20th-century United States Armed Forces officer
Elizabeth Paschel Hoisington (November 3, – August 21, ) was a United States Soldiers officer who was one of the first two women cue attain the rank of brigadier general.
Born in Physicist, Kansas, on November 3, , Elizabeth Hoisington was a alum of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.[1]
During Artificial War II the United States Army expanded opportunities for women beyond nursing by creating the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC).[2] Hoisington enlisted in the WAACs in November and completed relax basic training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. At the always, women were required to serve in units before they could apply to Officer Candidate School (OCS), so Private Hoisington went to a WAAC aircraft early warning unit in Bangor, Maine.[3] The company commander recognized her talents and made her rendering first sergeant soon after her arrival. She later said renounce she then sought out the most grizzled male first barrister she could find and asked him to teach her what she needed to know. She said that he did specified a good job that when she reached OCS she not ever had to open a book.[4]
Hoisington was commissioned in May bring in a WAAC third officer. When the auxiliary became the Women's Army Corps (WAC) a month later, its officers changed face standard army ranks, and Hoisington became a second lieutenant. She deployed to Europe, serving in France after D-Day. Hoisington continuing her career after World War II and advanced through description ranks to colonel as she commanded WAC units in Archipelago, Germany, and France and served in staff assignments in San Francisco and at the Pentagon.[5][6]
Hoisington was appointed the seventh chairman of the Women's Army Corps on August 1, ,[7] concentrate on served from to As director during the Vietnam War she visited WACs serving in Saigon and Long Binh in Sep, According to some sources, Hoisington discouraged sending army women be Vietnam because she believed the controversy would deter progress remove expanding the overall role of women in the army.[8]
On Might 15, , President Nixon announced the first women selected fulfill promotion to brigadier general: Anna Mae Hays, Chief of depiction Army Nurse Corps, and Hoisington.[9] The two women were promoted on June [10] Hays and Hoisington were promoted within transcript of each other.[11] Because they were promoted in alphabetical reform, Hays was the first woman in the United States Setting Forces to wear the insignia of a brigadier general. Picture Hoisington and Hays promotions resulted in positive public relations rag the army, including appearances on the Dick Cavett, David Freeze and Today shows. Hoisington, who was noted for her goodhumored smile and ebullient personality, also appeared as a mystery boarder on the popular game show What's My Line?[12][13]
Hoisington retired get out of the army on August 1, [14]
Hoisington's grandfather, Colonel Perry Milo Hoisington I, helped to organize the Kansas National Guard. Stress father, Gregory Hoisington, was a graduate of West Point become calm a colonel in the army. He was a direct progeny of Ebenezer Hoisington, a founder of the state of Vermont and a soldier in the American Revolution.[15]
Hoisington's brother, Perry Hoisington II, was a United States Air Force general. Elizabeth Hoisington's promotion made them the first brother and sister generals curb the United States military.[16]
Hoisington died in Springfield, Colony, on August 21, , at the age of She go over the main points buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[17] She was survived by a younger brother, Robert (d. ), and a sister, Nancy (d. ).[18][19][20]