Fall of 1971, LTC John H. Haack, Deputy Director of Allied Personnel, and COL William P. Pipkin, Director of Allied Personnel, decided to come up with one idea a month for the College's suggestion program. During one session, the idea was developed that Fort Leavenworth needed to recognize its Allied (International) graduates and a Hall of Fame would be a good way to do this.

They researched Army regulations and called the Chief of the Foreign Military Training Branch (FMT) of DCSOPS, DA for guidance. He called his counterpart at the Department of State and then informed COL Pipkin that Fort Leavenworth could establish an Allied (International) Officers Hall of Fame (IHOF) as long as we "did not memorialize any of the Allied (International) Officers." Memorandums for Record (MFR's) were made up and down the line and with this authority COL Pipkin and LTC Haack proceeded with the project. DOD approved the project with only minor changes in procedures for the routing of nominations.

In September 1971, a DF was circulated to all college agencies outlining the concept for their concurrence and was submitted to the Commandant for approval. The criteria for induction into AHOF (IHOF) were established.

Due to great number of known Allied (International) graduates who qualified for induction, the estimated cost of the project was beyond the resources of the Allied Personnel section and CGSC. General Hennessey had COL Pipkin to contact the President of the Henry Leavenworth Chapter of AUSA to get that organization blessing for this project to be separate from the Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame. Following this approval by AUSA, LTC Haack and COL Pipkin met with the Executive council of the Kansas City Chapter of MOWW and outlined the project. COL (USAR) Tallman and other members of the council accepted the idea with the provision that the initial induction ceremony would be held in August 1973 when the National Convention of the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW) would be held in Kansas City, Missouri. COL Earl D. Clark, Jr., a Kansas City architect and a member of the MOWW council, offered his services to design the layout for the Hall of Fame and to supervise the construction.

By January 1972 letters had been sent to the Chief of MAAG, Mission, or Attaches in each country from which CGSC had allied (international) graduates. By March the nominations had started to arrive and naturally the Hall of Fame idea was enthusiastically accepted.

The Dedication Ceremony was held on 7 August 1973 with CGSC Commandant Major General John J. Hennessey and Colonel Frank Brockus, Commander of the Kansas City Chapter of MOWW presiding. There were 77 Allied (international) military students inducted into the Hall of Fame that day. Since that day the number has grown to 208 from 61 countries and increases yearly.

NOTE: With the influx of new democratic countries, the word "allied" was changed to "international."