Oscar W. Koch (January 10, 1897 – May 16, 1970) was a brigadier general in the United States Army. He was most notable for his service as Third Army's Intelligence officer (G-2) under General George S. Patton in World War II.
A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Koch was raised and educated in Milwaukee and joined the Wisconsin National Guard as a private in 1915. He served in the Pancho Villa Expedition in 1916, and rose through the ranks to become corporal, sergeant, and regimental sergeant major. When his unit was federalized for World War I as part of the 32nd Division, Koch served in France and received his commission as a second lieutenant of Field Artillery. He then served as an instructor at the Army's wartime artillery school in Saumur.
After the war, Koch returned to Milwaukee, where he was one of the re-organizers of his old Wisconsin National Guard unit, which he commanded as a captain. He obtained a Regular Army commission as a second lieutenant of Cavalry in 1920, was quickly promoted to first lieutenant, and was appointed to command a troop of the 8th Cavalry Regiment. Koch slowly advanced through the ranks in the 1920s and 1930s, and developed a positive reputation as an instructor and academic, primarily as a member of the faculty at the Army's Cavalry School at Fort Riley, Kansas.
During World War II, Koch joined the staff of George S. Patton's 2nd Armored Division as Intelligence officer (G-2). Koch served under Patton in North Africa and Europe as Patton successively commanded I Armored Corps, II Corps, Seventh Army, and Third Army. During the war, Koch developed procedures and policies for gathering and analyzing intelligence and providing recommendations to commanders, many of which continued to be used after the war.
Following the war, Koch served as deputy commandant and commandant of the Army's first Intelligence school, and as director of intelligence for the Allied occupation of Austria. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1954, and served in the Korean War as assistant division commander and acting commander of the 25th Infantry Division. He retired in September 1954. After retiring, Koch resided in his wife's hometown of Carbondale, Illinois, where he was active in several civic and fraternal organizations. He also authored a brief memoir of his World War II service, which continues to be used as a guide for Military Intelligence professionals. Koch died in Marion, Illinois and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Early life
Oscar Koch was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 10, 1897, a son of Oscar Koch Jr. and Emma (Zimmerman) Koch. He attended the public schools of Milwaukee and graduated from North Division High School. In high school, Koch played center on the football team and was named to the 1913 all-city team. In 1916, the regiment was federalized during the Pancho Villa Expedition, and Koch served on the Mexico–United States border.
World War I
During World War I, Koch's unit was activated as part of the 32nd Division. Koch was born Oscar Koch III, and his parents did not give him a middle name. He was then assigned as an instructor at the U.S. Army artillery school established in Saumur. He was a 1922 graduate of the Army's basic course for Cavalry officers, after which he was assigned to the 14th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. He completed the course for Signal Corps officers in 1925.
In 1928, Koch was assigned as Signal Corps instructor for the Kansas National Guard and posted to Kansas City. In 1931, Koch was named the Signal Corps instructor for the South Dakota National Guard and assigned to Watertown. In 1932 he was assigned to Saint Paul, Minnesota as Signal instructor for the Minnesota National Guard. In February 1932, he was again promoted to captain. While on the faculty, Koch was selected by the Army to attend courses in pedagogy at the University of Michigan. Koch agreed, and served as his Intelligence officer (G-2). When Patton assumed command of I Armored Corps, Koch again served as his G-2. In 1947, he was named commandant. He completed his military education with graduation from the National War College. Koch next served as director of intelligence for Geoffrey Keyes during Keyes' appointment as Allied High Commissioner in Austria. Koch next served as deputy director of Training (Special) at the CIA, responsible for training of covert Agency personnel. He held this position until February 1952 and was succeeded by Rolfe W. Kingsely. After briefly acting as division commander in May 1954, in June he was assigned to the Career Management Division in the Office of the U.S. Army Adjutant General. Koch retired from military service in September, 1954.
Retirement and death
In retirement, Koch settled in Carbondale, Illinois, his wife's hometown.
In his later years, Koch was treated for cancer. They remained married until his death, and had no children. In addition, in 1993 the United States Army Intelligence Center named one of its buildings Koch Barracks. Hays reissued this work in 1999, and it remains an important "how to" text for military intelligence professionals.
Promotions
{|class="wikitable" style="background:white"
! Insignia !! Rank !! Component !! Date
|-
|align="center" |13px || Second lieutenant || National Army || January 10, 1918
|-
|align="center" |13px || Second lieutenant || Regular Army || July 1, 1920
|-
|align="center" |13px || First lieutenant || National Army || July 1, 1920
|-
|align="center" |33px || Captain || National Army || December 4, 1919
|-
|align="center" |33px || Captain || Regular Army || February 1, 1932
|-
|align="center" |40px || Major || Regular Army || August 15, 1939
|-
|align="center" |40px || Lieutenant colonel || Army of the United States || April 25, 1941
|-
|align="center" |40px || Lieutenant colonel ||Regular Army|| December 18, 1941
|-
|align="center" |60px || Colonel || Army of the United States || January 7, 1943
|-
|align="center" |33px || Brigadier general || Army of the United States || January 22, 1954
|-
|}
Medals and decorations
Koch's awards and decorations included:
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|
|United Nations Korea Medal
|}