John H. Hester

John Hutchison Hester (11 September 1886 – 11 February 1976) was a major general in the United States Army who commanded the 43rd Infantry Division during World War II.

Early career
Hester was born on 11 September 1886 in Albany, Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia before entering the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Hester graduated in June 1908 and was commissioned second lieutenant of infantry. He was assigned to Fort McPherson, Georgia as his first assignment and served there until 1913.

Lieutenant Hester participated in the Pancho Villa Expedition in Mexico during 1916 and later was transferred to Washington, D.C., where he was assigned to the General Staff.

He served with the rank of lieutenant colonel as professor of military science and tactics at the University of Minnesota until the end of September 1933, when he was appointed executive officer of the 65th Infantry Regiment in Puerto Rico. Hester spent the next two years there, before he was ordered back to the United States and assigned to the Operations and Plan Section at the War Department General Staff. During his service there, he was promoted to the rank of colonel on 1 March 1937.

His next assignment was commanding officer of the 1st Infantry Regiment in August 1939. Hester simultaneously served as commanding officer of Camp Jackson, South Carolina. He was subsequently transferred to the War Department, where he was appointed executive officer of the Reserves and Reserve Officers' Training Corps Affairs. During his service in this capacity, Hester was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on 1 November 1940.

World War II
At the end of March 1941, Brigadier General Hester was transferred to Camp Wheeler, Georgia, where he took command of the Infantry Replacement Training Center. In October 1941, Hester took command of the 43rd Infantry Division, where he relieved National Guard Major General Morris B. Payne. He was promoted to the rank of major general in February 1942.

The 43rd Division went overseas in October 1942 and participated in the landings at the Russell Islands and Rendova Island. Hester commanded the 43rd Division during the attack on Munda Airport held by Japanese forces at the end of July 1943. However, he was relieved of command by Major General John R. Hodge on 29 July 1943. The official reason for his dismissal was "exhaustion of combat". Hester was subsequently sent back to the United States and granted two months leave for recovery. He was also decorated with the Legion of Merit for the success of the initial stages of the New Georgia Campaign.

General Hester was appointed commanding general of the Tank Destroyer Center at Camp Hood, Texas on 23 October 1943. His final assignment was the post of commanding general of the Infantry Replacement Training Center at Camp Croft, South Carolina, where he arrived on 26 June 1944. He finally retired from the army on 28 February 1946 and was decorated with his second Legion of Merit for his service in this capacity.

Later life and death
Hester died in Atlanta on February 11, 1976, and was buried at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs, Georgia.