Henry I. Hodes
{{short description|United States Army general}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Henry I. Hodes
| image = Henry I. Hodes.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Henry I. Hodes pictured as brigadier general
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1899|03|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Washington, D.C.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1962|2|14|1899|3|19|df=y}}
| death_place = San Antonio, Texas
| placeofburial = Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
| allegiance = United States
| branch = United States Army
| serviceyears = 1920–1959
| rank = General
| servicenumber = 0-12845
| unit = Cavalry Branch
| commands = United States Army Europe
Seventh United States Army
Command and General Staff College
24th Infantry Division
112th Infantry Regiment
| battles = World War I
World War II
Korean War
| awards = {{nowrap|Army Distinguished Service Medal (3)}}
Silver Star (2)
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal (2)
Air Medal
Purple Heart (2)
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
Henry Irving Hodes (19 March 1899 – 14 February 1962) was a United States Army four-star general who served as Commander in Chief, United States Army Europe/Commander, Central Army Group from 1956 to 1959.
Military career/biography
File:Henry Irving Hodes (1899–1962) at West Point in 1920.png
Henry I. Hodes was born in Washington, D.C., on 19 March 1899.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BFoeAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA226 |title=Department of Defense appropriations for ... – United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations |year=1959 |page=226 |via=Google Books |access-date=2022-12-13}}
He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1920. Hodes began his military career in the horse mounted cavalry, in the Wyoming and Texas wilderness. He led the United States Army into the mechanized age of trucks, cars, jeeps, tanks, and airplanes. He attempted flying, but gave it up after a couple of crashes. His military career accelerated in World War II, which found him in the middle of war planning in Washington, D.C.
He was wounded twice in World War II, while serving with the 112th Infantry Regiment in France and Belgium. He returned to the war after receiving a shoulder wound, but was sent back to the US after receiving a head wound on 20 September 1944, which required hospitalization. Hodes became a brigadier general on 25 January 1945. Other assignments included Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Army from 1945 to 1949, Assistant Commanding General, 1st Cavalry Division in 1949.
He served in the Korean War, where he was given the nickname "Hammering Hank". He served first as a field commander and later as a representative at Panmunjom – the Armistice Agreement with North Korea. His assignments during the war included Assistant Commanding General 7th Division from 1950 to 1951; Deputy Commanding General Eighth United States Army, 1951–52; and Commanding General 24th Division in 1952. He served as Commandant of the Command and General Staff College from 1952 to 1954, and was Commanding General, Seventh United States Army from 1954 to 1956. After serving in Korea, he returned to Germany. His service in post-war Europe was vital in the rebuilding efforts and designing defensive strategies opposite the communist Russians in East Germany and the Czech Republic, during the early 1950s.
File:General Hodes.jpg, Korea, during the early days of the Armistice talks]]
He was promoted to the rank of general on 1 June 1956, and served as Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Europe and Commander, Central Army Group for NATO until his retirement from the Army on March 31, 1959.
He retired after serving more than 40 years in the US Army. He suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and died at Brooke General Hospital in San Antonio, Texas on 14 February 1962.{{cite news |date=15 February 1962 |title=Gen. Henry I. Nodes Dies at 62 – Negotiated With Reds in Korea – World War II Combat Leader, Once a Top Horseman, Also Headed Army in Europe |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1962/02/15/archives/gen-henry-i-nodes-dies-at-62-negotiated-with-reds-in-korea-world.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=11 February 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times |page=29}} He was buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
Personal life
He had two daughters and one son, Col John Taylor Hodes, US Army (Ret). John served in Korea and three consecutive tours of duty in Vietnam.
Military awards
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan=4|220px |
| colspan="4"|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|ribbon=Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Silver Star ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-oak|ribbon=Purple Heart ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=8|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean_Service_Medal_-_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Dso-ribbon.png|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=noribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |
| colspan=5|Combat Infantryman Badge |
| 1st Row
| |colspan="2"|Army Distinguished Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters | |
|---|
| 2nd Row
|Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster |Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster |Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster |
| 3rd Row
|Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster |
| 4th Row
|European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two campaign stars |National Defense Service Medal |Korean Service Medal with eight campaign stars |
| 5th Row
|Distinguished Service Order (United Kingdom) |Order of Military Merit (Korea) (Class Unknown) |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.generals.dk/general/Hodes/Henry_Irving/USA.html Generals.dk entry]
- {{Find a Grave|7011857|accessdate=2 July 2008}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{succession box|
title=Commanding General of United States Army Europe|
before= Anthony McAuliffe |
years= 1956–1959 |
after= Clyde D. Eddleman
}}
{{succession box|
title=Commanding General of the Seventh United States Army|
before= Anthony McAuliffe |
years= 1955–1956 |
after= Clyde D. Eddleman
}}
{{succession box
|after = Charles E. Beauchamp
|title = Commandant of the Command and General Staff College
|before = Horace L. McBride
|years = 1952–1954
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodes, Henry I.}}
Category:United States Military Academy alumni
Category:United States Army personnel of the Korean War
Category:Commandants of the United States Army Command and General Staff College
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:Burials at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery