Julian Hatcher
{{short description|United States Army general (1888–1963)}}
{{refimprove|date=May 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Julian Hatcher
|birth_name=Julian Sommerville Hatcher
|birth_date= June 26, 1888
|birth_place= Hayfield, Virginia, U.S.
|death_date= {{Death date and age|1963|12|4|1888|6|26}}
|death_place= Falls Church, Virginia, U.S.
|placeofburial= Arlington National Cemetery
|placeofburial_label=
|image= Julian S. Hatcher.jpg
|caption=
|allegiance= {{flagicon|United States}} United States of America
|branch= File:United States Department of the Army Seal.svg United States Army
|serviceyears= 1909–1946
|rank= 30px Major General
|servicenumber = 0-2908
|commands= Chief of Ordnance Field Service
|battles=World War I, World War II
|awards= Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
|known_for = Hatcher's Notebook
Book of the Garand
}}
Julian Sommerville Hatcher (June 26, 1888 – December 4, 1963) was a major general in the United States Army. As a firearms expert, he wrote technical books and articles relating to military firearms, ballistics, and autoloading weapons. He also pioneered the forensic identification of firearms and ammunition.
Biography
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Hatcher was born in Hayfield, Virginia,{{cite book|last1=Glenn|first1=Justin|title=The Washingtons: A Family History: Volume 6 (Part One): Generation ..., Volume 6|date=Sep 5, 2014|publisher=Savas}} and graduated with honors from the United States Naval Academy in 1909. He transferred out of the Navy, due to chronic sea sickness, and was assigned to the Army Coast Artillery Corps.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121994794/transferred-from-navy-to-army/ |title=Transferred from Navy to Army |newspaper=The Evening Star |location=Washington, D.C. |page=3 |date=September 10, 1910 |accessdate=March 31, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} Hatcher married Eleanor Dashiell, daughter of naval ordnance expert Robert B. Dashiell, in October 1910.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121992242/an-army-navy-wedding/ |title=An Army-Navy Wedding |newspaper=Evening Capital |location=Annapolis, Maryland |page=1 |date=October 19, 1910 |accessdate=March 31, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} The couple had three children.
In 1916, the Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié machine gun was in general use with the U.S. Army and was seeing action during the Punitive Expedition against the bandit Pancho Villa. Reports of its use in Mexico indicated the gun was not functioning properly. Investigation revealed that the chief problems were the 30-round metallic feed strips used in the gun, and inexperienced gunners. It was Hatcher, then a lieutenant, who was sent to the border to solve the problems. He found that none of the soldiers had been taught the proper use of the weapon. He set up the Army's first machine gun school and was soon turning out trained crews. Soon, the Benét–Mercié proved to be an effective weapon.
In 1919, at age 31 and holding the acting rank of lieutenant colonel, Hatcher was named commanding officer of Springfield Armory in Massachusetts.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121995514/lieut-col-hatcher-appointed/ |title=Lieut.-Col. Hatcher Appointed |newspaper= Holyoke Daily Transcript |location=Holyoke, Massachusetts |page=12 |date=September 3, 1919 |accessdate=March 31, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}} He was instrumental in developing a solution to the vexing problem of brittle metal in early receivers of M1903 Springfield rifles, built by Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal. His solution to the "grenading" of receivers (damage caused when shell casings failed catastrophically) was to drill a gas vent hole in the left side of the receiver, adjacent to the breech. The hole allowed gases escaping from a ruptured case to be exhausted safely and away from the face of the shooter. Dubbed the "Hatcher Hole", the modification was typically added to receivers at overhaul.
As Chief of the Small Arms Division in the United States Army Ordnance Department and the Assistant Commandant of the Ordnance School before and at the beginning of World War II, Hatcher worked closely with Springfield Armory as an engineering trouble-shooter in resolving early production issues associated with the early iterations of the M1 Garand rifle.
Hatcher's premier works are Hatcher's Notebook and Book of the Garand, both published shortly after World War II. Prior to the war, he wrote Pistols and Revolvers and Their Use and Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers. In the latter work, he introduced the Hatcher Scale, probably the first attempt to determine the stopping power of a handgun round by a formula.
After retiring from the military in 1946, Hatcher served as technical editor of American Rifleman magazine. He died at his home in Falls Church, Virginia, on December 4, 1963.{{cite news |date=December 6, 1963 |title=Obituary: Gen. Julian S. Hatcher |page=70 |newspaper=Daily News |location=New York City |agency=UPI |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121991565/gen-julian-s-hatcher/ |via=newspapers.com}}
Books
Hatcher author or co-authored the following books:{{cite book |first=Ray |last=Riling |title=Guns and Shooting, a Bibliography |location=New York |publisher=Greenberg |date=1951}}{{cite web |last1=Hamby |first1=James |last2=Thorpe |first2=James W |title=The History of Firearm Identification |url=https://www.firearmsid.com/a_historyoffirearmsid.htm |website=FirearmsID.com |access-date=4 January 2023}}
- {{cite book |first1=Julian S. |last1=Hatcher |first2=Glenn P. |last2=Wilhelm |first3=Harry J. |last3=Malony |authorlink3=Harry J. Malony |title=Machine Guns |location=Menasha, Wisconsin |publisher=George Banta Pub. Co. |date=1917}} [Riling 1833]
- {{cite book |first1=Julian S. |last1=Hatcher |title=Pistols and Revolvers and Their Use |location=Marshallton, Delaware |publisher=Small-Arms Technical Pub. Co. |date=1927}} [Riling 2017]
- {{cite book |first1=Julian S. |last1=Hatcher |title=Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers |location=Onslow County, North Carolina |publisher=Small-Arms Technical Pub. Co. |date=1935}} [Riling 2170]
- {{cite book |first1=Julian S. |last1=Hatcher |title=Textbook of Firearms Investigation |location=Plantersville, South Carolina |publisher=Small-Arms Technical Pub. Co. |date=1935}} [Riling 2171]
- {{cite book |first1=Julian S. |last1=Hatcher |title=Hatcher's Notebook |location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |publisher=Military Service Pub. Co. |date=1947}} [Riling 2596]
- {{cite book |first=Julian S. |last=Hatcher |title=The Book of the Garand |location=Washington |publisher=Infantry Journal Press |date=1947}} [Riling 2645]
- {{cite book |first1=Julian S. |last1=Hatcher |first2=Al |last2=Barr |first3=H. P. |last3=White |first4=Charles L. |last4=Neumann |title=Handloading |location=Washington |publisher=National Rifle Association of America |date=1950}} [Riling 2722]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://archive.org/details/Hatchers_Notebook Hatcher's Notebook] at archive.org
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Military personnel from Virginia
Category:American military writers
Category:United States Army generals
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
Category:United States Army War College alumni
Category:United States Army personnel of World War I
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)