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Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. (July 18, 1886 - June
18, 1945) was an United States|American general
during World War II. He served in the Pacific
Theater of Operations and commanded the defences
of Alaska early in the war. After that assignment,
he was promoted to command US Tenth Army|Tenth
Army, the ground formation to command the assault
on Okinawa. He was killed during the closing days
of the Battle of Okinawa by ricochet|ricocheting
artillery fire. Buckner was the highest ranking
American to die during the war. 

Earlier in the war, when he had commanded troops
in Alaska, his prejudices had been exposed. A
southerner and avowed racism|racist, when told he
would be commanding black troops, he vehemently
opposed it. He said that he feared they would
cross breed with the native Alaskans and produce
"the ugliest race the world has ever seen."

His father was Confederate States of
America|Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner,
Sr., who famously surrendered to then
brigadier-general U. S. Grant at Fort Donelson.

In an interesting irony, his commander was General
of the Army Douglas MacArthur son of Union
(American Civil War)|Union General Arthur
MacArthur. The fathers had fought against each
other; now their sons would fight together. 

Fort Buckner in Okinawa, Japan is named after him.


==External link==
*http://www.thebucknerhome.com Family Home Page