Colonel Reginald J. Hinton entered the military service at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on 12 May 1942. He was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from OCS Class 187 at Fort Benning, 4 March 1943. His initial assignments were as Platoon Leader and Company Commander, Anti-Tank Company, 263rd Infantry, 66th Infantry Division. | His Subsequent duty assignments include: Company Commander of A Company and moved with the Division to the European Theater of Operations. At the conclusion of World War II he served as Company Commander, Company F, 232nd Infantry, 42nd Division, A Company Commander and Operations Officer of the 505th Military Police Battalion, Security Officer for the Civilian Interment Camp, Camp Glasenbach and Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General Zone Command, Austria. | Upon his return to the US in 1948, he served as Commander of the Main Recruiting Station, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, followed by attendance at the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Fort Benning, Georgia. In August 1949 he was assigned as Company Commander, Heavy Tank Company, 38th Infantry, 2nd Division, Fort Lewis, Washington and accompanied the Division to Korea. Additional Korean War assignments included positions of Executive Officer and Battalion Commander of the 1st Battalion 38th Infantry. Upon return to the CONUS in 1951 he was assigned to the Army General School, Fort Riley, Kansas. At this Post, he served as OCS Instructor, Operations Officer and Director of Physical Training. From November 1953 to November 1956 he was detailed to duty with the Staff Commander Amphibious Group Four, Atlantic Fleet (Homeport at Norfolk, Virginia, serving as Operations Officer, during deployments to the Caribbean and Mediterranean Ocean areas. | From 1956 through 1961, he was assigned to the Pentagon in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Director of Organization and Training, Schools Branch. Next, he was selected to attend the 1961/1962 Class, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. Upon graduation, Colonel Hinton served for 18 months with the JCS Specified Command, CINorth CarolinaNELM London, England, as a Plans Officer. In 1964, this command was deactivated and he was assigned as Chief Africa Branch, Military Assistance Directorate, United States Strike Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. | From June 1966 through March 1968 he served as Brigade Commander, 1st Training Brigade, U.S. Army Training Center, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. His following assignment was as Director of Psychological Operations, Headquarters Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. In April 1969, until his retirement on 31 March 1973, he served as Plans and Operations Officer and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Training, 3rd U.S. Army, Fort McPherson, Georgia. | Colonel Hinton’s awards and decorations include: The Silver Star w/2 oak leaf Clusters, Legion of Merit w/ 1 oak leaf Cluster, Bronze Star w/ 2 oak leaf Clusters and V Device, Purple Heart w/2 oak leaf Clusters, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Army Honor Medal (2nd Class), Chinese Army Medal, United States Presidential Unit Citation (twice), Korean Presidential Unit Citation (twice), Combat Infantryman’s Badge w/ one star, Army General Staff Identification Badge, American Theater Medal w/1 star, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Europe), National Defense Medal w/ Cluster, Korean Theater Medal w/ 6 stars, Reserve Forces Defense Medal, United Nations Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal w/ 6 stars. | By way of post service honors, Colonel Hinton was, by direction of the Secretary of the Army, invested as Honorary Colonel of the 38th Infantry for the “Special Interest of Regimental Continuity, Tradition and Esprit De Corps."