John Reed Hodge | |
|---|---|
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| Military Governor of Korea | |
| In office 8 September 1945 – 15 August 1948 | |
| Deputy | Archibald V. Arnold Archer L. Lerch William F. Dean Charles G. Helmick |
| Preceded by | Nobuyuki Abe (asGovernor-General of Korea) |
| Succeeded by | Syngman Rhee (asPresident of the Republic of Korea) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1893-06-12)12 June 1893 Golconda, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | 12 November 1963(1963-11-12) (aged 70) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Awards | Army DSM (3) Navy DSM Legion of Merit Air Medal Purple Heart |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  U.S. Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1953 |
| Rank |  General |
| Unit | Infantry Branch |
| Commands | |
| Battles/wars | |
GeneralJohn Reed Hodge (12 June 1893 – 12 November 1963) was an American military officer of theUnited States Army. Hodge commandedOperation Blacklist Forty in 1945. He served as the governor of theAmerican military government in Korea from 1945 to 1948.
Born inGolconda, Illinois, Hodge attended Southern Illinois Teachers College and theUniversity of Illinois. After completing an officer indoctrination program at theU.S. Army Officer Candidate School atFort Sheridan, he received adirect commission in the Army as aninfantrysecond lieutenant in 1917. He served inWorld War I inFrance andLuxembourg.[1]
Remaining in the Army following the end of the war, he taught military science at Mississippi State University from 1921 to 1925 and graduated from the Infantry School in 1926. After a posting to Hawaii, he graduated from theCommand and General Staff School, from where he graduated in 1934, theArmy War College, and theAir Corps Tactical School.[1]
At the beginning ofWorld War II, Hodge served as chief of staff of theVII Corps under the command of Major GeneralRobert C. Richardson Jr., located inCalifornia as a part of theWestern Defense Command. He was promoted to the temporary rank ofbrigadier general in June 1942 and transferred to the25th Infantry Division inHawaii, where he succeededGilbert R. Cook as the assistant division commander (ADC) and deputy of Major GeneralJ. Lawton Collins.[1]
The 25th Division was sent overseas toGuadalcanal in November 1942. Hodge stayed with 25th Division until April 1943, when he was promoted to the rank of major general and transferred to the temporary command of the43rd Infantry Division, where he relieved Major GeneralJohn H. Hester, who was exhausted from combat.[2] Hodge commanded the 43rd Division during the combats inNorthern Solomons and was decorated with theArmy Distinguished Service Medal for his service.
After three months of service with the 43rd Division, Hodge was given command of the"Americal" Infantry Division on theFiji Islands. He subsequently commanded the division during theBougainville campaign.[3]
Hodge was appointed commanding officer of the newly activatedXXIV Corps in Hawaii and participated in theBattle of Leyte withinPhilippines Campaign and later inBattle of Okinawa. He received the Army Distinguished Service Medals for each of these campaigns. Hodge was promoted to the temporary rank oflieutenant general in June 1945.
From 1945 to 1948, Hodge was the commanding general of United States Army Forces in Korea (USAFIK). He took his corps to Korea under orders ofDouglas MacArthur, landing atIncheon on 9 September 1945. He was the commanding officer receiving the surrender of all Japanese forces in Korea south of the38th parallel. Hodge refused to recognize thePeople's Republic of Korea and its People's Committees, and outlawed it on 12 December 1945.[4]
Hodge then returned toFort Bragg, North Carolina, to commandV US Corps from 1948 to 1950.[5] After the retirement of Lieutenant GeneralAlvan C. Gillem, Hodge was named the commanding general of theUS Third Army.
Hodge was promoted togeneral on 5 July 1952. His final assignment was as Chief ofArmy Field Forces from 8 May 1952 until he retired from military service on 30 June 1953.
General Hodge died inWashington, D.C., in 1963, at the age of 70.[5]
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| Insignia | Rank | Component | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Second lieutenant | Officers Reserve Corps | 15 August 1917 |
| Second lieutenant | Regular Army | 26 October 1917 |
 | First lieutenant | Regular Army | 15 May 1918 |
 | Captain | National Army | 12 October 1918 |
| Captain | Regular Army | 1 July 1920 |
 | Major | Regular Army | 1 August 1935 |
 | Lieutenant colonel | Regular Army | 18 August 1940 |
 | Colonel | Army of the United States | 17 December 1941 |
 | Brigadier general | Army of the United States | 23 June 1942 |
 | Major general | Army of the United States | 28 April 1943 |
 | Lieutenant general | Army of the United States | 6 June 1945 |
| Brigadier general | Regular Army | 1 March 1946 |
| Major general | Regular Army | 6 April 1947 |
| General | Army of the United States | 5 July 1952 |
| General | Regular Army, Retired | 30 June 1953 |
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commanding General Americal Division 1943–1944 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commanding General 43rd Infantry Division July–August 1943 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Newly activated organization | Commanding General XXIV Corps 1944–1948 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commanding General V Corps 1948–1950 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commanding General Third Army 1950–1952 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
