- Hanford MacNider
Hanford MacNider (1889–
February 18 1968 ) was aUnited States diplomat andUnited States Army General, serving in bothWorld War I andWorld War II .MacNider was born in
Mason City, Iowa , the son of a prominent banker. He attendedboarding school inMilton, Massachusetts and subsequently attendedHarvard University , where he graduated in 1911 before returning to Iowa.MacNider subsequently joined the
United States National Guard and served during thePancho Villa Expedition during theMexican Revolution . During World War I, he was sent toFrance and participated in the founding of theAmerican Legion . After the war, he remained the commander of the Legion for the State of Iowa from 1920 to 1921, before being elevated to the national commander.After the election of
Calvin Coolidge asPresident of the United States in 1924, MacNider was appointed Assistant Secretary of War. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,721349-2,00.html Time: "Change," Oct. 26, 1925] ] He married Margaret McAuley in 1925. In 1928, he was considered a possible Republican candidate for President, but after the death of his father, MacNider returned to Iowa to handle the family's business affairs.In 1930, MacNider was made the
United States ambassador to Canada by PresidentHerbert Hoover . In 1932, he resigned in an unsuccessful attempt to be made the Republican candidate for Vice President. In 1940, he again failed receive the Republican nomination for President and declined the Vice Presidential candicacy underWendell Lewis Willkie . He also turned down a cabinet position offered by PresidentDwight 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 inNew Guinea . After recovery, he was given the command of the 158th Regimental Combat Team, also known as the Bushmasters, at theVicol Peninsula .l Peninsula.His awards include 2
Purple Heart s, 2 Bronze Stars, 3Silver Star s, and 3 times awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.On February 18, 1968, while on vacation in Sarasota, Florida, he died at a hospital. Cause of death was a
pulmonary edema .ee also
References
External links
* [http://www.srmason-sj.org/council/journal/feb00/lavender.html Bio at srmason-sj.org]
* [http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/macnider.html Bio at coat.ncf.ca]
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