Evening star., 1944-10-15
Hodges, Commanding AssaultonAachen,
Is CT General Who Knows His Bows

WITH THE UNITED STATES lst
ARMY. oct. H. Early III August. after
the great American break through near
ct. Lo, the Yanks fought one OF the
most decisive battles of the invasion,
won, hands down, and the Germans lost
the battle of France.
In desperation. the enemy threw in
seven divisions In an effort to seal or
the corridor between Mortain ana
Avranches through which Gen. Omar
Bradleys infantry and armor were pour
ing around the exposed flank Of. Field
Marshal Guenther Won Kluse's German
7th Army.
Doughboys. artillerymen. tank destroy
ers and tankmen stopped the Nazis cold.
and = lean, gray general who had risen
from the ranks said with Georgia
drawl:
I'VE slammed 'em until he'll wouldn't
have itp
It was 1t. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges.
His army continued in the same stride
across France, Belgium and into Ger
many, and last week opened the assault
on Aachen after the Nasi garrison there
refused to surrender.
just two months ago Gen. Hodges
was not well known In America, even
though he had played large part In
building fighting force at home. Then
Gen. Bradley stepped up to command
the 18th Army group. and Hodges
quietly took. his place.
Chewed Up Five Divisions
His troops and armor slammed EN-"
all the way TO the Seine, captured Paris
and drove on to Belgium.
South Of Mons, Hodges men hooked
northward once again, squarely into the
path Of Germans trying desperately to
escape. There, in the Mageuge- Mons
pocket, his troops chewed up five Ger
man divisions. captured some 77,ooo
prisoners.
Then they continued east crossed the
southern tip Of Holland and broke into
the siegfried Line.
Hodges had stepped into . very large
pair of Bradley shoes, and the Army had
continued to function as though there
had been no change.
We began to ask, who Ia this mani"
On May !, 1857, . son was born to Mr..
and Mrs. John Hodges of Perry, Ga, .
well-known peach-belt family. The
father was editor publisher Of the Hous-
ton Home Journal, . self-contained.
kindly man who reared three sons and
five daughters.
Courtney's father took him on hunt
ing trips. At 10 he had his own rife,
soon was one Of the best shots In the
area. and wanted to be soldier.
In 1904 he got an appointment to
West Point, but failed In mathematics.
Then his determined streak showed
itself, and he enlisted at Fort Mcpherson.
By 1917 he was second lieutenant in
the 6th Infantry Of the 5th Division
one Of the divisions now under his COM
mand. His climb was steady, but moth
ing spectacular. He became what il
known In the Army as Q solid citizen"
Hodges went to France In 1915 as q
captain and fought at st. kihiel and In
the Msuse-Arsuhns drive, winning the
Distinguished service Cross ana Silver
Star. The D0C citation said that in
reconnaissance at the Meuse to find the
best crossing, his fearlessness and
courage were mainly responsible for the
advance Of his brigade to heights east
of the Meuse."
In Thick of Battle
1t was the same in 1914. He waded
ashore in Normandy on D-plus-one un-
der shellfire, and Immediately went for
ward to check advance dispositions and
progress.
He was Bradley's deputy commander
and visited almost every unit he was
later to command. As . result, he knows
his army from top to bottom.
Hodges is career man, but no mar
tinet. He enjoys democratic relations
with his officers and troops.
I'VE aren't Ike the Germans, and
that's - 1t should BE-" he says. I'VE