Leland Hobbs

Leland Stanford Hobbs
Born	February 4, 1892 Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States
Died	March 6, 1966 (aged 74) Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington, D.C., United States
Buried at	Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1915–1953
Rank	Major General
Service number	0-3809
Unit	Infantry Branch
Commands held	30th Infantry Division 2nd Armored Division IX Corps
Battles/wars	Pancho Villa Expedition World War I World War II Battle of Normandy Mortain Counter-offensive Battle of the Bulge Battle of Aachen Occupation of Japan
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (3) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal (3)
Other work	Banking executive

Major General Leland Stanford Hobbs (February 4, 1892 – March 6, 1966) was a decorated senior United States Army officer who commanded the 30th Infantry Division in Western Europe during World War II.

Early years

He was born on February 4, 1892 in Gloucester, Massachusetts and was raised in New Jersey. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York from which he graduated in June 1915, in the same class as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Omar N. Bradley, James Van Fleet, Henry Aurand or Stafford LeRoy Irwin ("The class the stars fell on").^[1][2]

He was subsequently commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry and assigned to the 12th Infantry Regiment in Nogales, Arizona. He saw there his first action in the skirmishes with the Mexican bandits during the Pancho Villa Expedition.^[3]

He then saw service in California and Maryland, until he was ordered to the France during World War I with the 11th Infantry Division. However, the armistice with Germany was signed before the division saw any action. The division was ordered back to the United States and then disbanded at Camp Meade, Maryland. Hobbs was then assigned to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he served as an assistant instructor of tactics until 1924.

In the interwar era, Hobbs had various assignments and also attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas or Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

In 1935, Hobbs was appointed quartermaster in the Fourth Corps area and in 1937, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Third U.S. Army under the command of Lieutenant General Stanley D. Embick.^[4]

At the beginning of the 1940, Hobbs was transferred to the Washington, D.C., where he was appointed the executive officer of the 3rd Infantry Regiment. He served in this capacity for a brief time and after his promotion to the temporary rank of colonel, he was made the commander of the regiment.^[5][6]

World War II

With the United States entry into the World War II, Hobbs served as a chief of staff of the Trinidad Base Command at Fort Read. In July 1942, Hobbs was appointed a commanding general of the 30th Infantry Division stationed at Camp Blanding, Florida. Hobbs succeeded General William Hood Simpson, who was appointed commander of XII Corps.^[7]

In November 1943, Hobbs was transferred together with his division to Camp Atterbury, Indiana, where it continue in training for its deploying within European Theater of Operations. The 30th Infantry Division arrived in England on February 22, 1944, and trained until June of that year. General Hobbs landed on the Omaha Beach with his division on June 11 and secured the Vire-et-Taute Canal, crossed the Vire River, July 7, and, beginning on July 25 spearheaded the St. Lô break-through.

Hobbs led the 30th Infantry Division in the Battle of Normandy, Mortain Counter-offensive, the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of Aachen and for the rest of the war. He was succeeded by Major General Albert C. Smith in September 1945. Major General Hobbs was highly decorated for his leadership of the 30th Division during the World War II (see his ribbon bar below).^[8][9]

Post-war life and retirement

Hobbs was then transferred back to the United States, where he was appointed commanding general of Fort Dix, New Jersey and acting commanding general of Second Service Command in February 1946. He served in this capacity until October 1946, when he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division as its commanding general, succeeding his West Point classmate, Major General John W. Leonard.^[10]

In August 1947, he was transferred to Fort McPherson, Georgia, where he was appointed the Deputy Commanding General of the Third United States Army, under the command of Lieutenant General Alvan C. Gillem.^[11]

At the beginning of 1949, he was transferred to Japan, where he took command of IX Corps at Camp Sendai. Hobbs performed regular occupation duties with his unit until August 1950, when he was replaced by General Frank W. Milburn.

His last military assignment was a Deputy Commanding General of the First United States Army, stationed at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York, under the command of Lieutenant General Willis D. Crittenberger.^[12]

He retired from the army in 1953 and became vice president of the Colonial Trust Bank in New York City.

Major General Leland Stanford Hobbs died on March 6, 1966 at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.^[13] His wife Lucy Davis Hobbs (1892-1980) was also buried there.

Decorations

Major General Hobbs´s ribbon bar:^[14][15]

Combat Infantryman Badge
1st Row	Army Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster								Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters
2nd Row	Legion of Merit				Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters				Army Commendation Medal				Mexican Service Medal
3rd Row	World War I Victory Medal				American Defense Service Medal with Base Clasp				American Campaign Medal				European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with five service stars
4th Row	World War II Victory Medal				Army of Occupation Medal				National Defense Service Medal				Officer of the Legion of Honor (France)
5th Row	French Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with Palm				Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau				Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940-1945 with Palm				Soviet Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class

Gallery

• 
  Leland S. Hobbs as a West Point cadet.
• 
  Major General Leland S. Hobbs presents the Legion Of Merit to Brigadier General James M. Lewis, commander of the 30th Division Artillery, for his meritorious service from July 28 to October 13, 1944.
• 
  German propaganda aide to Joseph Goebbels, General Kurt Dittmar (second from the right), his son Berend (third from the right) and Major General Leland S. Hobbs (extreme right) on April 25, 1945, in Magdeburg.
• 
  Earl Johson, who served with the 30th Infantry Division, is presented with the Belgian Citation, for his service in Europe during World War II, by Major General Leland Hobbs.

References

1. United States Military Academy. The Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point: 2004. Connecticut. Elm Press. 2004. pg. 2:60
2. "United States Military Academy, Class of 1915" (PDF). digital-library.usma.edu. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
3. "General Hobbs is dead". 30th Division News, reprinted from New York Times. 1966-03-07. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
4. "Biography of Major-General Leland Stanford Hobbs (1892 - 1966), USA". generals.dk. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
5. "Biography of Major-General Leland Stanford Hobbs (1892 - 1966), USA". generals.dk. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
6. "General Hobbs is dead". 30th Division News, reprinted from New York Times. 1966-03-07. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
7. "Biography of Major-General Leland Stanford Hobbs (1892 - 1966), USA". generals.dk. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
8. "Valor awards for Leland S. Hobbs". militarytimes.com. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
9. "General Hobbs is dead". 30th Division News, reprinted from New York Times. 1966-03-07. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
10. "Biography of Major-General Leland Stanford Hobbs (1892 - 1966), USA". generals.dk. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
11. "Biography of Major-General Leland Stanford Hobbs (1892 - 1966), USA". generals.dk. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
12. "General Hobbs is dead". 30th Division News, reprinted from New York Times. 1966-03-07. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
13. "Leland Stanford Hobbs (1892 - 1966) - Find a Grave Memorial". Findagrave.com. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
14. "Valor awards for Leland S. Hobbs". militarytimes.com. 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
15. "General Hobbs is dead". 30th Division News, reprinted from New York Times. 1966-03-07. Retrieved 2013-09-15.

External links

Media related to Leland Hobbs at Wikimedia Commons

• Papers of Leland Hobbs, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library