Hoffman had heart problems later in life, which began with arrhythmia and progressed to atrial fibrillation before he underwent heart bypass surgery in early 1977.
He was slightly injured from a shell splinter in or about early July 1919, and honorably discharged from the military on August 13, 1919. Honorably discharged from the 111th, Hoffman joined the 802nd Pioneer Infantry Regiment as an officer in late March 1919. Hoffman was promoted to Private 1st Class in December 1917, and to Corporal in February 1918.
He was decorated many times for bravery during the war, and received the Belgian Order of Leopold, the French Croix de Guerre and a silver star. Hoffman was deployed to France in May 1918 as part of the American Expeditionary Forces, with whom he was active at the front and 'in numerous campaigns and engagements' including Champagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, Oise-Aisne, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
entered World War I, his unit entered federal service as Company A of the 111th Infantry Regiment, in a newly redesignated 28th Division. At age 18 in April 1917, Hoffman enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard's 18th Infantry Regiment, Company A at Pittsburgh his enlistment papers identify him as having blue eyes, dark hair, and a height of 6 feet 2 inches.
