Ford Ovid Rogers (March 23, 1894 – September 12, 1972) was a highly decorated naval aviator, who served with the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

, retiring with the rank of

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

. He was decorated with the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...

for his

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

service and received a

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

and a Distinguished Flying Cross for service in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Early career

Ford O. Rogers was born on March 23, 1894, in

Waco, Texas Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the ...

, and was appointed

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

, in 1913. He studied for almost four years, before he dropped out. Subsequently, enlisted as private in the Marine Corps on July 14, 1917, and served with Marine Corps Detachment at

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

. Rogers was commissioned a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the Marine Corps Reserve on September 15, 1917, and was assigned to the flight training course at Naval Air Station in

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. He was designated

Naval aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...

on April 14, 1918. He was promoted to the rank of

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

on July 1, 1918, and sent overseas as a member of the Day Wing, First Aviation Force within

Northern Bombing Group The Northern Bombing Group consisted of United States Navy and United States Marine Corps squadrons conducting strategic bombing of German U-boat bases along the Belgian coast during World War I. The first United States military unit sent to Euro ...

under the command Major

Alfred A. Cunningham Alfred Austell Cunningham (March 8, 1882 – May 27, 1939) was an American aviator and a United States Marine Corps officer who became the first Marine Corps Naval aviation, aviator and the first director of Marine Corps Aviation. His military car ...

. Rogers was later transferred to the USMC Squadron 8 located at Air Field in Oye, France. He subsequently participated in the several bombings missions against enemy bases, aerodromes, submarine bases, ammunition dumps and railroad junctions. He was later decorated with the

for this service.

Navy Cross Citation

:Action Date: September – November, 1918 :Name: Ford Ovid Rogers :Service: United States Marine Corps :Rank: First lieutenant :Regiment: First Marine Aviation Force :Division: Northern Bombing Group (USN) :Citation: ''The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Ford Ovid Rogers (MCSN: 0–840), United States Marine Corps, for distinguished and heroic service as an Aviator of an aeroplane while serving with the First Marine Aviation Force, attached to the Northern Bomb Group (USN), in active operation co-operating with the Allied Armies on the Belgian Front during September, October, and November, 1918, bombing enemy bases, aerodromes, submarine bases, ammunition dumps, railroad junctions, etc.''

Interwar period

After the War, Rogers accepted the regular Marine Corps commission, but was assigned to ground duty at Marine Corps Base at Parris Island,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. He was later transferred to the

Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeaster ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, but this not suit him well. However he applied for aviation unit and was transferred to

Carlstrom Field Carlstrom Field is a former military airfield, located southeast of Arcadia, Florida. The airfield was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established in 1917 after the United States entry into World War I. History Carlstrom Field ...

, for further aviation training. In January 1922 he served with First Air Squadron at

Santo Domingo , total_type = Total , population_density_km2 = auto , timezone = AST (UTC −4) , area_code_type = Area codes , area_code = 809, 829, 849 , postal_code_type = Postal codes , postal_code = 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional) , websi ...

, where he served during the Dominican Campaign. His job there was to provide air support for Marine ground forces. Towards the end of hostilities Rogers was on leave for Pulitzer Races at St. Louis Flying Field, Missouri. He left Santo Domingo in April 1924. In May 1925, Rogers was assigned to

Naval Air Station Anacostia Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Southeast Washington, D.C. Its downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. It is located east of the Anacostia River, after which the neighborhood is nam ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, where he served until September 28, 1925, when he attended

Air Corps Tactical School The Air Corps Tactical School, also known as ACTS and "the Tactical School", was a military professional development school for officers of the United States Army Air Service and United States Army Air Corps, the first such school in the world. C ...

Langley Field Langley may refer to: People * Langley (surname), a common English surname, including a list of notable people with the name * Dawn Langley Simmons (1922–2000), English author and biographer * Elizabeth Langley (born 1933), Canadian perform ...

, where he graduated following June. In 1927 he participated with two other Marine officers in the Spokane Air Races. He was subsequently assigned to the

Headquarters Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...

, where he served until October 1929, when he was assigned to Marine Squadron 9 and sent to

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

as Air support for 1st Marine Brigade. He remained in Haiti until August 1931. His next overseas duty was in

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...

, where he was tasked with ferrying of planes to Marines from the aircraft factory at the

Philadelphia Navy Yard The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries. Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the cit ...

. Rogers was transferred to Marine Barracks Quantico in June 1934 and served there until July 1938, when he was transferred to

Naval Air Station San Diego Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (NBC ...

. In this capacity, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel on August 14, 1939.

World War II

Shortly before the Japanese

Attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

, Rogers was transferred to

Virgin Islands The Virgin Islands ( es, Islas Vírgenes) are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. They are geologically and biogeographically the easternmost part of the Greater Antilles, the northern islands belonging to the Puerto Rico Trench and St. Croix ...

, where he was appointed commanding officer of the Marine Corps Air Station at St. Thomas. In this capacity, he was promoted to the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

on May 20, 1942. Colonel Rogers returned to the United States in September 1942 and was decorated with the

Navy Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

for his service at

Bourne Field Bourne Field was a United States Marine Corps, US Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) located on Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, a part of the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands. Throughout its service, it was known as Na ...

. In October 1942, Rogers was transferred to

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, where he became Chief of United States Naval Aviation Mission. In this capacity he relieved Brigadier General James T. Moore and also served as Main Air Force advisor to the Peruvian president

Manuel Prado Ugarteche Manuel Carlos Prado y Ugarteche (April 21, 1889 – August 15, 1967) was a banker who served twice as President of Peru. Son of former president Mariano Ignacio Prado, he was born in Lima and served as the nation's 43rd (1939 - 1945) and 46th (1 ...

. In this capacity, Rogers was promoted to the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

in November 1943. He finally returned to the United States in January 1945. Rogers was decorated with the Order of the Sun of Peru, Grade Commander and the Peruvian Aviation Cross, 1st Class by the Government of Peru for his service in Peru. After his return to his country, Rogers was briefly appointed commanding officer of

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (abbreviated as 3rd MAW) is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, California and provides the aviation combat el ...

and then transferred to the staff of Air Defense Command and Fighter Command under the Command of General William J. Wallace. He participated in the

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

as chief of staff of this command. Rogers was appointed Island Commander of

Peleliu Peleliu (or Beliliou) is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu, along with two small islands to its northeast, forms one of the sixteen states of Palau. The island is notable as the location of the Battle of Peleliu in World War II. H ...

on August 7, 1945, when he succeeded Brigadier General

Christian F. Schilt Christian Frank Schilt (March 19, 1895 – January 8, 1987) was one of the first Marine Corps aviators and a recipient of the United States highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. He received the Medal for using his biplane to evacuate ...

. After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the beginning of August, General Rogers showed his own initiative and prepared a surrender document, which was later approved by Vice Admiral

George D. Murray George Dominic Murray (July 6, 1889 – June 18, 1956) was an admiral in the United States Navy and an early naval aviator. Biography Murray was born in Boston, Massachusetts, attended the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1911 and becomin ...

, Commander of the

Marianas The Mariana Islands (; also the Marianas; in Chamorro: ''Manislan Mariånas'') are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, betw ...

, as the official surrender document within Murray's area of command. In this capacity, he accepted surrender of Lieutenant General

Sadae Inoue was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. He commanded the Japanese forces at the Battle of Peleliu and the Battle of Angaur. Early life and education Inoue was born in Kumamoto prefecture as the third son of a local police of ...

, Commander of all Japanese forces in the area, while aboard the destroyer USS ''Amick'' on September 2, 1945. For his service during the final phase of the World War II, Rogers was decorated with the

and the Distinguished Flying Cross. While serving with Air Defense Command and Fighter Command, he also received the

Navy Presidential Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...

. General Rogers retired from active service on November 1, 1946, and was promoted to the rank of

on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat. Major General Ford O. Rogers died on September 12, 1972, in the Naval Hospital in

Bethesda, Maryland Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...

. He is buried together with his first wife Lucy Bedford Rogers (1899–1927) at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

.Burial Detail: Rogers, Ford Ovid
– ANC Explorer

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Ford Ovid Rogers:

References

External links

*
Alt URL

1930s era photo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, Ford O. 1894 births 1972 deaths People from Waco, Texas United States Naval Aviators Air Corps Tactical School alumni United States Marine Corps generals United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I United States Marine Corps World War II generals Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Order of the Sun of Peru Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Military personnel from Texas