Hobart Raymond "Hap"

Hobart Gay, born 16-05-1894 in Rockport, Illinois, began his military career being commissioned a US Army Cavalry officer in 1917. In the 1930s, he transferred to the Quartermaster Corps, rising through the ranks to Colonel in 1941. During World War II, he served as Chief of Staff for the 1st Armored Corps in North Africa and was promoted Brigadier General Chief of Staff of the US 7^th Army   for the Sicily campaign in 1943. In 1944, he became Chief of Staff for the US 3^rd  Army   under General George S. Patton (see Patton), serving until the end of the war. After the war, when General Patton took command of US 15^th  Army  , he was again Chief of Staff.    On 09-09-1945, Patton and Gay were seated in the back seat of the staff car, en route to a hunting lodge when a traffic accident resulted in General Patton sustaining spinal injuries which later cost his life. The driver Horace Woodring (see Woodring) was unhurted. General Hobart Gay was uninjured too. After Patton's death, Gay assumed command of the US 1^th  Armored Division   Europe serving until 1947. During the Korean War, he commanded the 1^th  Cavalry Division   and was deputy commander of the US 4^th  Army  . Returning to the United States, he commanded the US VI Corps   in 1952 and the US 5^th Army   in 1954. He ended his Army career in 1955, as Lieutenant General in command of the Anti-aircraft and Guided Missile Center, Fort Bliss, Texas. Following retirement, Gay became superintendent of the New Mexico Military Institute.   He died in El Paso, Texas, old age 89, on 19-08-1983 and was interred at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery.. ...