Henry D. Russell papers, 1937-1989

Henry D. Russell (1889-1972) was born in Henry County, Georgia. He obtained his law degree from the University of Georgia and became a prominent trial lawyer in Macon. He also followed a distinguished second career in the army. He served as the Provost Marshal in Paris during World War I and then organized various National Guard infantry brigades and divisions during the inter-war period. During World War II he was a member of the War Department Manpower Board, and he was one of the three ranking officers who served on the official Army Pearl Harbor investigation board. He served for 33 years reaching the rank of Lieutenant General, and the Macon National Guard Armory was named for him in 1961.

During World War II, Russell was relieved of command of the Georgia-based 30th Division because he was a National Guard officer and not a regular army officer. This, and further experiences investigating Pearl Harbor, made him question the regular army establishment, which he considered too “Prussian” in its philosophy and fraternalism. He felt that these qualities were exemplified by West Pointers like General Patton and General Marshall. Throughout the Cold War he was a determined opponent of any army effort to absorb the National Guard, considering it to be a healthy well-regulated alternative to the regular army.