Robert E. Hogaboom

Robert Edward Hogaboom (November 13, 1902 – November 11, 1993) was a decorated United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as chief of staff, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps between 1957 and 1959.

Hogaboom was promoted to four-star rank upon retirement as a "tombstone general".

Hogaboom was also a lead member of so-called "Chowder Society", special Marine Corps Board, which was tasked to conduct research and prepare material relative to postwar legislation concerning the role of the Marine Corps in national defense.

Robert Edward Hogaboom was born on November 13, 1902, in Meridian, Mississippi, as the son of late Army Colonel George E. Hogaboom and former Mary Mayerhoff.

He graduated from Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama, in summer of 1920 and enrolled the Mississippi State College in Starkville.

Hogaboom completed two years before received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.

During his time at the academy, "Hoge" was a member of the boxing team and also was designated Expert Rifleman.

He graduated on June 4, 1925, with bachelor's degree and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

Some of his classmates also became general officers in the Marine Corps: Francis H. Brink, Lionel C. Goodeau, Harold D. Harris, John N. Hart or James Snedeker.

Hogaboom was subsequently ordered to the Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for basic officer training, which he completed five months later.

He then joined the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines at Quantico, Virginia and embarked for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Hogaboom has returned to the United States in September of that year and was ordered to Richmond, Virginia, where he took part in the Mail guard duty during a nationwide wave of mail robberies.

He embarked with 1st Marine Brigade for expeditionary duty to Nicaragua in February 1927 and spent almost three years in that country.

Hogaboom took part in the jungle patrols against hostile bandits under Augusto César Sandino and later served as an instructor with Nicaraguan Constabulary, Guardia Nacional.

For his service in that country, he was decorated with Nicaraguan Presidential Medal of Merit with Diploma.

Following his return stateside in early 1930, he served at Marine Corps Base San Diego at the Recruit Depot and later completed the Sea School.

Hogaboom then joined the Marine detachment aboard the cruiser USS Chicago and took part in the gunnery exercises preliminary to Fleet Problem XIII off the California coast.

Hogaboom was detached in summer 1933 and attended the Army Cavalry School at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Upon his graduation in June 1934, he was ordered to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico and served as an instructor there until early 1937, when he was transferred to 4th Marine Regiment and sailed for China.

He was stationed at Shanghai International Settlement under the command of Colonel Joseph C. Fegan and participated in the guard duties during a period of tensions between China and Japan.

Hogaboom was ordered back to the United States in 1939 and ordered back to the staff of Marine Corps Schools, Quantico as an instructor.

During his second tour at Quantico, he was deeply involved in the development of the amphibious warfare doctrine, its tactics and techniques.

During his service at Quantico, commanding general of the Marine Corps Base, Major General Holland Smith, noticed the Hogaboom's qualities as staff officer and brilliant instructor and when he received orders to assume command of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet in San Diego, he requested Hogaboom to be assign to his staff.

Hogaboom was promoted to lieutenant colonel and ordered to San Diego in September 1942 for duty on the staff of Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet under Major General Holland Smith.

He was appointed assistant operations officer (G-3) and was put in charge of the amphibious training of Army 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California.

He was, meanwhile, promoted to the temporary rank of colonel in November 1942.

Hogaboom coordinated the training of the division for the ongoing Aleutian Islands Campaign and later served as an observer during the amphibious landing at Attu in May 1943.

For his service in this capacity, he was decorated with the Navy Commendation Medal.

In November 1943, Commander of Fifth Amphibious Force, Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner, requested a more experienced Marine officer to be assigned to his staff.

Admiral Turner, known as "Terrible Turner" because of his furious temper, wrote a letter to the commandant, Thomas Holcomb, demanding a substitute for his assistant chief of staff for operations, Colonel Joseph W. Knighton.

Holcomb asked Holland Smith for a substitute, and he chose Hogaboom.

He later described his experiences under Turner:

"The greatness of Admiral Kelly Turner was in that Kelly Turner worked his plans out in minute detail himself, right down to the last position of every amphibious vessel; where they would be, when they should be there, what they were to do. I knew him personally and I know that he was a fighting man. He was tough...he was not always fair, but he insisted on his people doing what they were supposed to do."

Hogaboom served as assistant chief of staff for operations and training, with additional duty as Smith's liaison officer and participated in the combat operations in Gilbert and Marshall Islands and in the Marianas.

He remained in this capacity until mid-October 1944 and was decorated with the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for his service in that capacity.

He was subsequently transferred to Guam and appointed chief of staff, 3rd Marine Division under Major General Graves B. Erskine.

Hogaboom knew Erskine well from his time under General Smith in the Aleutians and thus the cooperation worked well.

Hogaboom took part in the planning of Iwo Jima campaign and the landing itself in February 1945 and earned his second Legion of Merit for his service.

Following the war, Hogaboom took part in the occupation of Japan and returned to the United States in December 1945 for duty as a director of the Amphibious Warfare School at the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico under Brigadier General Oliver P. Smith.

Hogaboom received orders from the commandant, Alexander Vandegrift, to form and head the committee of the academic board, which conducted research on the desired characteristics for an assault transport helicopter.