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Contact Info
Home Town El Paso, TX
Last Address Rockport, IL
Date of Passing Aug 19, 1983
Location of Interment Fort Bliss National Cemetery (VA) - Fort Bliss, Texas
Lieutenant General Hobart Raymond Gay (May 16, 1894, Rockport, Illinois – August 19, 1983, El Paso, Texas) was a United States Army general.
Early military career
He was first commissioned into the Army Reserve as a 2nd lieutenant following his graduation from Knox College in 1917. On October 26, 1917, Gay was commissioned into the Regular Army. He was promoted to 1st lieutenant on October 26, 1917 and captain in July 1920. In his early career, he was a cavalry officer. He transferred to the Quartermaster Corps June 11, 1934 and was promoted to major on August 1, 1935. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on August 18, 1940 and colonel on December 24, 1941.
World War II
General Gay was awarded the Silver Star in December 1942 for gallantry in action on November 8, 1942 at Casablanca. He was chief of staff of the I Armored Corps in North Africa at the time. He was promoted to Brigadier General June 24, 1943. In the Sicily campaign he was assigned to the U.S. Seventh Army as chief of staff. Later he became chief of staff, Third Army, under General George S. Patton, in February 1944. When Patton took command of the U.S. Fifteenth Army, Gay was again his chief of staff. He and Patton went pheasant hunting on December 9, 1945. Patton and Gay were seated in the back seat of the staff car, en route to the hunting lodge. There was a traffic accident, during which Patton sustained spinal injuries which later cost his life. General Gay was uninjured.
Post World War II Europe
After Patton's death, Gay assumed command of Fifteenth Army in January 1946 for a period of one month. He then became commander of the U.S. 1st Armored Division until its return to the United States later in 1946. He then assumed command of the Second Constabulary Brigade. He served in Europe until 1947, when he returned to the United States.
Korean War
Gay returned to the United States and commanded the Military District of Washington until September 1949. During his command of the district, General John J. Pershing died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on 15 July 1948. In accordance with tradition, Gen. Gay coordinated arrangements for Pershing's funeral ceremonies as the representative of the U.S. President.
He took command of the 1st Cavalry Division (United States) in Osaka, Japan. He brought the 1st Cavalry to Korea, where it was in action on July 19, 1950. There is some controversy about an incident between July 26 - 29, 1950 at the bridge at No Gun Ri. General Gay believed most persons crossing the bridge were "North Korean guerrillas" and ordered the bridge blown. Some South Korean refugees were killed when the bridge was blown although the reported figures vary widely. All U.S. personnel interviewed since the incident agree the act was not a deliberate atrocity.
Gay was appointed deputy commander of the U.S. Fourth Army in February, 1951. In July 1952 he was appointed commander of U.S. VI Corps at Camp Atterbury, Indiana and in April, 1953 made commanding general of U.S. III Corps at Fort MacArthur, California. He moved to Fort Hood in Texas when the III Corps was reassigned there.
Post Korean War
In September 1954 General Gay was made commander of U.S. Fifth Army in Chicago, Illinois. He was nominated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in October 1954 for promotion to Lieutenant General (temporary).
Hobart R. Gay’s career in the U.S. Army ended in 1955 as the Commanding General, Anti-aircraft and Guided Missile Center, Fort Bliss, Texas.
Retirement
Following retirement, Gay became superintendent of the New Mexico Military Institute. He died in El Paso, Texas and was interred at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery.
SC346626 - KOREAN CONFLICT
Major General Hobart R. Gay, CG, 1st Cavalry Division, congratulates 2nd Lieutenant Raymond A. Whelan of Mossap, Conn., after awarding him the Silver Star for meritorious services.
25 August 1950. Korea.
Signal Corps Photo #8A/FEC-50-6908 (Cpl. Hutchinson)
Officier Légion d' honneur
Chevalier Légion d'honneur
Croix de guerre
Order of the White Lion Class II
Czechoslovakian War Cross
Other Comments:
To All Who Shall See These Presents Greeting:
This is to Certify that
The President of the United States of America
Takes Pride in Presenting
THE
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
to
GAY, HOBART R.
(First Award)
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Hobart R. Gay, Brigadier General, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Headquarters, 3d Army, in action against enemy forces on 11 November 1944. Brigadier General Gay's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 3d Army, and the United States Army. Headquarters, Third U.S. Army, General Orders No. 128 (1945)
GAY, HOBART R.
(Second Award) Citation:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Hobart R. Gay, Major General, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while as Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division. Major General Gay distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea during the period from 18 July to 1 October 1950. During this period, although faced by overwhelming numerical superiority, General Gay so skillfully led his Division that the enemy's advance was slowed and ultimately halted along the Naktong River Line. His continuous presence at the front under enemy artillery, mortar, and small-arms fire with total disregard for his own personal safety was an inspiration to his men during the critical period of the United Nations buildup. On 25 September 1950, the Division made a break-through at Tabu-dong. General Gay joined the task force formed to exploit the success, placing his quarter-ton vehicle behind the two leading tanks, taking part in numerous firefights. In one instance the lead tank was hit by enemy antitank fire, halting the column. Realizing the seriousness of the situation and the necessity for pushing forward, General Gay made his way under enemy fire to the lead tank and personally directed accurate fire at the enemy antitank guns, which eliminated them. His aggressive leadership, courage under fire, and personal heroism, enable the task force to continue its rapid advance and prevented the enemy from organizing a defensive position which would have nullified the breakthrough.
Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army, Korea: General Orders No. 109 (October 10, 1950)
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Sicily Campaign (1943)
From Month/Year
July / 1943
To Month/Year
August / 1943
Description (Sicily Campaign 9 July to 17 August 1943) In preparation for the invasion of Sicily the Allies captured the islands in the Sicilian strait, with aerial bombardment forcing the capitulation of Pantelleria on 11 June 1943. By that time Allied air power had begun the attack on Sicily by bombing defenses and airfields. The invasion itself got under way on the night of 9/10 July with airborne landings that were followed the next day by an amphibious assault. The enemy offered strong resistance, but the Allies had superiority in the air and soon had planes operating from Sicilian bases to support Montgomery’s Eighth Army and Patton’s Seventh.
Interdictory operations against communications in Italy and between Italy and Sicily convinced the enemy that it would be impossible to move strong reinforcements. By 17 August 1943 the Allies were in possession of the island, but they had not been able to prevent a German evacuation across the Strait of Messina.
