William M. Hoge

William M. Hoge
Nickname(s)	"Bill"
Born	January 13, 1894 Boonville, Missouri, United States
Died	October 29, 1979 (aged 85) Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1916–1955
Rank	General
Unit	Engineer Branch
Commands held	4th Armored Division IX Corps Fourth Army Seventh Army United States Army Europe
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Korean War
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Army Distinguished Service Medal (3) Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Purple Heart Air Medal
Other work	Chairman of the Board, Interlake Iron Corporation

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.

Biography

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 (C-in-C) of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) on the Western Front, for heroic action under fire as a battalion commander during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Between the wars

During the interwar years, he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School.

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 in the assault on Omaha Beach. He then 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 Bunker Ridgway, the U.S. Eighth Army commander, Hoge commanded the IX Corps. Hoge achieved his senior command in the army as C-in-C 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.

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 October 29, 1979 at Munson Army Hospital, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

In Popular Culture

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

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

References

External links

• Hoge, William Morris, General (1894–1979)