Charles Jack Girard - Brigadier General, United States Army

Full Name: CHARLES JACK GIRARD
Date of Birth: 7/23/1917
Date of Casualty: 1/17/1970
Home of Record: SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: BGEN
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: GIA DINHAs a member of the Army, General Girard served our country until January 17th, 1970 in Gia Dinh, South Vietnam. He was 52 years old and was married. Charles died from illness or disease. His body was recovered.

Born at Sumter, South Carolina, 23 July 1917, he died on 17 January 1970 and was buried with full military honors in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery, adjacent to Alfred Conrad Girard, Brigadier General, United States Army.

General Girard of South Carolina was born on 23 July 1917 and died on 17 January 1970. The General served in both World War II and in the Vietnam War. His military decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters and the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. The General was buried with full military honors in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery.

BRIGADIER GENERAL CHARLES J . GIRARD
By Bonnie Girard

Charles J. Girard was born in Sumter, South Carolina on July 23, 1917. He was graduated from The Citadel, the military college of South Carolina, in Charleston, with a Bachelor of arts degree in Business Administration in 1938.

Although commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve in August 1938, he taught high school for two years prior to entering on active duty on August 12, 1940. At that time he was assigned as a Platoon Leader with the 82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, at Fort Benning, Georgia. When it was redesignated the 82nd Armored Battalion, and assigned to the 2d Armored, the “Hell on Wheels,” Division, he went into combat with it as Company Commander, in December 1942, in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. He participated in seven campaigns: Tunisia, Sicily, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe, and became Battalion Commander of the 82d in August 1945.

Following this, he commanded the 2d Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Division; and in May 1946, was assigned as a staff officer, Headquarters, US Forces in Austria. While there he received his commission as a Regular Army Officer.

He returned to the United States in November 1947 for a two year assignment with the Georgia Organized Reserve Corps and Georgia Military District Headquarters. In 1949 he was selected to attend the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Following graduation in 1950, he was assigned to Fort Knox, Kentucky, for five years. Three years were spent with the Command and Staff Department of the Armored School there; then from August 1954 to mid-1955, he was the Chief of the Combat Developments Group of that school. In July 1955, he became Commander of the 83d Recon Battalion, 3d Armored Division, at Fort Knox and returned to Europe in this capacity in May 1956.

Assigned to the G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe in June 1957, he served as Chief of the NATO Training Section, and then Chief of the Training Branch, where he remained until August 1959. At that time, he returned to the United States to attend the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation in 1960, he was assigned as Deputy Commander and then Commander of Combat Command “A”, 1st Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

In July 1961, he was transferred to Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. , and assigned in the Doctrine and Concepts Division, Combat Developments Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, later becoming Chief of the Division. While there, he served in a temporary assignment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as Deputy Chief, Long Range Plans Group, Army Tactical Mobility Requirements Board (Howze Board). Prior to departing Washington in 1963, he was appointed Assistant Director, Materiel Requirements, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Force Developments.

He assumed command of the U. S. Army Combat Developments Command Experimentation Center at Fort Ord, California, on August 28, 1963 and on August 29th was promoted to Brigadier General.

In May 1965, General Girard received orders reassigning him to Europe, and in July assumed the position of Staff for Data Systems, Headquarters Seventh Army.

On 1 July 1966, he was assigned as the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver, 3d Armored Division (Spearhead), Frankfurt, Germany. Additional assignments were Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations & Reserve Forces, Headquarters, CONARC, January 1968 to March 1969, Deputy Commanding General, Capital Military Assistance Command, Saigon, Vietnam, March 1969 to November 1969, Commanding General, Capital Military Assistance Command, Saigon, Vietnam, November 1969 to January 1970.

EDUCATION:

The Citadel — 1938 (BA)
Infantry Tank School (Refresher) — 1940
AFS Tank School — 1941
GMC School of Technology — 1942
Command and General Staff College — 1950
U.S. Army War College — 1960

CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PROMOTIONS:

Grade Temporary (AUS) Permanent (RA)
Second Lieutenant 26 August 38 (USAR)
First Lieutenant 14 October 41 (USAR)
First Lieutenant 27 January
Captain 23 September 42
Major 25 July 44
First Lieutenant 7 December 44
Captain 1 July 48
Lieutenant Colonel 7 July 51
Major 2 July 53
Colonel 12 August 58
Lieutenant Colonel 7 December 61
Brigadier General 22 August 1963
Colonel 7 December 66

CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF ASSIGNMENTS:
From To

Platoon Loader, 82d Armored Recon Battalion, Fort Benning, Georgia Aug 40 Jan 42
Maintenance Officer, 82d Armored Recon Battalion, Fort Benning, Georgia Jan 42 Aug 42
Company Commander, 82d Armored Battalion, 2d Armored Division, ETO Aug 42 Apr 44
Executive Officer and S-3, 82d Armored Battalion, 2d Armored Division, ETO Apr 44 Aug 45
Battalion Commander, 82d Armored Recon Battalion, 2d Armored Division, ETO Aug 45 Aug 45
Battalion Commander, 2d Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Division, ETO Aug 45 Jan 46
TDY US (R&R), 2d Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Division, ETO Jan 46 May 46
Assistant G-3, Headquarters US Forces Austria May 46 Jul 46
Assistant Chief Military Division, Headquarters US Forces Austria and Executive Officer Military Division, Headquarters US Forces Austria (USACA) Jul 46 Nov 47
Instructor, Tactics, 3349 ASU, Georgia Organized Reserve Corps Instructors Nov 47 May 48
Supply and Evacuation Staff Officer, 3349 ASU Georgia Organized Reserve Corps Instructors May 48 Sep 49
Student Officer, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Sep 49 Jul 50
Chief, Engineer Division, Automotive Maintenance Department, The Armored School, Fort Knox, Kentucky Jul 50 Aug 50
Instructor, Tactics, Command and Staff Department, The Armored School, Fort Knox, Kentucky Aug 50 Apr 53
Plans and Policies Officer, Command and Staff Department, The Armored School, Fort Knox, Kentucky Apr 53 Aug54
Chief, Combat Developments Group, The Armored School, Fort Knox, Kentucky Aug 54 May 55
TDY, The Armored School, Headquarters 3d Armored Division, Fort Knox, Kentucky May 55 Jun 55
Assistant G-1, Headquarters, 3d Armored Division, Fort Knox, Kentucky Jun 55 Jul 55
Battalion Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 83d Recon Battalion, 3d Armored Division, Fort Knox, Kentucky Jul 55 May 56
Battalion Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 83d Re con Battalion, 3d Armored Division, US Army Army Europe May 56 Jun 57
Staff Officer, NATO Training Section, Training Section, Training Branch, G-3 Division, (7890-O8) Headquarters US Army Europe Jun 57 Jul 57
Chief, NATO Training Section, G-3 Division, (7890-08) Headquarters US Army Europe Jul 57 Jun 58
Chief, Training Branch, G-3 Division (789O-08) Headquarters US Army Europe Jun 58 Mar 59
Chief, Training Branch, G-3 Division, (3700-03 Headquarters US Army Europe Mar 59 Aug 59
Student, Student Detachment, US Army War College (62-2162-00) Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania Aug 59 Jul 60
Deputy Commander, Headquarters Combat Command “A”, 1st Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas Jul 60 Aug 60
Commanding Officer, Headquarters Combat Command “A”, 1st Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas Aug 60 Aug 60
Deputy Commander, Headquarters Combat Command “A”, 1st Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas Aug 60 Jul 61
Staff Officer, Doctrine and Concepts Division, Combat Developments Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (8534), Washington, D. C. Jul 61 Jun 62
Special Projects Officer, TDY/Howze Board, Combat Developments Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (8534), Washington, D. C. Jun 62 Jul 62
Chief, Doctrine and Concepts Division, Combat Developments Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (8534), Washington, D. C. Jul 62 Feb 63
Assistant Director, Combat Developments Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (8534), Washington, D. C. Feb 63 Apr 63
Assistant Director, Material Requirements, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Force Developments (8550), Washington, D. C., (Reorganization) Apr 63 Jun 63
Assistant Director, Material Requirements, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Force Developments (8550), Washington, D. C. Jun 63 Jul 63
Commanding General, United States Army Combat Developments Command Experimentation Center, Fort Ord, California Aug 63 Jul 65
Deputy Chief of Staff for Data Systems, Headquarters Seventh Army, US Army Europe Jul 65 Jun 66
Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver, 3d Armored Division (Spearhead) US Army Europe Jul 66 Dec 67
Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations & Reserve Forces, Headquarter, CONARC Jan 68 Mar 69
Deputy Commanding General, Capital Military Assistance Command, Saigon, Vietnam Mar 69 Nov 69
Commanding General, Capital Military Assistance Command, Saigon, Vietnam Nov 69 Jan 70 (Death)

LIST OF CITATIONS AND DECORATIONS:

Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal
Army Commendation Medal
1st Oak Leaf Cluster to Army Commendation Medal

SERVICE MEDALS:

American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (2 bronze stars; 1 silver star; 1 arrowhead)
Humane Action Medal (with Germany Clasp)
World War II Victory Medal (2 bronze oak leaf clusters)
Army Occupation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Belgian Fourragere
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon w/ Device

Courtesy of Michael Stein:

Brigadier General Charles J. Girard (1917-1970)
Charles Jack Girard
Born in South Carolina July 23, 1917
Died January 17, 1970
Graduated from The Citadel 1938
Second Lieutenant (Reserve) 1938
Advanced through ranks to Major (AUS) 1944
1st Lieutenant (Regular Army) 1946
Major 1948
Advanced through ranks to Brigadier General
Student, Infantry School 1946-47
Commander, Capital Military Assistance Command, Vietnam 1969-70

GIRARD, CHARLES J

BG US ARMY
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 02/06/1935 – 01/17/1970
DATE OF BIRTH: 07/23/1917
DATE OF DEATH: 01/17/1970
DATE OF INTERMENT: 01/22/1970
BURIED AT: SECTION 1 SITE 32-2
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

GIRARD, JOAN E B

DATE OF BIRTH: 11/17/1918
DATE OF DEATH: 02/05/2003
DATE OF INTERMENT: 02/24/2003
BURIED AT: SECTION 1 SITE 32-2
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
WIFE OF GIRARD, CHARLES J BG US ARMY

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Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

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Charles Jack Girard – Brigadier General, United States Army

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