William M. Hoge

Infobox Military Person
name=William M. Hoge
born= birth date|1894|01|13
died= death date and age|1979|10|29|1894|01|13
placeofbirth=Boonville, Missouri
placeofdeath=Fort Leavenworth, Kansas


caption=General William M. Hoge
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=1916-1955
rank= General
commands=U.S. Army, Europe IX Corps 4th Armored Division
unit=
battles=World War I World War II Korean War
awards=Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal(3) Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Air Medal Purple Heart
relations=
laterwork=Chairman of the Board, Interlake Iron Corporation

William Morris Hoge (January 13, 1894–29 October 1979) was a General of the United States Army.

Early years

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 West Point. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1916, then was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers and commanded a company of the 7th Engineers at Fort Leavenworth from 1917 to 1918. During World War I, Hoge received the Distinguished Service Cross personally from General John J. Pershing for heroic action under fire as a battalion commander in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. During the interwar years, he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and from the Command and General Staff School.

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 in the assault on Omaha Beach. He then directed Combat Command B, 9th Armored Division, in its heroic actions in the Ardennes and in its celebrated capture of the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine at Remagen. By war's end, Hoge commanded the 4th Armored Division.

During the Korean conflict, at General Matthew Ridgway's request, Hoge commanded the IX Corps. General Hoge achieved his senior command in the Army as Commander in Chief, U.S. Army, Europe. Hoge was promoted to Major General in May 1945, Lieutenant General in June 1951 and General on October 23, 1953. He 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 29 October 1979 at Munson Army Hospital, Fort Leavenworth.

External links

* [http://cgsc.leavenworth.army.mil/carl/resources/ftlvn/ww2.asp#hoge Army.mil: William M. Hoge]
* [http://www.usace.army.mil/publications/eng-pamphlets/ep870-1-25/bio.pdf USACE biography]
* [http://www.usace.army.mil/publications/eng-pamphlets/ep870-1-25/entire.pdf William M. Hoge USACE interview]
* [http://www.generals.dk/general/Hoge/William_Morris/USA.html Hoge, William Morris, General(1894 – 1979)]
* [http://www.wma1880.org/htmls/wma_history/alumni_chapter1.html The History of Wentworth]
* [http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/468.cfm Recommendations presented to Eisenhower as to General Hoge]
* [http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/ftlvn/ww2.asp CGSC Hall of Fame]
* [http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/ Arlington Cememtery, William Hoge and wife Nettie Fredendall]

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe
before= Charles L. Bolte
years= 29 September 1953 to 1 February 1955
after= Anthony McAuliffesuccession box
title=Commanding General of the Seventh United States Army
before= Charles L. Bolte
years= 1 April 1953 to 29 September 1953
after= Anthony McAuliffe