Biography.guide
Home › People › Military personnel › John H. Hughes
Portrait of John H. Hughes

John H. Hughes

1876 – 1953

U.S. Army major general

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About John H. Hughes

Lived 1876 – 1953 (aged 77). John H. Hughes was an American military personnel.

John H. Hughes (February 4, 1876 – August 6, 1953) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of major general, and was most notable for his command of the Philippine Division (1937–1938) and the Philippine Department (1938–1939). A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, and World War I, Hughes served for 43 years beginning 1897. After retiring in 1940, he was recalled to active duty for World War II and served at the Department of War from 1941 to 1945.

After he retired for the second time, Hughes was a resident of Washington, D.C. He died in Washington on August 6, 1953, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Early life John Hendricken Hughes was born in New York City on February 4, 1876, a son of Bernard Hughes and Kate C. Hughes. He was raised and educated in New York City. In 1893, Hughes began attendance at the United States Military Academy.

Start of career In June 1897, Hughes was appointed a second lieutenant of Infantry and assigned to the 17th Infantry Regiment. When the Army created the Silver Star in 1918, Hughes' award was converted to the new medal. In March 1902, Hughes was promoted to captain. In June, he transferred to the 4th Infantry Regiment. In October 1931, he was promoted to brigadier general.

World War II Hughes was recalled to active duty for World War II. Hughes had eight siblings (three sisters and five brothers), all of whom attended his funeral. In addition, he received the French Order of the Black Star (Commander) in recognition of his wartime service in France.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
United States Military Academy, United States Army Command and General Staff College
Awards
Purple Heart; Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army); Order of the Black Star; Silver Star
Also known as
John Hendricken Hughes, J. H. Hughes

People in John H. Hughes's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John H. Hughes's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John H. Hughes?

U.S. Army major general

When was John H. Hughes born?

John H. Hughes was born on 4 February 1876 in New York City.

When did John H. Hughes die?

John H. Hughes died on 6 August 1953 in Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

What was John H. Hughes's occupation?

John H. Hughes was a military personnel.

What nationality was John H. Hughes?

John H. Hughes was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John H. Hughes

· Wikidata: Q105696736

· DBpedia: John H. Hughes (United States Army officer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John H. Hughes. https://biography.guide/john-h-hughes-military-personnel/

MLA: "John H. Hughes." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-h-hughes-military-personnel/.

Chicago: "John H. Hughes." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-h-hughes-military-personnel/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:07 UTC