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 ...

Hanford MacNider (October 2, 1889 – February 18, 1968) was a senior

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

who fought in both world wars. He also served as a diplomat, the Assistant Secretary of War of the United States from 1925 to 1928 and the National Commander of

The American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is made up of state, U.S. territory, and overseas departments, and these are in turn made up of l ...

from 1921 to 1922. He was also the

United States Ambassador to Canada This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Canada.U.S. ...

Early life

Hanford MacNider was born in

Mason City, Iowa Mason City is a city and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,338 in the 2020 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro G ...

as the son of Charles H. MacNider, a prominent

banker A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Becaus ...

, and May Hanford. He attended

Milton Academy Milton Academy (also known as Milton) is a highly selective, coeducational, independent preparatory, boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts consisting of a grade 9–12 Upper School and a grade K–8 Lower School. Boarding is offered ...

(a boarding school in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

) and subsequently

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

, where he graduated in 1911 before returning to

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

. MacNider joined the

National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...

and served during the

Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the p ...

during the Mexican Revolution. 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 ...

, he served as a captain in the 2nd Division within

American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.) was a formation of the United States Army on the Western Front of World War I. The A. E. F. was established on July 5, 1917, in France under the command of General John J. Pershing. It fought along ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. The story goes that military charges were laid against him when one of his men disagreed with a colonel. He then supposedly went

AWOL Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which ...

to get to the front. When authorities finally caught up to him, he had already risen through the ranks to Lieutenant Colonel and won 14 medals, so charges were dropped. For extraordinary heroism in the battle, MacNider was decorated with two

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...

, three Silver Stars, Italian War Merit Cross, French Légion d'honneur, and French Croix de Guerre with Palm.

The American Legion

MacNider was Commander of the American Legion Department of Iowa, from 1920 to 1921, before being elevated to the office of National Commander, serving from 1921 to 1922.

Political career

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Calvin Coolidge appointed MacNider

Assistant Secretary of War The United States Assistant Secretary of War was the second–ranking official within the American Department of War from 1861 to 1867, from 1882 to 1883, and from 1890 to 1940. According to thMilitary Laws of the United States "The act of August 5 ...

in 1925 where Major Dwight Eisenhower was his executive assistant. He married Margaret McAuley in 1925. He was considered a possible

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

candidate A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example: * to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs. * ...

in the

1928 United States presidential election The 1928 United States presidential election was the 36th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 6, 1928. Republican Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover defeated the Democratic nominee, Governor Al Smith of New York. After ...

, but after the death of his father, MacNider returned to Iowa to handle the family's business affairs which thrived despite the Depression. President

Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964) was an American politician who served as the 31st president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and a member of the Republican Party, holding office during the onset of the Gr ...

appointed him as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Canada) in 1930. In

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort to assassinate Emperor Hiro ...

, he resigned in an unsuccessful attempt to be made the Republican candidate for

vice president A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

. In

1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * Januar ...

, he again failed to receive the Republican nomination for president and declined the vice presidential candidacy under

Wendell Lewis Willkie Wendell Lewis Willkie (born Lewis Wendell Willkie; February 18, 1892 – October 8, 1944) was an American lawyer, corporate executive and the 1940 Republican nominee for President. Willkie appealed to many convention delegates as the Republican ...

. He also turned down a cabinet position offered by President Dwight Eisenhower.

World War II

During World War II, he was wounded while commanding the Buna Task Force in

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...

. After recovery, he was given the command of the

158th Regimental Combat Team The 158th Infantry Regiment ("Bushmasters") is an infantry unit of the Arizona National Guard. The regiment has served abroad in World War I, World War II and Afghanistan. In 1967 then Governor of Arizona Jack Williams signed into law that 3 ...

(the Bushmasters) at the

Bicol Peninsula Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...

. His command of the 158th RCT in the Philippines was excellent and it was there that some of the toughest fighting of the war occurred. A regimental legend contends that at one point men of the 3rd battalion became drunk from a cache of Japanese

Sake Sake, also spelled saké ( ; also referred to as Japanese rice wine), is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indee ...

, at which point MacNider finding the men in poor conditions downed a whole bottle in a single moment and decried the troops for being poor soldiers. MacNider earned the respect and love of the men of the 158th by his courage and great battlefield leadership, this has led to an almost mythical reputation in the regiment even today. MacNider was eventually promoted to

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in the United States Army, and then

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

until his retirement in 1951. After retirement, he was promoted to

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 ...

by an act of Congress on August 7, 1956. He is one of only four individuals to be promoted to lieutenant general after retirement from the army.

Death

On February 18, 1968, while on vacation in

Sarasota, Florida Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sou ...

, he died at a hospital of

pulmonary edema Pulmonary edema, also known as pulmonary congestion, is excessive liquid accumulation in the tissue and air spaces (usually alveoli) of the lungs. It leads to impaired gas exchange and may cause hypoxemia and respiratory failure. It is due t ...

. It has been said that he was interred in Mason City's Elmwood Saint Joseph Cemetery, the cemetery office has no record of him, it is believed that he was cremated and his ashes scattered in an unknown location.

Legacy

Today MacNider is considered one of Iowa's greatest war heroes, the 158th RCT (Infantry) wartime leader, and an effective politician during the inter-war years. He is one of a very few individuals to be awarded three Distinguished Service Crosses.

Military awards

Hanford MacNider received during his military career many decorations and awards for heroism and distinguished service. Here are official citations of the most important military decorations:

First Distinguished Service Cross citation

The official U.S. Army citation for his first Distinguished Service Cross reads: :General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 44 (1919) :Action Date: October 3–9, 1918 :Name: Hanford MacNider :Service: Army :Rank: Captain :Regiment: 9th Infantry Regiment :Division: 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces :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 Captain (Infantry) Hanford MacNider, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division, A.E.F., near Medeah Ferme, France, October 3–9, 1918. Captain MacNider voluntarily joined an attacking battalion on 3 October and accompanied it to its final objectives. During the second attack on the same day, he acted as a runner through heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. He visited the lines both night and day, where the fighting was most severe. When higher authority could not be reached, he assumed responsibilities, and gave the necessary orders to stabilize serious situations. When new and untried troops took up the attack, he joined their forward elements, determined the enemy points of resistance by personal reconnaissance, uncovered enemy machine-gun nests and supervised their destruction.''

Second Distinguished Service Cross citation

The official U.S. Army citation for his second Distinguished Service Cross reads: :General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 44 (1919) :Action Date: September 12, 1918 :Name: Hanford MacNider :Service: Army :Rank: Captain :Regiment: 9th Infantry Regiment :Division: 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces :Citation: ''The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Infantry) Hanford MacNider, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division, A.E.F., near Remeriauville, France, 12 September 1918. On duty as regimental adjutant, while carrying instructions to the assaulting lines, Captain MacNider found the line unable to advance and being disorganized by a heavy machine-gun fire. Running forward in the face of the fire, this officer captured a German machine-gun, drove off the crew, reorganized the line on that flank, and thereby enabled the advance to continue.''

Third Distinguished Service Cross citation

The official U.S. Army citation for his third Distinguished Service Cross reads: :General Orders: Headquarters, South West Pacific Area, General Orders No. 12 (1943) :Name: Hanford MacNider :Service: Army :Rank: Brigadier General :Regiment: Commanding officer :Division: Buna Task Force :Citation: ''Brigadier General Hanford MacNider, United States Army, was awarded a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy, in action against enemy forces during World War II. Brigadier General MacNider's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.''

Distinguished Service Medal citation

The official U.S. Army citation for his Distinguished Service Medal reads: :General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 89 (August 13, 1946) :Action Date: October 1943 - October 1945 :Name: Hanford MacNider :Service: Army :Rank: Brigadier General :Regiment: Commanding officer :Division: Buna Task Force :Citation: ''The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General Hanford MacNider (ASN: 0-108101), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during the period from October 1943 to October 1945. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General MacNider reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Army.''

Ribbon bar

Here is the ribbon bar of Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hanford MacNider:

References

External links

Hanford MacNider
at Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade
Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macnider, Hanford 1889 births 1968 deaths 20th-century American politicians Ambassadors of the United States to Canada American anti-war activists United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army personnel of World War II Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur Coolidge administration personnel Harvard University alumni Hoover administration personnel Iowa Republicans Milton Academy alumni National Commanders of the American Legion National Guard (United States) generals People from Mason City, Iowa Presidency of Calvin Coolidge Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Philippine Legion of Honor Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the War Merit Cross (Italy) United States Army generals United States Assistant Secretaries of War United States Army generals of World War II