Samuel Hof

Samuel Hof
Born	(1870-10-24)October 24, 1870 Boscobel, Wisconsin
Died	March 10, 1937(1937-03-10) (aged 66) Washington, D.C.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1894 - 1934
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Chief of Ordnance
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War World War I
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Spanish War Service Medal World War I Victory Medal

Major General Samuel Hof (October 24, 1870, Boscobel, Wisconsin - March 10, 1937, Washington, D.C.) was an officer in the United States Army during World War I. He was Chief of Ordnance^[1] from 1930 to 1934.

Biography

Samuel Hof was born on October 24, 1870 in Boscobel, Wisconsin,^[2] and graduated from West Point in 1894.^[3] Some of his classmates also became a general officers. For example: Frank Parker, Hamilton S. Hawkins, George H. Estes, Jr., John W. Joyes, Ora E. Hunt, Pegram Whitworth, Briant H. Wells, John F. Preston, Francis L. Parker, Paul B. Malone or George Vidmer.^[4]

He was originally commissioned a Second lieutenant of Cavalry in 1894, but he was later transferred to the Ordnance Corps.^[2]

For his service as a Commanding officer of the Frankford Arsenal, he was later awarded with the Distinguished Service Medal.^[3] He was Chief of Ordnance^[1] from 1930 to 1934.

Major General Samuel Hof retired from the Army in 1934 and died on March 10, 1937 in Washington, D.C.^[4] aged 66. He is buried together with his wife Alice Mayo Hof (1873 - 1962) at West Point Cemetery.^[5]

Distinguished Service Medal Citation

His award citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Colonel (Ordnance Corps) Samuel Hof, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I, first, as Commanding Officer, Frankford Arsenal, from March 1918 to March 1919, where, by his indefatigable energy, outstanding administrative ability, and thorough technical knowledge, Colonel Hof brought to a successful production basis tracer, incendiary, and armor-piercing small-arms ammunition, and supplied substantially all that was used by our troops; later as acting Chairman of the Ordnance Claims Board, where by his energy, tact, and business ability, he secured the settlement of outstanding obligation, and later, as Chief of Field Service, Ordnance Department, where he perfected the organization controlling the disposition of vast quantities of materials and plants left over from the war.

References