H. G. Cochran
Henry Grady Cochran, Jr. (August 3, 1923 – June 20, 1986) was Florida Director of the Division of Corrections from 1959 to 1962. He replaced R.O. Culver and was replaced by Louie L. Wainwright. He was born in Lake City, Florida[1]
H. G. Cochran served in the United States Army during World War 2. He enlisted on October 24th, 1942 and was assigned the rank of Private in a field artillery unit. His unit aided in the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp.
During his tenure as director the first Transition Officers were hired to assist inmates with placement upon release, a male unit is opened at Florida Correctional Institution, Apalachee Correctional Institution's West Unit is opened, Marion Correctional Institution and Caryville Work Camp are established, a new six-digit numbering system to identify inmates was first used, Florida State Prison, East Unit, a new maximum security unit, was constructed in Starke, Florida which went on to become the Florida State Prison, the official newsletter of the Florida Division of Corrections, the Correctional Compass, made its debut, and on October 1, 1961, the Division of Corrections assumed responsibility for the administration of all phases of Road Prison operation from the Florida State Road Department. He died in 1986 at Leon County, Florida.[2]