Hanford MacNider

Hanford “Jack” MacNider (October 2, 1889–February 18, 1968) was a United States diplomat and United States Army General, serving in both World War I and World War II. He was a Scottish Rite Freemason.

Biography

MacNider was born in Mason City, Iowa. He is the son of Charles H. MacNider, a prominent banker, and May Hanford. [1][2] He attended Milton Academy (a boarding school in Massachusetts) and subsequently Harvard University, where he graduated in 1911 before returning to Iowa.

MacNider joined the United States National Guard and served during the Pancho Villa Expedition during the Mexican Revolution. During World War I, he served in the American Expeditionary Force in France. He participated in founding of the American Legion, and was commander of the Legion for the State of Iowa from 1920 to 1921, before being elevated to national commander.

President Calvin Coolidge appointed him Assistant Secretary of War in 1925.[3] MacNider married Margaret McAuley in 1925. He was considered a possible Republican candidate in the United States presidential election, 1928, but after the death of his father, MacNider returned to Iowa to handle the family's business affairs.

President Herbert Hoover appointed him United States ambassador to Canada in 1930. [1] In 1932, he resigned in an unsuccessful attempt to be made the Republican candidate for Vice President. [1] In 1940, he again failed receive the Republican nomination for President and declined the Vice Presidential candidacy under Wendell Lewis Willkie. [1] He also turned down a cabinet position offered by President Dwight Eisenhower.

MacNider was eventually promoted to Brigadier General in the United States Army, and then Major General until his retirement in 1951. (After retirement, he was promoted to Lieutenant General.) During World War II, he was wounded while commanding the Buna Task Force in New Guinea. After recovery, he was given the command of the 158th Regimental Combat Team (the Bushmasters) at the Bicol Peninsula.[4]

His military decorations include two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, three Silver Stars, the Distinguished Service Cross three times, and the Philippine Legion of Honor.

On February 18, 1968, while on vacation in Sarasota, Florida, he died at a hospital of pulmonary edema. It has been said that he was interred in Mason City's Elmwood Saint Joseph Cemetery, the cemetery office has no record of him, it is believed that he was cremated and his ashes scattered in an unknown location.[1]

References

World War I portal
World War II portal
United States Army portal
  1. ^ a b c d e "The Political Graveyard". MacNider, Hanford. http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/maclafferty-madar.html#RKB1DEU1P. Retrieved 2010-12-04. 
  2. ^ Charles H. MacNider (b. 1860) was the president of the First National Bank of Mason City. The MacNider Art Museum at Mason City, Iowa is named after him.[1]
  3. ^ "The Cabinet: Change". Time (magazine). October 26, 1925. http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,721349,00.html. Retrieved 2010-06-15. "MacNider. As one steps out an-other steps in. President Coolidge appointed Hanford MacNider, of Iowa, onetime Commander of the American Legion (1921-22), to succeed Mr. Davis as Assistant Secretary of War. He is even younger than his new superior, is only 36. Like Mr. Davis he is a Harvard man. He fought overseas, rose to a Lieutenant Colonelcy, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Said Mr. Davis: ‘It is a splendid appointment’." 
  4. ^ “The Bushmasters: Arizona's Fighting Guardsmen”, World War II Forums, April 13, 2008.

External links

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
William Phillips		 United States Ambassador to Canada
1930–1932		 Succeeded by
Nathan William MacChesney
Phillips (1927–29) · MacNider (1930–32) · Robbins (1933–35) · Armour (1935–39) · Roper (1939) · Cromwell (1940) · Moffat (1940–43) · Atherton (1943–48) · Steinhardt (1949–50) · Woodward (1950–53) · Stuart (1953–56) · Merchant (1956–58) · Wigglesworth (1959–60) · Merchant (1961–62) · Butterworth (1962–68) · Linder (1968–69) · Schmidt (1969–74) · Porter (1974–75) · Enders (1976–79) · Curtis (1979–81) · Robinson (1981–85) · Niles (1985–89) · Ney (1989–92) · Teeley (1992–93) · Blanchard (1993–96) · Giffin (1997–2001) · Cellucci (2001–05) · Wilkins (2005–09) · Jacobson (2009-Present)