Robert Edward Hogaboom (November 13, 1902 – November 11, 1993) was a decorated United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as chief of staff, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps between 1957 and 1959. Hogaboom was promoted to four-star rank upon retirement as a "tombstone general". Hogaboom was also a lead member of so-called "Chowder Society", special Marine Corps Board, which was tasked to conduct research and prepare material relative to postwar legislation concerning the role of the Marine Corps in national defense. Early career Robert Edward Hogaboom was born on November 13, 1902, in Meridian, Mississippi, as the son of late Army Colonel George E. Hogaboom and former Mary Mayerhoff. He graduated from Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama, in summer of 1920 and enrolled the Mississippi State College in Starkville. Hogaboom completed two years before received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. During his time at the academy, "Hoge" was a member of the boxing team and also was designated Expert Rifleman. He graduated on June 4, 1925, with bachelor's degree and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Some of his classmates also became general officers in the Marine Corps: Francis H. Brink, Lionel C. Goodeau, Harold D. Harris, John N. Hart or James Snedeker. Hogaboom was subsequently ordered to the Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for basic officer training, which he completed five months later. He then joined the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines at Quantico, Virginia and embarked for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Hogaboom has returned to the United States in September of that year and was ordered to Richmond, Virginia, where he took part in the Mail guard duty during a nationwide wave of mail robberies. He embarked with 1st Marine Brigade for expeditionary duty to Nicaragua in February 1927 and spent almost three years in that country. Hogaboom took part in the jungle patrols against hostile bandits under Augusto César Sandino and later served as an instructor with Nicaraguan Constabulary, Guardia Nacional. For his service in that country, he was decorated with Nicaraguan Presidential Medal of Merit with Diploma. Following his return stateside in early 1930, he served at Marine Corps Base San Diego at the Recruit Depot and later completed the Sea School. Hogaboom then joined the Marine detachment aboard the cruiser USS Chicago and took part in the gunnery exercises preliminary to Fleet