Hervey A. Tribolet

Commanding Officer 22nd Infantry

February 18, 1942 - June 10, 1944

Hervey A. Tribolet was born in India on July 18, 1893.

He graduated from Denison University in Ohio in 1915 witha doctorate in Business. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant
in the Officers' Reserve Corps on August 15, 1917. On that date he entered active duty with the Officers' Reserve Corps.
His position was vacated on May 23, 1918. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 57th Infantry on
May 1, 1918. He was given the temporary rank of 1st Lieutenant on September 13, 1918, a position he vacated
on September 26, 1919. On that date he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant of Infantry in the Regular Army.

Tribolet was honorably discharged from the Officers' Reserve Corps on May 24, 1920.

He was promoted to Captain on July 1, 1920. In 1931 he graduated from the Infantry School Advanced Course.
On August 1, 1935 he was promoted to Major. He received a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel on August 18, 1940.
He was given the temporary rank of Colonel in the Army of the United States (AUS) on December 24, 1941.

In February of 1942 Tribolet assumed command of the 22nd Infantry and led them ashore on Utah Beach,
on D-Day June 6, 1944. On June 11, 1944 Colonel Robert Foster assumed command of the Regiment.
The speculation is that General Barton, Commander of the 4th Infantry Division, relieved Tribolet due to
the Regiment not taking its planned objectives according to the operational planning timescale.

Several accounts state Foster as taking command on June 26. However, the 22nd Infantry Daily Action Journals
for the month of June 1944 show Tribolet in command of the 22nd on June 10, and Foster in command on June 11.

Tribolet was well liked by his Soldiers. There is no evidence that he was a bad commander.
If the speculation is correct that Tribolet was relieved for failure to make his objectives in the days following
the beach landings, the fault should have been placed on the fact that the 22nd Infantry met extremely fierce and
determined resistance by the German military. Casualties were very high in the 22nd Infantry during this time,
and indeed, throughout the rest of the 4th Division as well. The following passage from Bill Boice's
History of the 22nd Infantry in WW2 illustrates the situation:

On June 10th, Colonel Hervey A. Tribolet was relieved of his command
of the regiment. Division and Corps were dis-satisfied with the progress the
Twenty-Second was making. Slowed by the beach fortifications, Azeville,
Ozeville, Crisbecq and the Chateau all posed foridable barriers. The men of
the Twenty-Second naturally felt they were doing their utmost. It was with
genuine regret the men of the regiment learned that Colonel Tribolet had been
relieved. "Trib" had trained them; he knew many of their families, and he was
both loved and respected by the officers and men.

Their regard for him and their confidence in his ability and leadership remained.

On October 31, 1946, Tribolet retired from the Regular Army with the rank of Colonel.
He received a disability in the line of duty.

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