Lieutenant General Hanford MacNider (October 2, 1889 – February 18, 1968) was a senior officer of the United States Army 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 from 1921 to 1922. He was also the United States Ambassador to Canada.

Early life

Hanford MacNider was born in Mason City, Iowa as the son of Charles H. MacNider, a prominent banker, and May Hanford. He attended Milton Academy (a boarding school in Massachusetts) and subsequently Harvard University, where he graduated in 1911 before returning to Iowa. MacNider joined the National Guard and served during the Pancho Villa Expedition during the Mexican Revolution. During World War I, he served as a captain in the 2nd Division within American Expeditionary Forces in France. The story goes that military charges were laid against him when one of his men disagreed with a colonel. He then supposedly went AWOL 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, 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 Calvin Coolidge appointed MacNider Assistant Secretary of War in 1925 where Major Dwight Eisenhower was his executive assistant. He married Margaret McAuley in 1925. He was considered a possible Republican candidate in the 1928 United States presidential election, 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 appointed him as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Canada) in 1930. In 1932, he resigned in an unsuccessful attempt to be made the Republican candidate for vice president. In 1940, he again failed to receive the Republican nomination for president and declined the vice presidential candidacy under Wendell Lewis Willkie. 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. After recovery, he was given the command of the 158th Regimental Combat Team (the Bushmasters) at the Bicol Peninsula. 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, 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 in the United States Army, and then major general until his retirement in 1951. After retirement, he was promoted to lieutenant general 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, he died at a hospital of pulmonary edema. It has been said that he was interred in Mason City's Elmwood Saint Joseph Cemetery; the cemetery office has no record of his burial, and 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:

Second Distinguished Service Cross citation

The official U.S. Army citation for his second Distinguished Service Cross reads:

Third Distinguished Service Cross citation

The official U.S. Army citation for his third Distinguished Service Cross reads:

Distinguished Service Medal citation

The official U.S. Army citation for his Distinguished Service Medal reads:

Ribbon bar

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