Everett Hughes (United States Army officer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Everett Strait Hughes
Born	(1885-10-21)October 21, 1885 Ipswich, Dakota Territory
Died	September 5, 1957(1957-09-05) (aged 71) Washington, D.C., US
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1908–1949
Rank	Major general
Commands held	17th Chief of Ordnance (1946-1949)
Battles/wars	Mexican Revolution: Battle of San Miguelito World War I: World War II: Algeria-French Morocco Campaign Tunisia Campaign Sicily Campaign Lorraine Campaign Ardennes Campaign Rhineland Campaign Central Europe Campaign
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal Legion of Honor (France) Croix de Guerre (France) Order of the Crown (Belgium) Croix de Guerre (Belgium) Order of the Fatherland (Soviet Union) Order of Nichan-Iftikhar (Tunisia)

Everett Strait Hughes (born October 21, 1885 – died September 5, 1957) was an important major general in the United States Army. He was the 17th Chief of Ordnance for the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps, which handles weapons and supplies. He is well-known for being a close friend and trusted helper to Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later became a U.S. President.

Hughes was born in Ipswich, which was then called Dakota Territory. He went to the West Point and became a major general. He fought in the Mexican border war and World War I. During World War II, he was a good friend of George S. Patton and was called Eisenhower's "right-hand man" throughout the war in Europe.

Early Military Life and Education

Everett Hughes grew up in Minnesota. He was chosen to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He was even the first captain of the West Point lacrosse team!

In 1908, Hughes graduated 13th in his class from West Point. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He then became a second lieutenant in the 3rd Field Artillery. He was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

In 1912, he studied at the Ordnance School of Technology in Massachusetts. This school taught him about military weapons and equipment. He was then sent to the Philippines. There, he was promoted to captain in 1913.

Serving in Wars

Hughes and George S. Patton, Jr. became good friends. They served together in Mexico under General John J. Pershing. This was during the punitive expedition to Mexico.

When the United States joined World War I, Hughes worked in Washington, D.C. He helped buy artillery, which are large guns. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a major, then a lieutenant colonel, and finally a colonel by October 1918. He served briefly in France before returning to Washington.

After World War I ended, Hughes continued his military education. He attended the School of the Line and the General Staff School. He even became an instructor there. Later, he attended the Army War College.

He worked at the War Department General Staff in Washington, D.C. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel again in 1931. Before World War II, he worked at important military sites like Aberdeen Proving Ground and Picatinny Arsenal. He was promoted to colonel again in 1936.

World War II Contributions

In May 1942, Hughes became the Chief of Ordnance for U.S. Army operations in Europe. He was in charge of making sure soldiers had the weapons and supplies they needed. He became a brigadier general in September 1942.

He later became Deputy Chief of Staff for the European Theater. Then, he was appointed Deputy Theater Commander in North Africa. He was promoted to major general in March 1943.

When Allied forces faced tough times against German general Erwin Rommel in North Africa, Hughes suggested that George S. Patton take command. Patton then led the Allies to important victories.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower considered Hughes one of his closest friends. Hughes sent reports about problems with supplies in North Africa. These reports caused a stir among Allied leaders. For his hard work in the Mediterranean, Hughes received the Bronze Star Medal and the Army Distinguished Service Medal.

Hughes played a key role in the Algeria-French Morocco Campaign. Eisenhower wanted Hughes by his side. He had Hughes transferred to London to help plan the Normandy Invasion. Eisenhower missed Hughes, saying, "I do miss Everett, wish I still had him." Hughes was good at finding things Eisenhower needed, like his favorite whiskey.

During the invasion of Europe, Hughes was Eisenhower's "eyes and ears." He traveled behind the front lines. He reported on safety issues and supply problems. He also advised Eisenhower on how to keep soldiers disciplined. Later, he became the Inspector General of U.S. Forces in Europe.

Chief of Ordnance

In February 1946, Hughes was called back to Washington D.C. He became the Acting Chief of Ordnance. In June 1946, he was officially named the 17th Chief of Ordnance.

During his time as Chief of Ordnance, he focused on research, development, storage, and training. He made the office more efficient. The Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground was expanded. The White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico became very important for testing rockets and missiles.

Studies were done on the German V-2 missile. In 1949, Redstone Arsenal in Alabama was given the job of researching and testing rockets and missiles. The ENIAC computer, one of the first electronic computers, was finished in 1946. It started working at Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1947.

Hughes retired from the military in 1949. He settled in Washington D.C. He then worked as the Director for Office of Energy and Utilities for the National Security Resources Board.

Awards and Honors

General Hughes received many awards for his service. He was given the Legion of Merit twice and the Army Distinguished Service Medal.

For his actions in World War II, he also received honors from other countries. These included the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre from France. He also received the Order of the Crown and Croix de Guerre from Belgium. He was honored with the Order of the Fatherland from the Soviet Union. Tunisia gave him the Order of Nichan-Iftikhar.

Here are his military ribbons:

Later Life and Legacy

Everett Hughes passed away on September 5, 1957, in Washington, D.C., after a long illness. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

Hughes was known for keeping many notes and writing in his diary. His papers are kept at the Library of Congress. For many years, his diaries were hard to read because of his unique handwriting. However, a person named Molly McClellan was able to "crack the code" and write down all 900 pages of his diaries. This allowed historians to learn more about his experiences during World War II, especially his insights into Eisenhower's inner circle.

In his personal life, Hughes married Kate Murphy in 1910.