Lt. General Hanford MacNider
U.S. Army, World War I France & World War II New Guinea and Philippines

Background
Hanford MacNider was born October 2, 1889 to parents Charles Henry MacNider and May Cordelia (née Hanford) MacNider in Mason City, Iowa. Nicknamed "Jack". He attended Milton Academy then Harvard University class of 1911. After graduation, he returned to Iowa and joined the National Guard and participated in the Pancho Villa Expedition during the Mexican Revolution.

World War I
During World War I, commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army with serial number O-108101 and quickly promoted to the rank of Captain and was sent overseas to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). When one of his men disagreed with a Colonel, military charges were reportedly laid against Captain MacNide who reportedly went Away Without Leave (AWOL) to the western front. When authorities finally caught up to him, he had already been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served with the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Division. For his valor, he earned 14 medals and charges were dropped. For extraordinary heroism in World War I, MacNider earned two Distinguished Service Cross, three Silver Stars, Italian War Merit Cross, French Légion d'honneur, and French Croix de Guerre with Palm. As a result of his service, he became Iowa's most famous veteran and held the reserve rank of Colonel.

Interwar Period
Afterwards, he returned to Iowa and became Commander of the American Legion Department of Iowa 1920-1921. He then became National Commander in the American Legion 1921-1922. In 1925, U.S. President Calvin Coolidge appointed him Assistant Secretary of War and Major Dwight D. Eisenhower was his executive assistant. That same year he married Margaret Elizabeth McAuley. The couple had three children Thomas MacNider born 1926, Jack MacNider born 1927 and Angus MacNider born 1928. He was considered a possible Republican candidate in the 1928 United States presidential election but returned to Iowa when his father died to handle family affairs and business. In 1930, appointed as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Canada) until he resigned on August 15, 1932. In 1932 he had an unsuccessful run as the Republican candidate for Vice President.

During 1939 he testified to Congress that sending military aid to the United Kingdom was bad for American security. In 1940, he failed to be the Republican nomination for president and declined the Vice Presidential candidacy for Wendell L. Willkie. That same year, he joined the America First Committee that advocated for American isolationism, but quit the group on December 10, 1941 and immediately lobbied to return to the U.S. Army and returned to duty with the rank of Colonel.

World War II
At the start of America's involvement in World War II, MacNider asked for active duty. On January 23, 1942 departs New York as part of the first contingent of Americans sent overseas bound for Australia and briefly served as a logistics officer in the Headquarters staff for General Douglas MacArthur in Brisbane and was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

On September 12, 1942 MacNider led a small group of officers including Lt. Col Joseph Bradley and three members of the 126th Infantry Regiment including executive officer Major Bernd G. Baetcke, intelligence officer Captain William F. Boice and assistant logistician Captain Alfred Medendorp. The advance party was flown aboard transports from Amberley Field via Garbutt Field before reaching Port Moresby three days later to prepare for the arrival of the 32nd Infantry Division (32nd ID) "Red Arrow Division" and investigate a route for American soldiers to cross the Owen Stanley Range to attack Buna on the north coast of New Guinea.

In the middle of October 1942 at Wanigela, MacNider took command of the 128th Infantry Regiment (128th IR) and the Australian Army 2/6th Independent Company become known as "Hat Force". MacNider was ordered to build up his force and establish a base then march via Pongani and Oro Bay before engaging in the Buna area. By early November 1942, MacNider's "Hat Force" was renamed "Warren Force" after General Harding's hometown in Warren County, Ohio and continue to consolidate in the Oro Bay-Embogo-Embi area.

On November 16, 1942 MacNider was aboard a small boat from the Small Ships Section along the north coast and landed at Hariko. Later that afternoon, three small ships: Minnamurra, Bonwin, Alacrity and a captured Japanese barge transporting two 25 pounders guns plus supplies and ammunition that were targeted by a Japanese air raid by Zeros and Val dive bombers from 582 Kokutai that strafed and bombed causing the ships to catch fire and explode with 24 killed.

On November 20, 1942 while changing a bandage on his foot, photographed with a New Guinea native standing watch on the "Warren Front" in the vicinity of Hariko or the front line area approaching Buna.

On November 23, 1942 in the afternoon, MacNider left Hariko to observe fighting on the front line. At 6:30pm he saw some of his men withdrawing from an advanced position. As MacNider moved into the open to get them back into position, a Japanese grenade exploded nearby killing a nearby soldier with fragments hitting his left eye and hand. Wounded, MacNider became the first U.S. Army general wounded in action in the Pacific War and was replaced by Col. J. Tracy Hale, Jr.

Afterwards, flown to Brisbane to the the U.S. Army 42nd General Hospital in Stuartholme School in Toowong to recover from his wounds. In early December 1942, visited by his friend Captain Edward "Eddie" V. Rickenbacker. In hospital, he was later joined by Brigadier General Albert W. Waldron shot through his shoulder and Brigadier General Clovis E. Byers wounded by a sniper. In the middle or late December 1942, the three wounded Generals were photographed seated together.

When MacNider recovered, recovered, he was assigned to lead the Combined Operations Service Command. On June 15, 1943 MacNider visited the grave of New York Times correspondent Byron Darnton in Port Moresby who was killed on October 18., 1942 off Pongani. In early 1944, became deputy commander, United States Forces in the Admiralties attached to the 1st Cavalry Division (1st Cav).

On August 6, 1944, MacNider became Commanding Officer (C.O.) of 158th Regimental Combat Team (158th RCT) "Bushmasters" on Noemfoor Island. Afterwards, staged from Noemfoor Island and were embarked on transports for the invasion force bound for Lingayen Gulf off Luzon in the Philippines. On January 9, 1945 during the U.S. Army landing at Lingayen Gulf, the 158th RCT was held in reserve. On January 11, 1945 lands with the 158th RCT at Lingayen Gulf then fought to open the road via Damortis and Rosario.

On April 1, 1945 the 158th RCT led by MacNider lands in the Legaspi area, Bicol Peninsula. On May 16, 1945 MacNider reports the Bicols secure. Afterwards, his unit rested and until the end of the Pacific War prepared for Operation Olympic the planned invasion of the southern home islands of Japan.

Postwar
Promoted to the rank of Major General and retired in 1951. On August 7, 1956 after retirement promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General by U.S. Congress, one of only four promoted after retirement.

Memorials
MacNider died February 18, 1968 at age 78 while on vacation in Sarasota, Florida. He was cremated and his ashed scattered.

Awards
World War I: Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) with oak leaf cluster, three Silver Stars, Italian War Merit Cross, French Légion d'honneur, and French Croix de Guerre with Palm.
World War II: Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), Distinguished Service Medal (DSM), Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster.

Relatives
Margaret Elizabeth McAuley MacNider (wife died February 26, 1976)

References
Department of State Office of the Historian - Hanford MacNider (1889–1968)
American Legion Hanford MacNider Elected National Commander November 21, 1921
U.S. House of Representative Report No. 18 "To Promote the Defense of the United States" to accompany H. R. 1776 Jan 30, 1941
Columbia Broadcasting System Chicago "National Defense Now: We Must Re-Americanize America" by Handford MacNider June 6, 1940
Hall of Valor - Hanford MacNider (military award citations)
The Daily Nonpareil "Iowa Boys Do Big Job in Pacific" April 12, 1943 page 2
U.S. Army in World War II The Ordnance Department: On Beachhead and Battlefront pages 71 (boats to Pongani), 72 (Hariko), 73 (November 16, 1942 air raid), 511 (index MacNider) [PDF]
U.S. Army in World War II Victory in Papua Chapter VII: The Advance on the Beachhead pages 115, 123-124
U.S. Army in World War II Victory in Papua Chapter VIII The Allies Close In pages 130, 131 (photo), footnotes 9, 30
U.S. Army in World War II Victory in Papua Chapter IX: The Opening Blows in General Vasey's Area pages 147
U.S. Army in World War II Victory in Papua Chapter X: The First Two Weeks at Buna pages 168 (Hariko), 171, 179, 180 (wounded), footnotes 3, 8,
U.S. Army in World War II Victory in Papua Chapter XIII Buna: The Second Two Weeks pages 248, 258 (photo)
U.S. Army in World War II The Approach to the Philippines: Chapter XVII Operations on Nemfoor Island footnote 68
U.S. Army in World War II Triumph in the Philippines Chapter XXIII Securing the Visayan Passages pages 443, 444, 445
U.S. Army in World War II Triumph in the Philippines The Sources: A Critical Note page 706 (interview with MacNider)
Reports of General MacArthur: The Caompaigns of MacArhur in the Pacific Volume I Footnote 25 (Lingayen assault)
Yank Magzine "The Bushmasters" Vol 4. No. 10 August 24, 1945 [PDF]
Marine Corps Gazette "Olympic Vs Ketsu-Go" by Dr. K. Jack Bauer August 1965, Vol. 49, No. 8
"The plans contained one contingent operation. It provided for the landing of Bgen. MacNider's 158th Regimental Combat Team on Tanega Shima on X-5 or later if necessary to eliminate Japanese interference with the sweepers clearing Osumi Kaikyo. If the RCT was not needed there, Radm... R. P. Briscoe's Southern Attack Force (TF-44) would put the force ashore on Kyushu as reinforcements after X + 3."
FindAGrave - Hanford MacNider (photos)
Almost A Family: A Memoir (2011) by John Darnton mentions MacNider on October 16, 1942
American Legion - Our WWII Story: Isolationist to combat leader of the 'Bushmasters' by Jeff Stoffer December 10, 2020
Red Arrow Across the Pacific (2024) pages 142-144 (Australia and Port Moresby), 161-164 (Wanigela), 168 (Hat Force), 174-180 (Warren Force), 199-200, 211, 490 (index MacNider)

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