special Troops and as a battalion commander in the 410th Infantry. He had gone from captain to major in February 1942. In October 1942 he became a lieutenant colonel—command and promotion traveled hand in hand for Gordon because strategy, operations, command and human understanding were his fortes.
In the spring of 1943 he was transferred to the 69th Infantry Division where he was a battalion commander, then regimental executive officer, then Division G3, and then Acting Chief of Staff. Soon thereafter he was assigned to Anzio and the 100th Infantry Battalion. It was with this Battalion that Gordon and his men made history that will live forever in the hearts of their countrymen and in their history books as well.
The 100th was the famous Hawaiian American Battalion whose feats formed the basis for the motion picture “Go for Broke” starring Van Johnson. Gordon’s citations were a complete history of the famous battalion. As commander of this famous battalion, he commanded the Task Force which would furnish the strategy for a series of quick flank and spearhead attacks which took the 100th Battalion into Rome and greatly expedited the liberation of the city—four months from Anzio to Rome liberated!
Near Belvedere, Italy, he quickly planned and executed an operation which resulted in the complete destruction of the right flank positions of the German Army, inflicting heavy losses and facilitating the advance of the American Division which followed him. He then led his troops in the capture of several formerly secure towns which opened the way to seizure of the port of Leghorn. Major General Charles Ryder, Division Commander, noted that Gordon had an exceptional comprehension of the tactical situation, absolute devotion to duty and to his men, and fearless participation in front line activity. General Ryder also stated that the 100th Battalion was “the most efficient all-around unit in his division.”
Small wonder that the 100th Hawaiian American Battalion (Separate) became known as the “Go for Broke” and ended the war as the most decorated battalion in the history of the United States Army: 11 Distinguished Service Crosses, more than 1,000 Purple Hearts (and Gordon shared in those), 44 Silver Stars, 31 Bronze Stars, 3 Legions of Merits, and 15 Battle Field Commissions. The man who trained them in the states and who commanded them in combat was Gordon Singles.
Gordon guided the 100th through two more campaigns after they had gone to the border of Italy and France: from Menton and into the Maritime Alps, then through the Vosges Mountain campaign.
Shortly after Christmas in 1944, Gordon, against his will, was transferred from the Hawaiian American to the 100th Division, commanded the 397th Infantry, and was promoted to colonel.
On V-E Day he was transferred to the Sixth Army Group to serve as Assistant G3 (Operations). When the group was deactivated, he was reassigned to The Infantry School, leaving Benning after a successful tour as Deputy Chief of Staff, The Infantry Center.
In the summer of 1948, he was assigned to the Philippines. After phase-out there he joined the Eta Juna School Command. Later he served in Korea and Japan until 1951 when he entered the Army War College, graduating in 1952.
In 1954 he served with Headquarters European Command as Chief, the Army Training Branch. After this he was assigned to the Pentagon in the Office of the Inspector General. He was soon made executive to the Inspector General until his retirement from that position and from the Army in 1961.
In addition to two Presidential unit citations, Gordon won the Combat Infantry Badge. His other military decorations, beside numerous campaign medals, include the Legion of Merit, four Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart, the Commendation Medal, the French Croix de Guerre and the Italian Cross of Valor.
It was as a strategist, commander, and friend of all men that we will remember him. Having been a widower a few years, Gordon was married to his long-time friend, Josephine Custer. He is survived by Josephine, his son and his three grandsons.
Gordon was loved and admired from the last private to the men who achieved positions of highest rank. Two quotes are in order. The first was received from a former private only ten days before his passing: “I found your name and address on the 5th Infantry Regiment roster, and I just had to write and tell you that I think you are one of the very nicest people that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in my lifetime to date, both as a man and a soldier.”
On learning of his death, a letter was received from Senator Daniel K. Inouye:
“...Some officers distinguish themselves by training their men thoroughly for war while others distinguish themselves by heroically leading their men in battle. Colonel Gordon Singles had the distinction of achieving an outstanding record in both. The results of his efforts speak for themselves. As the Commanding Officer of the 100th Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, his organization shares in the distinction of being the most decorated combat organization in the history of the United States Army. Colonel Singles’ outstanding leadership ability significantly contributed to this record.”