Courtney Hodges

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Courtney H. Hodges
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Courtney Hodges
Battles/wars
Awards
Spouse(s)
Mildred Lee Buchner
(m. 1928)

First U.S. Army in the Western European Campaign of World War II. Hodges was a notable "mustang" officer, rising from private
to general.

Born in

for extraordinary heroism.

In 1943, he was sent to England to serve under General

D-Day invasion. Two months later, he was appointed First Army's commander. Under Hodges, First Army had 18 divisions, the most under the immediate command of any general in the European theater of World War II. First Army liberated Paris, was the first Allied army to enter Germany, and cut Nazi Germany in two by advancing east to link up with Soviet forces who advanced west.[3]

Early life and military career

Hodges was born in Perry, Georgia on January 5, 1887.[2] He was the fourth of eight children.[4] The Hodges family traces its roots back to England and Hodges' branch arrived in America in 1750. After the American Revolution, they moved to Houston County, Georgia.[5] Courtney's father, John became the proprietor of the local newspaper, Houston Home Journal. Hodges attended Perry High School and graduated in 1903. Later he enrolled at North Georgia Agricultural College (now known as the University of North Georgia). He became a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. After his first year at North Georgia, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point.[4]

He would have graduated with the Class of 1909, but he dropped out after a year because of an inability to comprehend geometry. He then worked at a grocery store for a year.[6]

In 1906, Hodges enlisted in the United States Army as a private and was assigned to Company L, 17th Infantry at Fort McPherson, Georgia.[6] He quickly rose to the rank of sergeant, and in 1909 performed well on the competitive examination for prospective officers.[7] He was appointed a second lieutenant of Infantry in November, just a few months after his West Point classmates graduated, and was assigned to the 13th Infantry.[2][8] In his early career he served with the future Army Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, in the Philippines and future General George S. Patton in Mexico.[4][9]

  • Age 3
    Age 3
  • Hodges family
    Hodges family
  • Perry School, 1902
    Perry School, 1902
  • West Point, 1904, Official register
    West Point, 1904, Official register
  • Cadet Hodges, West Point, 1904–1905
    Cadet Hodges, West Point, 1904–1905
  • Conduct report, May 1905
    Conduct report, May 1905
  • 1909, Fort McPherson, Georgia
    1909, Fort McPherson, Georgia
  • 1915, US Infantrymen, Florida
    1915, US Infantrymen, Florida
  • Lt. Courtney Hodges
    Lt. Courtney Hodges
  • Major Hodges
    Major Hodges

Pancho Villa Expedition, World War I and postwar years

Hodges served in

Philippine Islands.[6] His first significant military operation was under the command of Brigadier General John J. Pershing, who led an expedition into Mexico to capture Pancho Villa after the Mexican bandit had raided the town of Columbus, New Mexico in the spring of 1916.[4]
This less-than successful mission included the first US army use of aircraft in combat. Hodges recorded a footnote in history when he was detached to rescue a stranded aviator, the first such rescue mission in U.S military aviation history.

Hodges served with

After occupation duty in Germany, Hodges spent the years 1920 to 1924 on the staff at West Point before attending and graduating from the

Fort Benning, Georgia until 1926, and in a similar capacity at the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell field, Alabama until 1929.[2][12]

For the next four years, he was a member of the Infantry Board at Fort Benning. Hodges then completed the United States Army War College in 1934. In 1938, he became an assistant commandant of the Army Infantry School, before becoming commandant in 1940.[2] While he was there he formed a friendship with Omar Bradley, who would feature prominently in Hodges's future military career.[12]

World War II

In May 1941 Hodges was promoted to

First Army under Lieutenant General Omar Bradley.[14]

During Operation Overlord in June and July 1944, Hodges served under Bradley as the deputy commander of the First Army. In August 1944, Hodges succeeded Bradley as the commander of the First Army, taking over when Bradley moved up to command the 12th Army Group. Hodges served under the command of Bradley and General Dwight D. Eisenhower until Nazi Germany's surrender in May 1945. By the time he took command "it was the largest and most experienced American field army on the Western Front. Consisting of the V, VII, and XIX Corps and controlling nine divisions, it had approximately 250,000 men."[15]

The Allied Army commanders hold a conference in a hayfield in Northwest France. Pictured are Lieutenant General Hodges, Lieutenant General Harry Crerar, commanding the Canadian First Army, General Sir Bernard Montgomery, commanding the Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group, Lieutenant General Omar Bradley, commanding the 12th Army Group, and Lieutenant General Miles Dempsey, commanding the British Second Army.

Hodges' First Army moved quickly across France, helping to liberate Paris on August 25, 1944[16] and then led them through France, Belgium, and Luxembourg on their way to Germany. General Hodges' troops were the first Allied troops to penetrate Germany, having reached the German border (northwest of Trier) on September 11, 1944. These troops were the 5th Armored Division, part of Major General Leonard T. Gerow's V Corps.[17] During the failed British attack on Arnhem, Operation Market Garden, supply priority was given to the Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group, and the First Army was diverted to the north of the Ardennes to stage limited attacks to draw German defenders south, away from the target sites.

Hodges' troops had a major role in blunting the

Ninth United States Army, on 20 December 1944. The First Army reverted to the 12th Army Group on 17 January 1945.[18][19]

Before, during, and after the Battle of the Bulge, the First Army fought the Germans in the

Siegfried Line Campaign
in American personnel was close to 140,000 casualties.

By March 7, 1945, the 9th Armored Division of the First Army captured the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen.[20][21] The First Army was the first enemy of Germany to cross the Rhine since the Napoleonic Wars. By the time the bridge collapsed after 10 days, the First Army had built two heavy duty bridges across the Rhine and established a bridgehead 40 kilometers (25 mi) long, extending from Bonn in the north almost to Koblenz in the south, and 10 to 15 kilometers (6.2 to 9.3 mi) deep, occupied by five U.S. divisions. They advanced slowly, waiting for Montgomery and the 21st Army Group to launch Operation Plunder across the Rhine on 23 March.

Lieutenant-General Courtney H Hodges, General Omar Bradley's deputy during the Normandy landings and subsequently commander of the US 1st Army, part of the 12th Army Group, being decorated by Field Marshal Montgomery at Munchen Gladbach in Germany.

Together with

Southwest Pacific Theater
. Bradley said of Hodges, "No other leader and no other armed force unit in World War II is entitled to greater credit than that which belongs to the quiet, modest General Courtney Hicks Hodges and his First Army".

Eisenhower referred to Hodges as the "spearhead and the scintillating star" of the United States advance into Germany, and sought to ensure that Hodges was properly recognised for his achievements despite "being seemingly overlooked by the headline writers."[25][24]

After the

Japanese Empire surrendered, with the official surrender documents signed in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Hodges was one of the very few individuals present at the surrenders of both Nazi Germany in Reims, France, and of the Japanese Empire at Tokyo Bay.[24]

  • Lt. General Courtney Hodges
    Lt. General Courtney Hodges
  • US Army General Courtney Hodges (left) greets Soviet Army Major General Gleb Baklanov (right) after the meeting of Soviet and US forces on the Elbe
    US Army General Courtney Hodges (left) greets Soviet Army Major General Gleb Baklanov (right) after the meeting of Soviet and US forces on the Elbe
  • General Courtney Hodges visited Perry, Georgia, in 1945.
    General Courtney Hodges visited Perry, Georgia, in 1945.
  • Courtney Hodges giving a speech, Perry, Georgia, 1945
    Courtney Hodges giving a speech, Perry, Georgia, 1945

Post-war life

After World War II, Hodges continued command of First Army at Fort Jay at Governors Island, New York, until his retirement in March 1949. He later acted as the Military Advisor to Sir Owen Dixon, United Nations Mediator to Kashmir.[26]

Personal life

On June 22, 1928, Hodges married a young widow, Mildred Lee Hodges (Mildred Lee Buchner). He reportedly courted her by inviting her along to walk his dog and go shooting. They had no children.[27]

Death and legacy

Hodges died in

San Antonio, Texas, in 1966. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
, Section 2, Grave 890-A.

In

State Route 7 Spur, a former section of U.S. Route 41/State Route 7, was named General Courtney Hodges Boulevard. A road in Dinant (Belgium) is named Avenue Général Hodges. In Maastricht
(Netherlands) the Generaal Hodgesstraat is named after him.

Although he possessed fine military reputation as a firm and skilled commander, Hodges was quiet and little known to his troops despite significant efforts to enhance his image and popularity. In his postwar memoirs, Omar Bradley who knew Hodges as well as anyone, wrote:

A spare, soft-voiced Georgian without temper, drama or visible emotion, Hodges was left behind in the European headline sweepstakes. He was essentially a military technician whose faultless techniques and tactical knowledge made him one of the most skilled craftsmen in my entire command. He probably knew as much about infantry and training as any man in the army. But he was unostentatious and retiring, Hodges occupied an almost anonymous role in the war. Yet as a general's general his stature among our U.S commanders was rivaled only by that of

William H. Simpson. For Hodges successfully blended dexterity and common sense in such equal portions as to produce a magnificently balanced command. I had implicit faith in his judgement, in his skill and restraint. Of all my Army commanders he required the least supervision.[28]

Still, Hodges has been criticized for his performance during the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. One historian called it one of the "most ill-conceived and unnecessary offensives of the whole northwest Europe campaign", adding that Hodges "lacked tactical imagination" and that "it was a miracle that he retained Eisenhower’s confidence".[29]

  • Headstone in Arlington National Cemetery
    Headstone in Arlington National Cemetery
  • Dedication, 1978, General Courtney Hicks Hodges Building, Georgia Veterans Memorial Park, Crisp County, Georgia
    Dedication, 1978, General Courtney Hicks Hodges Building, Georgia Veterans Memorial Park, Crisp County, Georgia
  • Dedication, 1980, General Courtney Hicks Hodges Armory, Perry, Georgia
    Dedication, 1980, General Courtney Hicks Hodges Armory, Perry, Georgia
  • Composite portrait of General Hodges at the Museum of Aviation
    Composite portrait of General Hodges at the Museum of Aviation
  • Painting of General Hodges at the Perry Area Historical Museum in Perry, GA
    Painting of General Hodges at the Perry Area Historical Museum in Perry, GA

Awards

Hodges' honors and awards included:[27]

United States

Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Army Distinguished Service Medal
with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Silver Star
Bronze Star Medal
Mexican Service Medal
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
World War I Victory Medal with three Campaign Stars
Army of Occupation of Germany Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
Arrowhead
Silver star
Bronze star
Bronze star
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
with five service stars
World War II Victory Medal

Foreign orders and decorations

Distinguished Service Cross citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) Courtney Hicks Hodges (ASN: 0-2686), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 6th Infantry Regiment, 5th Division, A.E.F., near Brieulles, France, November 2–4, 1918. Lieutenant Colonel Hodges personally conducted a reconnaissance of the Meuse River, to determine the most advantageous location for a crossing, and for a bridge site. Having organized a storming party, he attacked the enemy not 100 paces distant, and, although failing, he managed to effect the crossing of the canal after 20 hours of ceaseless struggling. His fearlessness and courage were mainly responsible for the advance of his brigade to the heights east of the Meuse.

Division: 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 3 (1919)[30]

Dates of rank

Insignia Rank Component Date
No insignia Cadet United States Military Academy June 16, 1904
(Resigned June 17, 1905.)
Various Enlisted Regular Army May 1, 1906
No insignia in 1909
Second lieutenant
Regular Army November 13, 1909
 
First lieutenant
Regular Army July 1, 1916
 
Captain
Regular Army May 15, 1917
 Major
National Army
June 7, 1918
 Lieutenant colonel National Army October 31, 1918 [31]
 Major Regular Army July 1, 1920
 Lieutenant colonel Regular Army October 1, 1934
 Colonel Regular Army October 1, 1938
 Brigadier general Regular Army April 1, 1940
 Major general Regular Army May 1, 1941
 Lieutenant general Army of the United States February 16, 1943
 General Army of the United States April 15, 1945
 General Retired List March 31, 1949

[32]

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Courtney Hodges". The Hall Of Valor Project.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Sylvan & Smith 2008, p. 1.
  3. ^ Wishnevsky 2006.
  4. ^ a b c d English 2009, p. 95.
  5. ^ Wishnevsky 2006, p. 6.
  6. ^ a b c d Hannan 1999, p. 397.
  7. ^ "Biographical Note, Courtney Hicks Hodges". National Archives Catalog. College Park, MD: National Archives and Records Administration. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  8. ^ Lincoln, Natalie Sumner, ed. (June 1921). "Work of the Chapters: General Stewart Chapter". Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine. Washington, DC: Daughters of the American Revolution. p. 341 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ Wishnevsky 2006, pp. 22–23.
  10. ^ "Army History: The Professional Bulletin of Army History". 1989.
  11. ^ English 2009, p. 95−96.
  12. ^ a b c English 2009, p. 96.
  13. ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 168.
  14. ^ English 2009, pp. 96–98.
  15. ^ English 2009, p. 98.
  16. ^ English 2009, pp. 108–109.
  17. ^ English 2009, p. 110.
  18. ^ Pogue 1945, pp. 378, 395.
  19. ^ English 2009, p. 128.
  20. ^ English 2009, p. 129.
  21. ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 288.
  22. ^ a b English 2009, p. 133.
  23. ^ Taaffe 2013, p. 292.
  24. ^ a b c English 2009, p. 134.
  25. ^ Morelock 1945, p. 299.
  26. ^ DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER LIBRARY, p/4
  27. ^ a b Congress 1966, p. 1149.
  28. ^ Sylvan & Smith 2008, p. 3.
  29. ^ Trigg 2020, pp. 13, 90–93.
  30. ^ "Distinguished Service Cross Citation, Courtney Hicks Hodges". The Hall of Valor Project. Springfield, VA: Military Times. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  31. ^ Official date of rank of March 20, 1918
  32. ^ Official Register of Commissioned Officers of the United States Army, 1948. pg. 835.

References

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Commandant of the United States Army Infantry School
1940–1941
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Newly activated organization
Commanding General X Corps
1942–1943
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commanding General Third Army
1943–1944
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Commanding General First Army

1944–1949
Succeeded by