Talk:Edson Raff

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Military history: North America / United States / World War II

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Where was Edson?

He led the 509th into Africa in late 1942. He shows up again landing at Utah via LCT in 1944.

Where was he from '42 to '44?
Why didn't he jump into Normandy?

His book was published in 1944, so perhaps he was back in the states, or in England, training more paratroopers? Anybody read his book? It may say in there. Beanbatch 20:29, 29 August 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Apparently, he commanded the 509th until at least Christmas of 1942, as he selected the group that set out to destroy the railroad bridge at El Djem, Tunisia. Still leaves 18 months. According to one veteran interview, Raff may have gotten in some trouble over his book, as he may not have requested permission to publish it. --Habap 13:56, 30 August 2005 (UTC)[reply]

OK, I found out more by re-reading some of Clay Blair's Ridgway's Paratroopers, in particular, what I have posted on the User:Habap/Raff user sub-page. So, he was on Bradley's staff, then was 'forced' upon Ridgway who assigned him to lead the 325's armored sea-landing force (21 tanks and 90 gliderists) on D-Day. No exact dates for his assignment to Bradley's staff or to the 82nd. --Habap 15:38, 15 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

According to Blair's book Ridgway's Paratroopers Raff was sent back to the states in 1943 from Africa because Ridgway disliked him (p. 79). Raff returned to CONUS for a job at the Airborne Training Center along with some other officers who had been wounded. Raff finagled his way to England on the 82d Airborne advance team and then onto Bradley's staff and then 'forced' back on Ridgway as discussed above who put him in charge of 'Raff Force'. Raff was then made temporary chief of staff of the 82d and then fired as COS and made commander of the 507th PIR (p. 336-338). The 507th was transferred to the 17th Airborne Division (along with Raff) after the 82d was withdrawn from Normandy (p. 356). Raff led the 507th PIR as part of the 17th ABD for the rest of the war. There is a picture of him in Blair's book between pgs 376 and 377. BBeagle 01:52, 17 February 2020 (UTC)[reply]

While in Normandy this spring, our guide speculated that Bradley may have selected Raff for that task, the size of which would merit only a Captain in command, because of his experience and rank, which would allow him more freedom and initiative than afforded a less-experienced or lower-ranking officer (whose troops could have been 'diverted' by any regimental commander). --Habap (talk) 20:56, 2 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Further re-reading of Blair's Ridgway's Paratroopers (page 507) revealed that Raff served as Chief of Staff of the 82nd Airborne Division (United States) for a few days in between the injury of Ralph P. "Doc" Eaton on the 6th and his appointment as CO of the 507th on 15 June. Eaton must have returned to the post when Raff left. --Habap (talk) 15:40, 16 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Web-surfing, I found two more sources of info on Raff in Africa. He commanded a combined-arms task force in central Tunisia from 15 Nov 1942 to 19 Jan 1943 that was the focus of a paper was presented to the Army War College (I believe the author is LTC Linwood W. Billings, but it is on the web with the permission of David D. Evans) on the "Tunisian Task Force".

Although Colonel Raff's command was officially known as the Tunisian Task Force, it was more often referred to as the "Raff Force" by the troops in that area of North Africa. United States Military Academy, A Military History of World War II With Atlas, Volume II, Operation in the Mediterranean and Pacific Theaters, p. 49. Tunisian Task Force

That site also hosts the journal of the 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, which has various details on Raff's actions. --Habap (talk) 19:22, 14 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Little Flower

Interestingly, Raff's sister the nun, didn't tell him that the Little Flower wasn't Jesus. In fact, the Little Flower of Jesus was from Calvados, Basse-Normandie, near where Raff would fight with the 325th. --Habap 06:14, 14 March 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Webster reference

As I was re-reading David Kenyon Webster's Parachute Infantry, I realized the book he was reading on the way to the Market Garden drop was Raff's book. Webster found it boring.... --Habap (talk) 20:56, 2 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Raff's family history

In searching on Amazon for more sources that mention Raff, I came across Hearst Over Hollywood by Louis Pizzitola, in which Colonel Raff is among those the author thanks in the acknowledgements. On page 37, Pizzitola identifies L. Edson Raff as a movie cameraman taking a shot from the rear of William Randoph Hearst's train speeding back (Washington to New York) from the William McKinley inauguration in 1901. The young Mr. Raff is identified as "the stepson of Norman Raff of Raff and Gammon, film manufacturers for Thomas Edison." I'm decided unsure of the relationship between the two, but since this is the only mention of a Raff in the book and Pizzitola thanks COL Raff, I am going to guess that there's a good chance this was his father or uncle. --Habap (talk) 15:24, 23 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Promotion to Colonel in NY Times

Go figure! "EDSON RAFF NOW COLONEL; Man Who Trained U.S. Parachute Troops for Africa Promoted", December 3, 1942, Thursday, Page 12, 133 words. I'll have to find that one. --Habap (talk) 15:24, 23 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]