Allegiance United States Name Charles Bonesteel, | Rank Major General Years of service 1908-1947 | |
 | ||
Born April 9, 1885
Fort Sidney, Nebraska ( 1885-04-09 ) Commands held 1st Battalion 18th Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion 2nd Infantry Regiment
19th Infantry Regiment
VI Corps Area
5th Infantry Division
Iceland Base Command
United States Army Infantry School
Western Defense Command
G-1 Section, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
General Inspectorate Section, U.S. European Theater of Operations
War Department Manpower Board Battles/wars World War I
World War II Relations Major Charles Hartwell Bonesteel, Sr. (Father)
General Charles Hartwell Bonesteel III (Son) Died 1964, Washington, D.C., United States Education United States Military Academy Place of burial Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, United States Awards Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal | ||
Service/branch United States Army Battles and wars World War I, World War II | ||
Charles Hartwell Bonesteel, Jr. (April 9, 1885 – June 5, 1964) was a Major General in the United States Army. He commanded the United States Army Infantry School and the G-1 (personnel) staff section of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force during World War II. He was the father of General Charles H. Bonesteel III.
Contents
- Early life
- Start of career and World War I
- Post World War I
- World War II
- Death and burial
- Awards and decorations
- Family
- References
Early life
The son of U.S. Army Major Charles Hartwell Bonesteel, Sr. (1851 – 1902; West Point, 1876), the second Charles H. Bonesteel (pronounced "Bonn-eh-stel") was born at Fort Sidney, Nebraska on April 9, 1885. His mother Mary Greene Bonesteel, was the daughter of Oliver Duff Greene, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism at the Battle of Antietam. Bonesteel graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1908 and was appointed a Second Lieutenant of Infantry.
Start of career and World War I
His initial assignments included postings in the Philippines, Hawaii and Texas. During World War I he served with the 55th Infantry Regiment, and later at the Newport News, Virginia point of embarkation.
Post-World War I
From 1919 to 1924 Bonesteel was an instructor at West Point.
Bonesteel graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1926 and served on the staff of the Chief of Infantry until 1930. From 1930 to 1931 Bonesteel was assigned to the 18th Infantry Regiment, first as Commander of its 1st Battalion, and later as the regiment's Executive Officer, or second in command. In 1932 he graduated from the United States Army War College.
From 1932 to 1940 Bonesteel's assignments included: Instructor and Section Chief at the Infantry School; Commander, 1st Battalion 2nd Infantry Regiment; and Commander of the 19th Infantry Regiment.
World War II
Beginning in 1940 Bonetseel's service covered several command positions, to include: Chief of Staff, VI Corps Area and Second U.S. Army; Commander, VI Corps Area; Commander, 5th Infantry Division; Commander, Iceland Base Command; Commandant of the Infantry School; Commander, Western Defense Command; and Assistant to the Commanding General, Twelfth United States Army Group. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1940 and Major General in 1941.
In 1944 Bonesteel was assigned as Commander of the G-1 (Personnel) Staff Section at SHAEF Headquarters. He remained in this position until 1945, when he was assigned as Chief of the General Inspectorate Section for the U.S. European Theater of Operations. Later in 1945 Bonesteel returned to the United States as President of the War Department Manpower Board, where he served until retiring in 1947.
Death and burial
Bonesteel died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. on June 5, 1964. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 3, Site 1374-A.
Awards and decorations
Family
In 1908 Bonesteel married Caroline Standish Mead Hudson (1885-1965). Their children included daughter Eleanor and son Charles H. Bonesteel III. Eleanor Bonesteel was the wife of United States Air Force General Nils O. Ohman (1914-1993).