Elizabeth P. Hoisington
A pioneering Army officer who broke the brass ceiling, becoming one of the first two women to wear the star of a brigadier general and commanding the Women's Army Corps.
1918–2007 (age 89)·20th-century United States Armed Forces officer·Birthday: November 3·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Elizabeth Hoisington entered the Army as a junior officer during World War II, when the Women's Army Corps was a new and often questioned entity. She rose steadily through its ranks not by seeking headlines but through demonstrated competence and a firm, quiet leadership style. Her assignments took her from post-war Germany to the Pentagon, where she helped shape policies for the expanding role of women in the military. In 1970, her career reached a historic peak when she and Anna Mae Hays were promoted to brigadier general on the same day, shattering a longstanding barrier. As the final director of the Women's Army Corps before its integration into the regular Army, Hoisington presided over the end of one era and the beginning of another for servicewomen.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Elizabeth was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Elizabeth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Elizabeth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Died at 89
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Promoted to brigadier general in 1970, becoming one of the first two women to achieve that rank in the U.S. Army.
- Served as the seventh and final director of the Women's Army Corps from 1971 to 1973.
- Received the Army Distinguished Service Medal for her exceptional leadership and service.
- Commanded WAC units in both Europe and the United States during her career.
Did You Know?
Her brother, Perry Hoisington, was a brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force, making them the first brother-sister general officer pair.
She was a graduate of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.
She initially enlisted in the WAAC (Women's Army Auxiliary Corps) in 1942.
After retirement, she was active in volunteer work for the Red Cross and military support organizations.
“The job is to lead soldiers, and you do that by knowing your job and doing it well.”
