Herman Hankins ΣΑΣ PC 1937

Herman Henry Hankins was born on February 6, 1917, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He graduated from Ouachita Baptist in 1940, with a BA degree. Hankins was commissioned as a Lieutenant of Infantry the same year that he was called to duty in 1941. After his tour of duty, he served as an instructor in the Infantry school in Ft. Benning, GA, and was assigned to the 342nd Infantry, 86th Division. During the period of 1943 to 1946, he held the following positions; Company Commander, Battalion Executive Officer, Regimental Operations Officer, and battalion Commander with the same unit. This unit had campaigns in Central Europe and the Philippine Islands. After reverting to reserve status in 1946, he served as Commanding officer of several Battalions and Armored Divisions until he was promoted to Brigadier General in 1965. He received The Silver Star, Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, American Defense Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African Eastern Campaign Medal, Asian-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

Herman Hankins, Sr., who with his wife, the former Marjorie Meador (’39), lives in Arkadelphia, has gone and retired again. In 1975 he closed a 35 year career in the military as a Major General in the Army Reserve. Under his leadership, the 95th Division became known as the outstanding training division in the country. On February 28 of this year, he completed 20 years of service to the City of Arkadelphia which has included alderman, fire chief, city engineer, and most recently, City Manager. He has been succeeded in that position, incidentally, by Ouachitonian Ken Wasson (’74). The three Hankins children, Herman, Jr. (f.s. ’54), and Jean Ellen, (f.s. ’55), and Jimmy (’75), have all attended Ouachita. After planning every minute of every day of his life, he claims, “I’m not planning anything. I’m going to do what I want to do’ After 40 years of a successful marriage he observes, “Love is a part of it but you have to like each other, enjoy each other’s company:’ Marjorie is his biggest fishing competitor. He calls her a pretty good fisherman. “Notice I didn’t say fisherperson. She doesn’t belong to E.R.A. She’s got it unequal and that’s the way she wants it. She thinks what’s hers is hers and what’s mine is hers too;’ he says with a grin.