William M. Hoge

General William Morris Hoge (January 13, 1894 – October 29, 1979) was a United States Army officer who fought in World War I, World War II and the Korean War, with a military career spanning nearly forty years.

William M. Hoge
Nickname(s)"Bill"
Born(1894-01-13)January 13, 1894
Boonville, Missouri
DiedOctober 29, 1979(1979-10-29) (aged 85)
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1916–1955
RankGeneral
Commands heldUnited States Army Europe
Seventh United States Army
Fourth United States Army
IX Corps
4th Armored Division
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
Korean War
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross
Army Distinguished Service Medal (3)
Silver Star (2)
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Air Medal
Other workChairman of the Board, Interlake Iron Corporation

Early life and military career

William M. Hoge grew up in Lexington, Missouri, where his father, William McGuffey Hoge, served as principal and superintendent at Wentworth Military Academy. After graduating from Wentworth in 1912, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York. He graduated in 1916, then was commissioned into the Engineer Branch of the United States Army and commanded a company of the 7th Engineer Regiment at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas from 1917 to 1918.

During World War I, Hoge received the Distinguished Service Cross personally from General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Force on the Western Front, for heroic action under fire as a battalion commander during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

During the interwar years, Hoge graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and from the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

World War II

Hoge directed one of the great engineering feats of World War II, the construction of the 1,519-mile (2,450 km) ALCAN Highway in nine months. Later, in Europe, he commanded the Provisional Engineer Special Brigade Group attached directly to V Corps (United States) in the assault on Omaha Beach. One of his key men who worked under him from Alaska to England, Colonel Benjamin B. Talley, directed the planning-specifics of the invasion, using maps, air studies, even tourist photos and postcards culled from the British people to learn the topography, and designate which units would assault which sectors of the two United States beaches. Talley went ashore at Omaha in the third wave to direct Engineer operations and immediately begin to receive men by the thousands and supplies by the ton over the beach from the Communications Zone, the supply and service-forces arm of the European Theater of Operations. Hoge later directed Combat Command B of the 9th Armored Division, in its heroic actions in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge, and in its celebrated capture of the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine River at Remagen. By war's end, Hoge was the Commanding General of the 4th Armored Division.

Post-World War II

During the Korean War, at the request of General Matthew Ridgway, the Eighth United States Army commander, Hoge commanded the IX Corps. Hoge achieved his senior command in the army as Commander-in-Chief of United States Army Europe. Hoge was promoted to major general in May 1945, lieutenant general in June 1951, and full general on October 23, 1953.

Hoge retired from active duty in January 1955 to his hometown of Lexington, Missouri, then turned to the private sector as Chairman of the Board of Interlake Steel. Hoge moved to his son's farm in Kansas in October 1975 and he died suddenly on October 29, 1979 at Munson Army Hospital, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

In the 1969 film The Bridge at Remagen, the character of Brigadier General Shinner (played by E. G. Marshall) was based on Hoge.

Awards and decorations

1st Row Distinguished Service Cross Army Distinguished Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
2nd Row Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Air Medal
3rd Row Army Commendation Medal Purple Heart Mexican Border Service Medal World War I Victory Medal with three Battle Clasps
4th Row Army of Occupation of Germany Medal American Defense Service Medal American Campaign Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with silver service star and Arrowhead device
5th Row Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal National Defense Service Medal
6th Row Korean Service Medal with four service stars Honorary Companion of the Order of the Bath (United Kingdom) Distinguished Service Order (United Kingdom) Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)
7th Row Commander of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Commander of the Military Order of Italy Commander of the Order of Military Merit (Brazil) Czechoslovak War Cross 1939-1945
8th Row Order of Kutuzov, 1st Class (Soviet Union) Korean Order of Military Merit, 1st Class French Croix de guerre 1939–1945 with Palm United Nations Korea Medal

Hoge Barracks, the transient housing operation at Fort Leavenworth, is named in his honor.

References

    Military offices
    Preceded by
    Hugh Joseph Gaffey
    Commanding General 4th Armored Division
    March 1945 – June 1945
    Succeeded by
    Bruce C. Clarke
    Preceded by
    Oliver P. Smith
    Commanding General IX Corps
    1950–1951
    Succeeded by
    Willard G. Wyman
    Preceded by
    Jonathan Wainwright
    Commanding General Fourth Army
    1952–1953
    Succeeded by
    LeRoy Lutes
    Preceded by
    Charles L. Bolte
    Commanding General Seventh Army
    April – September 1953
    Succeeded by
    Anthony McAuliffe
    Commanding General United States Army Europe
    1953–1955
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