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 ...

Ralph Hospital was born January 27, 1891, in Washington, D.C. He was commissioned in November 1913 as a

Field Artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the early 20t ...

officer and saw service with the 15th Cavalry Regiment during the Mexican Campaign in Douglas, Arizona and Sierra Blanca, Texas. He served as an Artillery officer in France during

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 ...

and then took an instructor job at

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

in Ithaca, New York until the mid-1920s. Major Hospital served with the 15th Field Artillery Regiment during its period under the Hawaiian Division in 1925, and returned to the states in 1926 to attend Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was a Distinguished Graduate and soon returned to Ithaca to instruct ROTC again. Lieutenant Colonel Hospital pinned on Colonel in 1941 and saw 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 ...

, first as commander of the 75th Field Artillery Brigade and then was frocked to Brigadier General and placed as Commanding General of the 91st Division Artillery. In Spring 1944 they sailed for north Africa and then Italy, making the push for the Po River Valley and the

Gothic Line The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...

. General Hospital was awarded the Silver Star for his heroism in the Italian campaigns. He retired in January 1951 and was officially promoted to Brigadier General in February 1951 on the U.S. Army Retired List. He returned to

Ithaca, New York Ithaca is a city in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is the seat of Tompkins County and the largest community in the Ithaca metropolitan statistical area. It is named a ...

, as Professor of Military Studies and Tactics until the mid-1960s. General Hospital died on December 20, 1972, and was buried 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 ...

near the JFK grove. General Hospital's awards include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Italian Medal for Military Valor. His campaign awards include the Mexican Campaign, World War I Victory, American Defense, American Campaign, European-Middle Eastern-North Africa Campaign Medal with three bronze campaign stars, the Army of Occupation Service Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. Hospital is the maternal grandfather of musician

John Flansburgh John Conant Flansburgh (born May 6, 1960) is an American musician. He is half of the long-standing Brooklyn, New York-based alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants with John Linnell, for which he writes, sings, and plays rhythm guitar. Common ...

, one half of the

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

band

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a d ...

, and

Paxus Calta Paxus Calta (born 1957), born Earl Schuyler "Sky" Flansburgh, is an American political activist, communitarian and writer. He has been involved with the anti-nuclear movement and is a member of the Twin Oaks Community. Biography Calta was born ...

(born Earl S. Flansburgh), anti-nuclear activist. He was the father-in-law of the late

Earl Flansburgh Earl R. Flansburgh (April 28, 1931 – February 3, 2009) was a Modernist architect known for his extensive work in the Boston area. Early life and education Earl Robert Flansburgh grew up in Ithaca, New York. His father, Earl Alvah Flansburgh ...

, famed Boston architect, and father to Polly Flansburgh, owner of Boston by Foot.

External links

Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hospital, Ralph 1891 births 1972 deaths Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Cornell University faculty People from Washington, D.C. Recipients of the Silver Star United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army generals of World War II United States Army generals United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army Field Artillery Branch personnel