Robert W. Hasbrouck

Robert W. Hasbrouck (February 2, 1896 – August 19, 1985) was a career officer in the United States Army. He attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for valor. Hasbrouck was a veteran of World War I and World War II, and was most notable for his Second World War command of the 7th Armored Division.

Early life Robert Wilson Hasbrouck was born in Kingston, New York on February 2, 1896, the son of Jansen Hasbrouck and Cornelia (Wilson) Hasbrouck. He attended the public schools of Kingston, and was a graduate of Kingston Academy. He began attendance as a member of the class of 1918, which graduated in August 1917 because of the demand for trained officers as the United States Army expanded in anticipation of U.S. entry into World War I. Hasbrouck graduated 49th of 151, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Coast Artillery Corps. Hasbrouck's regiment was still undergoing training when the Armistice of November 11, 1918 ended the war. In July 1920, he was promoted to permanent captain and transferred from the Coast Artillery to the Field Artillery Branch.

Retirement and death After retiring from the Army, Hasbrouck resided in Washington, D.C. and was the military advisor for the Hoover Commission, which studied the organization of the federal government and made recommendations for improvement and modernization. He was buried at West Point Cemetery in West Point, New York. They were the parents of two children, Robert and Marjorie. All three were descendants of Abraham J. Hasbrouck.

Memorials The town of Vielsalm in Belgium was the headquarters of the 7th Armored Division during the Battle of St. Vith. Vielsalm displays both a 7th Armored Division tank and a stone monument, and the stone monument also commemorates Hasbrouck's wartime leadership of the division.