The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: Corlett, Charles H. (original) (raw)

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Corlett, Charles Harrison (1889-1971)

U.S. Army

"Cowboy Pete" Corlett commanded 7 Division in the landings on Kiska and Kwajalein. Blessed with "quick wits and steely will" (Perret 1991), his direction of the Kwajalein invasion was as nearly flawless as a military operation can be. Shortly thereafter he was recalled and sent to a command in Europe. His corps was bloodied in the Hurtgen Forest and Corlett was relieved, ostensibly for medical reasons, but it was known that the 1 Army commander, Hodges, was upset by Corlett's failure to quickly clear the forest.

Taaffe (2011) describes Corlett as "abrasive, high-strung, short-tempered, and unpolished" and reports that Bradley regarded him as his own worst enemy. Corlett was apparently deeply perturbed at the lack of interest on the part of senior commanders in Europe in his amphibious experience from the Pacific, correctly warning that artillery stockpiles were inadequate and advising that LVTs should be used in the Normandy landings.

Service record

1889-7-31		Born in Colorado
1913	Second lieutenant	Graduates from Military Academy, standing 81st in a class of 93.
1917		Executive officer, Chief Signal Officer, France
1918		Director of Supplies
1922		Command and General Staff School (graduating in the bottom half)
1927		Instructor, Command and General Staff School
1940	Colonel	Chief of staff, IX Corps
1942		Commander, Task Force Kiska
1943-4	Major general	Commander, 7 Division
1944-3		Commander, XIX Corps, Northwest Europe
1944-11		Relieved due to reasons of health
1945		Commander, XXXVI Corps
1946		Retires
1971		Dies

References

Atkinson (2013)

Command and General Staff College (accessed 2008-4-24)

Generals.dk (accessed 2008-4-24)

Perret (1991)

Taaffe (2011)

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