| John Leonard Hines | |
| Birth Date: | 21 May 1868 |
| Birth Place: | White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, United States |
| Death Place: | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Placeofburial: | Arlington National Cemetery, Section 7, Lot 8001 |
| Allegiance: |  United States |
| Serviceyears: | 1891−1932 |
| Servicenumber: | 0-23 |
| Rank: | General |
| Commands: | Philippine Department IX Corps Area Chief of Staff of the United States Army VIII Corps Area 2nd Division 5th Division III Corps 4th Division 1st Brigade |
| Battles: | Spanish–American War Philippine–American War World War I |
| Awards: | Distinguished Service Cross Army Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star |
John Leonard Hines (May 21, 1868 – October 13, 1968) was an American general who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1924 to 1926.
Hines was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, to Irish parents, Edward and Mary. Having won a competitive examination for a congressional appointment to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York, Hines, despite having a hard time maintaining his passing grades, nevertheless graduated and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry on June 12, 1891. While he was there he took an interest in athletics, becoming a member of one of the first football teams at West Point.
His first assignment upon his graduation was to the 2nd Infantry Regiment at Fort Omaha, Nebraska. Hines served with the regiment in Nebraska and later at Fort Harrison, Montana, from 1891 to 1898, where he married Harriet Schofield "Rita" Wherry, one of the daughters of Brigadier General William M. Wherry and Alice Grammer.
Hines served with the 25th Infantry Regiment in Cuba during the Spanish–American War and in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War. In 1898 he was elected as a Veteran Companion of the Pennsylvania Commandery of the Military Order of Foreign Wars. He was adjutant of the Mexican Punitive Expedition in 1916–17 under General John J. Pershing.
During World War I, Hines rose rapidly in rank as he was promoted from major to lieutenant colonel in May 1917, then to colonel (November 1917), brigadier general (April 1918), and, in August 1918, to temporary major general—four grades in 16 months. He assumed successively larger commands—from regiment to brigade, division, and finally, corps.
Hines commanded the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, from May to August 1918, during which time he received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest decoration for valor in the United States Armed Forces, with the medal's citation reading:
On August 16, 1918, Hines assumed command of the 4th Division. He commanded the division during the American operations at St. Mihiel and in the Meuse-Argonne until October 11, 1918. Hines then took command of III Corps, leading it during the final engagements of the war and the occupation of the Rhineland. For his service during the war he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the citation for which reads:
Hines was promoted to permanent major general in March 1921. His post-war commands included the 5th Division, the 2nd Division and the VIII Corps Area.
In December 1922, Hines was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, and became Chief of Staff of the United States Army on September 14, 1924. His army biography states that as chief of staff, he "stressed the need for balance in funding and personnel for all parts of the permanent establishment, pointed up the effects of strength deficiencies upon Army capability to meet the provisions of the National Defense Act of 1920, and urged action on housing and promotions to promote personnel retention."
On May 7, 1925, Hines dedicated the landing field at the Vancouver Barracks in Vancouver, Washington, to the memory of Lieutenant Alexander Pearson Jr., who was killed on September 2, 1924, in Fairfield, Ohio while flying the Curtiss R-8 in preparation for the upcoming Pulitzer Trophy Race.
In 1926, after completing his tour as Army Chief of Staff, Hines took command of the IX Corps Area in California, which he led until 1930. In 1930, Hines became commanding general of the Philippine Department.
Hines retired in May 1932. He was promoted to the rank of full (4 star) general on the retired list by a Special Act of Congress on June 15, 1940.
Hines died in Washington, D.C., at Walter Reed Army Medical Center at age 100. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery., Hines is one of only two American generals to have celebrated their 100th birthdays, the other being James Van Fleet.
On May 5, 2000, the United States Postal Service issued the Distinguished Soldiers stamps in which Hines was honored.
Hines' son, Colonel John L. Hines Jr. (1905–1986), served in World War II with the 6th Armored Division, commanding the division's Combat Command A from November 1944 to March 1945. He was twice decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross and was severely wounded outside Frankfurt, Germany when an 88 mm antitank shell grazed his face.
Note that the date indicated is the date of rank. In some cases, the promotion was accepted at a later date.
| No pin insignia in 1891 | June 12, 1891 | |||
| Regular Army | April 26, 1898 | |||
| Regular Army | December 5, 1900 | |||
| Regular Army | May 23, 1912 | |||
| Regular Army | May 15, 1917 | |||
| Temporary | August 5, 1917 | |||
| April 12, 1918 | ||||
| National Army | August 8, 1918 | |||
| Brigadier General | Regular Army | November 30, 1918 | ||
| Major General | Regular Army | July 1, 1920 | ||
| Major General | Retired list | May 31, 1932 | ||
| General | Retired list | June 15, 1940 |
| Distinguished Service Cross | Army Distinguished Service Medal | Silver Star | |||||||
| Spanish Campaign Medal | Army of Cuban Occupation Medal | Philippine Campaign Medal | Mexican Service Medal | |
| World War I Victory Medal | Army of Occupation of Germany Medal | Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (United Kingdom) | Commandeur Légion d'honneur (France) | |
| Croix de guerre with bronze palm (France) | Commander Order of Leopold (Belgium) | Knight of the Order of the Crown (Italy) | Medal of Solidarity, 1918 (Panama) |