Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

George Price Hays (September 27, 1892 – August 7, 1978) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

general who served during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. He earned the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

as a young

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

officer during the Second Battle of the Marne in World War I. During World War II, he commanded the

10th Mountain Division The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the US military to re ...

in the last few months of the Italian Campaign.

Military career

Hays was born on September 27, 1892, in China, where his parents worked as

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

missionaries. He was raised in El Reno, Oklahoma, and attended Oklahoma A&M College (now

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

) before leaving school to enlist for

. He was commissioned a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in 1917, and by July 14, 1918, was a

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

serving in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

with the

10th Field Artillery Regiment The 10th Field Artillery Regiment was a Field Artillery regiment of the United States Army first formed in 1916. Due to the inactivation of the Third Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, the last active battalion (1st battalion) ...

, 3rd Division. On that day, during the Second Battle of the Marne near Greves Farm, his unit came under a heavy

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

artillery barrage and the communication lines were destroyed. Despite the intense fire, Hays rode on horseback between his unit, the command post, and two French

batteries Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

for the rest of that day and the next. Although he was severely wounded and had seven horses shot out from under him, his efforts contributed to the halt of the German advance. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor the next year, in 1919.

World War II

Remaining in the army during the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...

, Hays, who was promoted to lieutenant colonel on August 18, 1940, commanded the 99th Field Artillery (Pack) from 1940 to 1941; among his subordinates was Captain

William Orlando Darby Brigadier General William O. Darby (February 8, 1911 – April 30, 1945) was a career United States Army officer who fought in World War II, where he was killed in action at age 34 in Italy. He was posthumously promoted to brigadier general. Da ...

, who went on to found the

U.S. Army Rangers United States Army Rangers, according to the US Army's definition, are personnel, past or present, in any unit that has the official designation "Ranger". The term is commonly used to include graduates of the US Army Ranger School, even if t ...

. After the United States' entry into World War II, Hays, promoted to the temporary rank of colonel on December 24, 1941, participated in the

Battle of Monte Cassino The Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome and the Battle for Cassino, was a series of four assaults made by the Allies against German forces in Italy during the Italian Campaign of World War II. The ultimate objective was ...

in early 1944. He commanded the 2nd Infantry Division's artillery on

Omaha Beach Omaha Beach was one of five beach landing sectors designated for the amphibious assault component of operation Overlord during the Second World War. On June 6, 1944, the Allies invaded German-occupied France with the Normandy landings. "Omaha" r ...

during the

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

in June of that year. ANCExplorer George Price Hays grave

In late November 1944, after returning to the U.S., Hays, promoted to temporary major general on January 3, 1945, assumed command of the 10th Mountain Division when its CG, Major General

Lloyd E. Jones Lloyd E. Jones (June 17, 1889 – January 3, 1958) was a United States Army major general. A veteran of World War I, he was prominent during World War II as commander of the Alaska Defense Command's Amchitka Task Force and the 10th Mountain Divis ...

, fell ill. After training, the division arrived in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

in January and fought throughout the spring offensive. On April 24, 1945, Colonel William Darby was assigned as Hays' Assistant Division Commander, but was killed in action six days later. After the end of the war in Europe, Hays became High Commissioner for the US Occupation Zone in Germany from 1949, and assumed command of the

occupation forces Japan was occupied and administered by the victorious Allies of World War II from the 1945 surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of the war until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. The occupation, led by the United States wi ...

or U.S. Forces Austria (USFA) in April 1952, in Salzburg. He retired from the military in 1953, having reached the rank of

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Medal of Honor citation

*Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, United States Army, 10th Field Artillery, 3d Division. *Place and date: Near Greves Farm, France, 14 – July 15, 1918. *Entered service at: Okarche, Oklahoma. *Born: September 27, 1892, China. *General Orders No.34. War Department, 1919. Citation:

References

External links

Generals of World War II
, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Hays, George Price 1892 births 1978 deaths United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Foreign-born Medal of Honor recipients United States Army personnel of World War I Burials at Arlington National Cemetery World War I recipients of the Medal of Honor People from Yantai United States Army generals of World War II United States Army generals Oklahoma State University alumni Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit

Military career

World War II

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References

External links