page_title: Courtney Hodges
hierarchical_section_title: Courtney Hodges
caption_attribution_description: English: United States General Courtney Hodges
context_page_description: General Courtney Hicks Hodges was a decorated senior officer and general in the United States Army who commanded the U.S First Army in the Western European Campaign of World War II. In his career Hodges was a notable "mustang" officer, rising from private to general.
  Born in Perry, Georgia, he joined the United States Military Academy at West Point but dropped out after failing Geometry. He joined the Army in 1906 as a private. As a young man, Hodges served under Colonel John J. Pershing in the Mexican Revolution and became part of the first rescue mission in U.S. military aviation history when he rescued a stranded aviator. He was a battalion commander in France in World War I, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action.
  In 1943, he was sent to England to serve under General Omar Bradley. Hodges was Deputy Commander of the First Army during the D-Day invasion. Two months later, he was made the commander of the First Army. The First Army under Hodges had 18 divisions, the most divisions that were under the immediate command of any general in the European theater of World War II.
context_section_description: General Courtney Hicks Hodges (January 5, 1887 – January 16, 1966)  was a decorated senior officer and general in the United States Army  who commanded the U.S First Army in the Western European Campaign of World War II. In his career Hodges was a notable "mustang" officer, rising from private to general. 
  Born in Perry, Georgia, he joined the United States Military Academy at West Point but dropped out after failing Geometry. He joined the Army in 1906 as a private. As a young man, Hodges served under Colonel John J. Pershing in the  Mexican Revolution and became part of the first rescue mission in U.S. military aviation history when he rescued a stranded aviator. He was a battalion commander in France in World War I, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action. 
  In 1943, he was sent to England to serve under General Omar Bradley. Hodges was Deputy Commander of the First Army during the D-Day invasion. Two months later, he was made the commander of the First Army. The First Army under Hodges had 18 divisions, the most divisions that were under the immediate command of any general in the European theater of World War II . Courtney Hodges and his 1st Army became the first to liberate Paris, first to enter Germany and the first army to cut Nazi Germany in two by linking up with westward advancing Russian forces.
caption: Courtney Hodges
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