| Courtney Hodges | |
|---|---|
| January 5, 1887 – January 16, 1966 (aged 79)) | |
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| Place of birth | Perry, Georgia |
| Place of death | San Antonio, Texas |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1906-1949 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | 1st United States Army 3rd United States Army X Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II *Battle of Normandy *Battle of Hurtgen Forest *Battle of the Bulge |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross (3) Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Silver Star Bronze Star |
General Courtney Hicks Hodges (January 5, 1887 – January 16, 1966) was an American military officer, most prominent for his role in World War II, in which he commanded the U.S. First Army in Northwest Europe. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. Perry is a city in Houston and Peach counties in the US state of Georgia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 was a major German offensive launched towards the end of World War II through the forested Ardennes Mountains This article concerns the United States Army Distinguished Service Medal The Silver Star is the third highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces. The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration which may be awarded for bravery acts of merit or meritorious service Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The First United States Army was a field army of the United States Army.
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Early life and military career
Hodges was born in Perry, Georgia where his father published a small-town newspaper. Perry is a city in Houston and Peach counties in the US state of Georgia. He attended West Point but was forced to leave after a year, along with George S. Patton Jr. "USMA" redirects here For other uses see USMA (disambiguation The United States Military Academy (also known as USMA, For the 19th century Scottish jurist/politician see George Patton Lord Glenalmond. , because of poor test scores ("found deficient" in mathematics). In 1906, however, he entered the United States Army as a private, and became a commissioned officer three years later. Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority He served with George Marshall in the Philippines and Patton in Mexico. George Catlett Marshall Jr (December 31 1880 &ndash October 16 1959 was an American military leader Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America.
World War I and postwar years
He earned the Distinguished Service Cross (second only in precedence to the Medal of Honor), during the closing days of World War I while leading an attack across the Marne River. The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, awarded for extreme The Marne is a River in France, a right Tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. After the war he was so well thought of that he became an instructor at West Point, even though he had not graduated from that institution.
In 1938, he became an Assistant Commandant of the Infantry School, and in 1941, he became full Commandant. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States Army Infantry School is located in Fort Benning, Georgia. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
World War II
In May 1941, he was promoted to major general and was given various commands, including Chief of Infantry until he finally received a frontline command, that of the X Corps, in 1942. In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star General officer X Corps was a Corps of the United States Army in World War II and the Korean War. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1943, while commanding both X Corps and then Third Army, he was sent to Britain, where he served under General Omar Bradley. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. United States Army Central, formerly the Third United States Army was a field army of the United States Army. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Omar Nelson Bradley KCB ( February 12, 1893 &ndash April 8, 1981) was one of the main U During Operation Overlord, he was subordinate to Bradley as Deputy Commander of the First Army, but in August 1944, he succeeded Bradley, as the latter went to command 12th Army Group and took command of the Army. Operation Overlord was the code name for the invasion of northwest Europe during World War II by Allied forces The First United States Army was a field army of the United States Army. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Twelfth United States Army Group was the largest and most powerful American military formation ever to take to the field
Hodges's troops were the first to reach Paris, France, and he led them through Germany. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. His troops fought the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and had a major role in the Ardennes Offensive, otherwise known as the Battle of the Bulge. The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 was a major German offensive launched towards the end of World War II through the forested Ardennes Mountains The First Army was the first unit to cross the Rhine River, by using the still standing Ludendorff bridge at Remagen, and to meet with the Soviet Red Army near Torgau, on the river Elbe. The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge Remagen is a town in Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Torgau is a Town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony, Germany. The Elbe ( die Elbe Low German: de Ilv) is one of the major Rivers of Central Europe. Hodges was promoted to general on April 15, 1945 making him only the second man, behind Walter Krueger, to rise to full General from enlisted private. Walter Krueger ( 26 January 1881 - 20 August 1967) was a German - American Soldier and General in the
In May 1945, after the German surrender, Hodges and his troops were ordered to prepare for the invasion of Japan; that became unnecessary, however, when the atomic bomb caused Japan's surrender later that year. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The final battles of the European Theatre of World War II as well as the German surrender took place in late April and early May 1945 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Hodges was present at the surrenders of both Germany and Japan.
Post-war life
After World War II, he served First Army Commandant stationed at Governors Island, New York until his retirement in March 1949. This article is about Governors Island in New York For other uses see Governors Island (disambiguation Governors Island is a 172- Acre (69 ha island New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Hodges died in San Antonio, Texas in 1966. His extreme personal modesty prevented him from receiving the credit due his efforts.
References
| Preceded by Walter Krueger |
Commanding General of the Third United States Army 1943-1944 |
Succeeded by George S. Patton |
| Preceded by Omar Bradley |
Commanding General of the First United States Army 1944-1949 |
Succeeded by Roscoe B. Woodruff (acting) |
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