Krueger, Lieutenant General Walter

1881–1967

   Krueger was a skilled tactician, who was one of MACARTHUR’s principal ground Commanders. He took command of the 6th Army in early 1943 and turned it into a superb fighting force which saw action in New Guinea, New Britain, the Admiralties, Biak, Noemfoor and Morotai. The Army was expanded and took part in the reconquest of the Philippines in 1944. In January 1945 the 6th Army landed on Luzon where it faced conditions it had not experienced before. The Army had fought in jungles and swamps and now faced long dusty roads through open spaces, then cities and also mountains. MacArthur was also pressing him to speed up the offensive but Krueger kept his Commanders advancing steadily until they reached Manila, which had to be fought for street by street and was only taken at the beginning of March. The 6th Army spent the last few months of the war clearing the Philippines of the Japanese. Krueger was an extremely competent Commander who did not seek the public eye.