Lieutenant General Stanley Hamer Ford (January 30, 1877 – January 19, 1961) was a senior officer of the United States Army. After serving in numerous conflicts and wars, including World War I, He was commander of the Philippine Department, 1st Infantry Division, Seventh Corps Area, Sixth Corps Area, and the Second Army.
Early life Ford was born on January 30, 1877, in Columbus, Ohio. 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.Annual report of the Board of Trustees, published by the Ohio State University, volumes 28-30, 1899, page 23The Sixth General Catalogue of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, by Edward H. Virgin and William Collin Levere, published by Sigma Alpha Epsilon, 1904, page 291
Spanish–American War Ford saw service in Cuba and the Philippines during the Spanish–American War, serving with the 16th Infantry in Cuba and the 25th Infantry in the Philippines.List of Officers of the Army of the United States from 1779 to 1900, William Henry Powell, 1900, page 313Annual Report of Major General Arthur MacArthur, United States Volunteers, Commanding Division of the Philippines, Volume I, 1900, Index page XINewspaper article, To Forces of Land and Sea; Orders Issued to Members of Both Branches of the Service, Baltimore Sun, March 4, 1906Newspaper article, The United Service; The Army, New York Times, February 4, 1908Newspaper article, Army and Navy News, New York Daily Tribune, April 12, 1908
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., and the installation now known as Fort Drum, New York.Reports of the Court of Claims, by U.S. Court of Claims, Volume 52, 1918, Page 263Extracts from reports by regular and militia officers, published by the National Guard Bureau, 1908, page 120Annual reports, published by U.S. Army War Department, Volume 1, 1908, page 296Ohio State University monthly, published by Ohio State University Alumni Association, Volume 2, Issue 3, 1911, page 7
World War I
During World War I, he served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the 84th Infantry Division and Chief of Staff of the 27th Infantry Division.The Ohio State University in the World War, Professor Wilbur H. Siebert, printed in Ohio Archaeological and Historical Publications, volume 31, published by the Ohio Historical Society, 1922America's Part in the World War, Richard Joseph Beamish and Francis Andrew March, 1919The American army in the European conflict, by Jacques Aldebert de Pineton Chambrun and Charles Marenches, 1919, page 406Ohio archaeological and historical quarterly, published by the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 31, 1922, page 161Monk Eastman: The Gangster Who Became a War Hero, by Neil Hanson, 2010, page 341 In recognition of his services during the war he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal. The citation for the medal reads:
Post World War I Ford continued his Army career after the war, completing the General Staff College in 1920.Official Army Register, U.S. Army Adjutant General's Office, 1922, page 35
He served as commander of the 16th Infantry Regiment from 1924 to 1926.Philippine Magazine, Volume XXX, No. 1, June, 1933, Page 176"Farewell to Colonel Ford", New York Times, August 25, 1926"Gen. Ford Honored by Old Regiment; 16th Infantry, 'New York's Own,' Parades for Leader Who Leaves Tomorrow", New York Times, September 29, 1936
From 1926 to 1930 Ford served as Assistant Chief of Staff of the Army's Military Intelligence Division.Chiefs of the Army Reserve: Biographical Sketches of the United States Army Reserve's Senior Officers, by David E. Hilkert, United States Office of Army Reserve History, 2004, page 61
Ford attained the rank of brigadier general in 1930. In the early 1930s, General Ford served as military attache in Paris, France."Generals to New Posts; War Department Orders Transfer of Four in Early Summer", New York Times, February 17, 1933 He then commanded 1st Brigade 1st Infantry Division."Gen. Ford Arrives Here; To Succeed Gen. DeWitt as Head of First Division Brigade", New York Times, July 16, 1935"Motor Troops Spell Doom Of Old Army," Syracuse Herald, August 21, 1935 After his brigade command, Ford took command of the Philippine Department.Philippine Magazine, Volume 30, 1933, page 176
Ford was promoted to major general in 1936Magazine column, Foreign Service, VFW Magazine, published by Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Volumes 23–24, 1935, page 32 and successively commanded 1st Infantry DivisionFormer Commanding Generals page , 1st Infantry Division web site, published by 1st Infantry Division"General Ford Named First Division Head; He Will Succeed Major General Frank Parker With Headquarters at Fort Hamilton", New York Times, March 25, 1936"Gen. Ford is Transferred; First Division Chief Will Succeed Bolles at Omaha", New York Times, September 13, 1936 Seventh Corps Area,Beyond Little Rock: The Origins and Legacies of the Central High Crisis, by John A. Kirk, 2007, page 27 Sixth Corps Area,Army and Navy Journal, Volume 78, Issues 1–26, 1940"Gen. Stanley H. Ford to Take Command of 6th Corps Area" Chicago Tribune, November 7, 1938 and Second Army simultaneously with Sixth Corps Area.
In October 1938 Ford took command of the Second Army, which was responsible for overseeing U.S. Army organizations in several mid-western and southern states. On 5 August 1939, he was promoted temporarily to lieutenant general in accordance with "An Act To provide for the rank and title of lieutenant general of the Regular Army." He was one of the first four active duty officers promoted to lieutenant general since 1918.,"Chicago Corps Area Chief to be Lieut. General", Chicago Tribune, August 7, 1939
He was a member of the Military Order of Foreign Wars.
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 Europe and the Pacific during World War II."2D Army Drills Will Test U.S. Blitzkrieg Idea", Chicago Tribune, June 17, 1940The U.S. Army G.H.Q. Maneuvers of 1941, Christopher Richard Gabel, 1991The American Year Book, published by T. Nelson and Sons, Volume 26, 1941, page 324Minuteman: The Military Career of General Robert S. Beightler, by John Kennedy Ohl, 2001, page 66"Wide Maneuvers Set For August", New York Times, July 14, 1940, Hartford Courant, August 4, 1940"Marshall Inspects Regular Army Forces On Maneuvers", by United Press International, Reading Eagle, August 12, 1940
General Ford ended his military career upon reaching mandatory retirement age in January, 1941., Chicago Tribune, August 29, 1940"Gen. Ford Will Retire in January", New York Times, October 3, 1940
Post military career During World War II he assisted John F. O'Ryan, the World War I commander of the 27th Infantry Division, during O'Ryan's assignment as New York State's Civil Defense Director."Lieut. Gen. Ford to Aid O'Ryan on Civilian Defense", New York Times, July 24, 1941"O'Ryan, Ford Quit State O.C.D. Posts", New York Times, April 23, 1942
Personal General Ford married Lona Pace in 1904.Who's Who, published by Ohio State University Association, 1912, page 81 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.Assembly magazine, published by the United States Military Academy Association of Graduates, Volumes 10–11, 1951, page 53Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, United States Military Academy, published by the United States Military Academy Association of Graduates, 1989, page 351The United States 15th Infantry Regiment in China, 1912–1938, by Alfred E. Cornebise, 2004, page 223 In 1933 General Ford married Katherine Welch of Philadelphia."Gen. Stanley Ford Weds; Takes Miss Katherine Welch of Philadelphia as His Bride", New York Times, June 2, 1933
Death and interment
General Ford died at the Army's Carlisle Barracks on January 19, 1961, while en route to John F. Kennedy's inaugural.Biography, Stanley H. Ford, Military Memorial Museum web site, accessed February 13, 2011 He was buried in Philadelphia's Laurel Hill Cemetery, Section K, Lot 214-SW 1/4.
Awards and decorations Distinguished Service Medal - in recognition of his superior performance with the 27th Division in World War I.History of the Ohio State University, published by the university, Volume 4, Part 2, 1920, page 26The Story of the 27th Division, by John Francis O'Ryan, 1921, page 895 Spanish Campaign Medal Philippine Campaign Medal Cuban Pacification MedalAnnual Report of the President, the Ohio State University, published by the university, 1941, page 39 World War I Victory Medal American Defense Service Medal Officer of the French Legion of Honor Belgian Croix de Guerre with palm History of the Ohio State University, published by the university, 1938, page 214The American Society Legion of Honor magazine, published by the society, Volumes 32–33, 1961, pages 68 and 204"Jacques Decorates and is Decorated", New York Times, November 10, 1921
In 1940 General Ford received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the Ohio State University.List of honorary degree recipients , The Ohio State University Student Senate web site
Dates of rank No insignia in 1898Second lieutenant, Regular Army: July 28, 1898First lieutenant, Regular Army: June 16, 1899Captain, Regular Army: February 3, 1905Major, Regular Army: May 15, 1917Lieutenant colonel, National Army: August 5, 1917Colonel, Regular Army: July 30, 1918Major, Regular Army: August 31, 1919Discharged and reappointed in permanent rank of Major.Lieutenant colonel, Regular Army: July 1, 1920Colonel, Regular Army: September 1, 1920Brigadier general, Regular Army: September 1, 1930Major general, Regular Army: March 1, 1936Lieutenant general, Temporary: August 5, 1939Lieutenant general, Retired List: January 31, 1941Official Register of Commissioned Officers of the United States Army. 1948. Vol. 2. pg. 2192.
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