Major General Louis Emerson Hibbs (October 3, 1893 − April 28, 1970) was a United States Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II, where he commanded the 63rd Infantry Division.

Military career

Louis Emerson Hibbs was born on October 3, 1893, in Washington, D.C. In 1912 he entered the United States Military Academy (USMA) and graduated from there as 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 Field Artillery Branch of the United States Army four years later in June 1916. He was promoted to first lieutenant on July 1, 1916, less than a month after graduating, and was by then serving with the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, then stationed at Eagle Pass, Texas. Hibbs saw service in World War I, which the United States had entered in April 1917. On May 15, 1917, Hibbs was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. He was eventually transferred to the

5th Field Artillery Regiment The 5th Field Artillery Regiment was constituted as part of the Regular Army in January 1907. Individual battalions have lineages which date back further. Currently, it is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, with a single ...

, which was then serving in

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

, the main

theater of war In warfare, a theater or theatre is an area in which important military events occur or are in progress. A theater can include the entirety of the airspace, land and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations. T ...

, as part of the 1st Division of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). On July 3, 1918, he was promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

. He was

adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of human resources in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed forces as a non-commission ...

to a battalion of the 5th Field Artillery and, from April 1918, he commanded a battalion of the 5th Field Artillery until he was wounded in June at the battle of Cantigny. After recovering from his injury he then served as

chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

to the chief of artillery of

II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...

between September and October 1918 but was again wounded, this time during an attack on the Hindenburg Line near Le Cateau. He was then sent to a hospital in London, England, but returned to the United States in late December. By this time the Armistice with Germany had brought World War I to an end. On July 1, 1938, Hibbs was promoted to

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

. In the following year Hibbs found himself returning to the USMA, where he was Graduate Manager of Athletics. While there, he was promoted to colonel on June 26, 1941. He retained this post until February 1942, two months after the United States had entered World War II, when he was made the commander of the Artillery of the 36th Infantry Division, an

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...

formation recruiting from Texas and commanded by Major General

Fred L. Walker Major General Fred Livingood Walker (June 11, 1887 – October 6, 1969) was a highly decorated senior United States Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II and was awarded with the second highest military decorations in both ...

, who had been one of Hibbs's instructors at the Army War College. On March 11, 1942, Hibbs was promoted to brigadier general. He died in Vero Beach, Florida on April 28, 1970.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hibbs, Louis E. 1893 births 1970 deaths Military personnel from Washington, D.C. United States Army generals United States Military Academy alumni United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army generals of World War II Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army War College alumni United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel