John L. Hines

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John Leonard Hines
May 21, 1868 - October 23, 1968
General John L. Hines
Place of birth	White Sulphur Spring, West Virginia
Place of death	Washington, D.C.
Allegiance	U.S. Army
Years of service	1891-1932
Rank	General
Commands	1st Brigade, 1st Division 5th Division 2nd Division VIII Corps Area Army Chief of Staff IX Corps Area Department of the Philippines
Battles/wars	Spanish-American War Philippine-American War World War I
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Distinguished Service Medal Légion d'honneur Croix de guerre

John Leonard Hines (May 21, 1868-October 13, 1968) was an American soldier, who served as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army from 1924 to 1926.

He was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, in 1891, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry. His first assignment was to the 2nd Infantry Regiment, and he served with the regiment in Nebraska and Montana from 1891 to 1898.

Hines served in Cuba during the Spanish-American War and in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War. He was adjutant of the Mexican Punitive Expedition in 1916-17 under General John J. Pershing.

During World War I, Hines commanded the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, from May to August 1918 and the 4th Division from August to October 1918. He received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest U.S. Army decoration for valor, for "extraordinary heroism in action near Berzy-le-Sec, France, July 21, 1918." In October 1918, he took command of III Corps, leading it during the final engagements of the war and the occupation of Germany.

Post-war commands included the 5th Division, the 2nd Division and the VIII Corps Area.

In December 1922, he was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, and became Army Chief of Staff on September 14, 1924. His Army biography states that as Chief of Staff, he "stressed the need for balance in funding and personnel for all parts of the permanent establishment, pointed up the effects of strength deficiencies upon Army capability to meet the provisions of the National Defense Act of 1920, and urged action on housing and promotions to promote personnel retention."

In 1926, after completing his tour as Army Chief of Staff, Hines took command of the IX Corps Area in California, which he led until 1930. In 1930, Hines became commanding general of the Department of the Philippines. He retired in May 1932.

Hines died in Washington, DC, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center at age 100. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. The only American generals to have celebrated their 100th birthdays are John L. Hines, James Alward Van Fleet, and William Glascow as of 2006.

On May 5, 2000, the United States Postal Service issued the Distinguished Soldiers stamps in which Hines was honored.

Hines' son, Col. John L. Hines, Jr. (1905-1986), served in World War Two with the 6th Armored Division, commanding the division's Combat Command A from November 1944 to March 1945. He was twice decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross and was severely wounded outside Frankfurt, Germany when an antitank shell grazed his face.