Stanley H. Ford
Encyclopedia
Stanley Hamer Ford was a United States Army
General
. He was prominent as commander of the Philippine Department
, 1st Infantry Division, VII Corps, VI Corps, and the Second United States Army.
. Ford graduated from the Ohio State University
with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1898, and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon
fraternity. He was then commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry
in the United States Army.
and the Philippines
during the Spanish American War, serving with the 16th Infantry in Cuba and the 25th Infantry in the Philippines.
, and the installation now known as Fort Drum, New York.
, he served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the 84th Infantry Division and Chief of Staff of the 27th Infantry Division.
He served as commander of the 16th Infantry Regiment from 1924 to 1926.
From 1926 to 1930 Ford served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the Army's Military Intelligence Division.
Ford attained the rank of Brigadier General
in 1930. In the early 1930s, General Ford served as military attache in Paris, France. He then commanded 1st Brigade 1st Infantry Division. After his brigade command, Ford took command of the Philippine Department
.
General Ford was promoted to Major General
in 1936 and Lieutenant General
in 1939, and successively commanded 1st Infantry Division VII Corps, and VI Corps.
and the Pacific during World War II
.
General Ford ended his military career upon reaching mandatory retirement age in January, 1941.
, Philippine Campaign Medal
and Cuban Pacification Medal
.
Ford received the Distinguished Service Medal
in recognition of his superior performance with the 27th Division in World War I.
General Ford also received the French Legion of Honor and Belgian Croix de Guerre in recognition of his World War I service.
In 1940 General Ford received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Ohio State University.
, the World War I commander of the 27th Infantry Division, during O'Ryan's assignment as New York State's Civil Defense Director.
.
on January 19, 1961, while en route to John F. Kennedy
's inaugural. He was buried in Philadelphia's Laurel Hill Cemetery
, Section K, Lot 214-SW 1/4.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
General
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
. He was prominent as commander of the Philippine Department
Philippine Department
The Philippine Department was a regular US Army unit, defeated in the Philippines, during World War II. The mission of the Philippine Department was to defend the Philippine Islands and train the Philippine Army...
, 1st Infantry Division, VII Corps, VI Corps, and the Second United States Army.
Early life
Ford was born on January 30, 1877 in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Ford graduated from the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1898, and was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
fraternity. He was then commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
in the United States Army.
Spanish American War
Ford saw service in CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
during the Spanish American War, serving with the 16th Infantry in Cuba and the 25th Infantry in the Philippines.
Post Spanish American War
After the war he served in a series of staff and command assignments, including Infantry and Quartermaster postings to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and the installation now known as Fort Drum, New York.
World War I
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the 84th Infantry Division and Chief of Staff of the 27th Infantry Division.
Post World War I
Ford continued his Army career after the war, completing the General Staff College in 1920.He served as commander of the 16th Infantry Regiment from 1924 to 1926.
From 1926 to 1930 Ford served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the Army's Military Intelligence Division.
Ford attained the rank of Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in 1930. In the early 1930s, General Ford served as military attache in Paris, France. He then commanded 1st Brigade 1st Infantry Division. After his brigade command, Ford took command of the Philippine Department
Philippine Department
The Philippine Department was a regular US Army unit, defeated in the Philippines, during World War II. The mission of the Philippine Department was to defend the Philippine Islands and train the Philippine Army...
.
General Ford was promoted to Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
in 1936 and Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
in 1939, and successively commanded 1st Infantry Division VII Corps, and VI Corps.
World War II
As commander of Second Army Ford oversaw execution of large scale maneuvers and exercises by active Army and National Guard troops that enhanced their readiness in anticipation of fighting in EuropeEuropean Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
and the Pacific during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
General Ford ended his military career upon reaching mandatory retirement age in January, 1941.
Awards and decorations
For his Spanish-American War service General Ford received the Spanish Campaign MedalSpanish Campaign Medal
The Spanish Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which recognized those members of the U.S. military who had served in the Spanish-American War. Although a single decoration, there were two versions of the Spanish Campaign Medal, one for members of the United...
, Philippine Campaign Medal
Philippine Campaign Medal
The Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippine Campaign Medal was issued under...
and Cuban Pacification Medal
Army of Cuban Pacification Medal
The Army of Cuban Pacification Medal is a military award of the United States Army which was created by orders of the United States War Department on May 11, 1909...
.
Ford received the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (Army)
The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
in recognition of his superior performance with the 27th Division in World War I.
General Ford also received the French Legion of Honor and Belgian Croix de Guerre in recognition of his World War I service.
In 1940 General Ford received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Ohio State University.
Post military career
During World War II he assisted John F. O'RyanJohn F. O'Ryan
John Francis O'Ryan was Commanding General of the 27th Division during World War I.-Career:During the mid 1920s O'Ryan was New York State Transit Commissioner, and was also involved in the early passenger aviation industry.He briefly held the position of New York City Police Commissioner from...
, the World War I commander of the 27th Infantry Division, during O'Ryan's assignment as New York State's Civil Defense Director.
Personal
General Ford married Lona Pace in 1904. Their son Hamer Pace Ford (1905–1950) graduated from West Point in 1924 and was a career Army officer, attaining the rank of Colonel before his death in Berlin, Germany. In 1933 General Ford married Katherine Welch of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
Death and interment
General Ford died at the Army's Carlisle BarracksCarlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
on January 19, 1961, while en route to John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's inaugural. He was buried in Philadelphia's Laurel Hill Cemetery
Laurel Hill Cemetery
Laurel Hill Cemetery, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the second major garden or rural cemetery in the United States. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1998, one of only a few cemeteries to receive the distinction....
, Section K, Lot 214-SW 1/4.
External links
- Find A Grave page, Stanley Hamer Ford, accessed February 12, 2011