Frank Ross McCoy (October 29, 1874 – June 4, 1954) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

officer. He served in the Philippines, during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and led an American relief mission to Tokyo after the 1923 earthquake. He initially retired from the military in 1938, though was recalled to service in 1941 at the start of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, where he served on the

Roberts Commission The Roberts Commission is one of two presidentially-appointed commissions. One related to the circumstances of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and another related to the protection of cultural resources during and after World War II. Both were ...

. In his civilian career, he was president of the

Foreign Policy Association The Foreign Policy Association (FPA, formerly known as the League of Free Nations Association) is an American non-profit foreign policy organization. According to the FPA, the organization aims to spread global awareness and understanding of US f ...

and chairman of the Far Eastern Commission.

Early life

McCoy was born in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, on October 29, 1874, the son of Margaret Eleanor (Ross) McCoy and Thomas Franklin McCoy. a veteran of the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...

and

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

who attained the rank of brigadier general by brevet. He graduated from Lewistown High School in 1891, then attended the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

. He graduated in 1897, received his commission as a second lieutenant and was assigned to the 8th Cavalry.

Military career

McCoy served on the western front in

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

, in the Santiago campaign, and in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. He fought at Las Guasimas and was wounded at

San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John (disambiguation), Saint John, most commonly refers to: * San Juan, Puerto Rico * San Juan, Argentina * San Juan, Metro Manila, a highly urbanized city in the Philippines San Juan may also refer to: Places Arge ...

. McCoy was later awarded two

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

s and the

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

for his combat service in Cuba. In Cuba and in the Philippines, he acted as aide to General

Leonard Wood Leonard Wood (October 9, 1860 – August 7, 1927) was a United States Army major general, physician, and public official. He served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, List of colonial governors of Cuba, Military Governor of Cuba, ...

and was for several years aide to President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

. During the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...

, McCoy, then a captain, commanded U.S. troops at the Battle of the Malala River in October 1905, defeating forces of the Sultanate of Buayan and killing its leader,

Datu Ali Datu Ali (died 1905) was the Rajahmuda of Tinungkup (alternatively spelled as Tinukop) within the Sultanate of Buayan before succeeding his cousin, Datu Uto, as Rajah of Buayan formally from Uto's death in 1902 until his death in 1905. He was ...

. After returning from the Philippines, McCoy began studying at the

United States Army War College The United States Army War College (USAWC) is a U.S. Army staff college in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, with a Carlisle postal address, on the 500-acre (2 km2) campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks. It provides graduate-level instru ...

, graduating in November 1908. In 1911, McCoy was appointed a member of the

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, Enlisted rank, enlisted, and civilian staff who serve the commanding officer, commander of a ...

and, in 1917, became a member of the General Staff of the

American Expeditionary Forces The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States Armed Forces on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, composed mostly of units from the United States Army, U.S. Army. The AEF was establis ...

in Europe, where he commanded the 165th Infantry Regiment in 1918. McCoy wrote ''Principles of Military Training'' (1917). From August 1918 to March 1920, McCoy served as a temporary brigadier general. From August to November 1918, he commanded the 63rd Infantry Brigade, 32nd Division. From 1918 to 1919, McCoy was Director of Transportation in the American Expeditionary Force. In 1919, he served as chief of staff in the United States military mission to

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

. In December 1922, McCoy received a permanent promotion to brigadier general. He led a relief mission to Tokyo after the 1923 earthquake. McCoy was subsequently awarded the Japanese

Order of the Rising Sun The is a Japanese honors system, Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, created on 10 April 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge feat ...

. After returning to the United States, McCoy served as a liaison officer in the State Department Bureau of Insular Affairs from September to December 1925. After attending a refresher course at the Infantry School until February 1926, he commanded the 3rd Infantry Brigade at

Fort Sam Houston Fort Sam Houston is a United States Army, U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. "Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview), US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army. Known colloquially as "Fort Sam", it is named for the first president o ...

, Texas until March 1927. After attending the Field Artillery School until May 1927, McCoy commanded the 1st Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Hoyle, Maryland until September 1929. In September 1929, McCoy was promoted to major general. From October 1929 to February 1932, he commanded the Fourth Corps Area at

Fort McPherson Fort McPherson was a U.S. Army military base located in Atlanta, Georgia, bordering the northern edge of the city of East Point, Georgia. It was the headquarters for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, Southeast Region; the U.S. Ar ...

, Georgia. From February 1932 to March 1933, McCoy served on the Lytton Commission investigating the Japanese military invasion and occupation of Manchuria. He was subsequently awarded the Chinese Order of Chia-Ho. McCoy commanded the 1st Cavalry Division at

Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in New Mexico and Texas, with its headquarters in El Paso, Texas. Established in 1848, the fort was renamed in 1854 to honor William Wallace Smith Bliss, Bvt.Lieut.Colonel William W.S. Bliss (1815–1853 ...

, Texas from March to October 1933. He next commanded the Seventh Corps Area at

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

until February 1935. McCoy then commanded the Second Army and

Sixth Corps Area Sixth Corps Area was a Corps area, effectively a military district, of the United States Army from 1921 to the 1940s. The headquarters was established at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, in August 1920, from portions of the former Central Department, but ...

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

until May 1936. He next commanded the Second Corps Area at

Governors Island Governors Island is a island in New York Harbor, within the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located approximately south of Manhattan Island, and is separated from Brooklyn to the east by the Buttermilk ...

, New York until October 1938. McCoy served as interim commander of

First United States Army First Army is the largest OC/T organization in the U.S. Army, comprising two divisions, ten brigades, and more than 7,500 Soldiers. Its mission is to partner with the U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve to enable leaders and deli ...

from January to October 1938, and was succeeded by James K. Parsons. He retired on October 31, 1938, but was recalled between December 1941 and January 1942 to serve on the

. McCoy was also recalled from July to August 1942 to serve as president of the military commission during the trial of German saboteurs landed by submarine and from July to October 1943 as chairman of the War Department Procurement Review Board.

Civilian career

After the war, McCoy became the chairman of the Far Eastern Commission, an international body created to determine the fate of postwar Japan. He was also a member of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution.

Awards

McCoy received the

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. ...

with

oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a spec ...

. The citation for his first Army DSM reads: The second DSM citation reads: For his World War I service, he was made a commander of the Order of the Crown, an honorary companion of the

Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III ...

and an officer of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

. McCoy also received the

Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

with three palms and the Order of Prince Danilo I. After retirement, he was conferred honorary doctor of law degrees by

Washington & Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College (W&J College or W&J) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, United States. The college traces its origin to three Presbyterian m ...

(October 1938),

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

(June 1939) and

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

(1941).

Death

McCoy died on June 4, 1954, at the

Walter Reed Army Medical Center The Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), officially known as Walter Reed General Hospital (WRGH) until 1951, was the United States Army, U.S. Army's flagship medical center from 1909 to 2011. Located on in Washington, D.C., it served more ...

. He was interred at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

four days later. His birthplace, the McCoy House, was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1973. His papers are held by the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:McCoy, Frank Ross 1874 births 1954 deaths People from Lewistown, Pennsylvania United States Military Academy alumni Military personnel from Pennsylvania United States Army Cavalry Branch personnel American military personnel of the Spanish–American War Recipients of the Silver Star American military personnel of the Philippine–American War Military aides to the president of the United States United States Army War College alumni United States Army generals of World War I Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Commanders of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Honorary companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Officers of the Legion of Honour American recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) United States Army generals Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun United States Army generals of World War II Burials at Arlington National Cemetery 19th-century United States Army personnel