Robert Wesley Colglazier Jr. (October 18, 1904 – January 23, 1993) was a United States Army lieutenant general. He was prominent as the highest-ranking member of the Army Reserve on duty with the Regular Army in the 1960s, and as commander of the Fourth United States Army. In the 1950s and 1960s, Colglazier was recognized as one of the military's foremost experts on logistics management.[1]
Robert Wesley Colglazier Jr. | |
|---|---|
 Colglazier as a Lieutenant General in 1960. | |
| Born | October 18, 1904 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Died | January 23, 1993 (aged 88) San Antonio, Texas |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1925-1966 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
| Commands | U.S. Army Europe Communications Zone Fourth United States Army |
| Battles / wars | World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Army Commendation Medal Order of the British Empire French Legion of Honor French Croix de Guerre |
| Other work | President, Colglazier Construction Company, Councilman-At-Large, Texas A&M University Association of Former Students |
Early life
editColglazier graduated from Texas A&M University in 1925 with a degree in civil engineering, and began employment with his family's construction company, San Antonio's Colglazier Construction Company.[2][3]
During the Great Depression Colglazier worked as director of the operations division for the Works Progress Administration in Texas.[4]
Start of military career
editColglazier received a commission as a second lieutenant upon graduating from college, and began a career in the Army Reserve.[5][6]
World War II
editIn 1941 Colglazier was called to active duty for World War II. After returning to active duty as a captain, he played a key role in the planning and organization for the construction of the Pentagon.[7][8]
He attained the rank of colonel while carrying out engineer staff officer assignments in Northern Ireland, England, North Africa Italy and France. From 1942 to 1943, Colglazier was an engineer plans officer for the Mediterranean Base Section.[9]
Post-World War II
editAfter the war, Colglazier returned to San Antonio and was the president of the family business, now reorganized as Colglazier McKennon Construction, while also continuing to serve with the Army Reserve.[10]
Korean War
editIn 1951, Colglazier was recalled to active duty for the Korean War. His assignments included several positions in the office of the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, G4, where he coordinated the flow of supplies and equipment into South Korea and was recognized for his expertise in the field of military logistics management.[11][12][13]
Post-Korean War
editAfter the Korean War, Colgaizer was assigned as commander of U.S. Army Europe’s Communications Zone, serving from 1956 to 1957.[14][15]
From 1957 to 1959, Colgaizer was the Army's Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics.[16]
In 1959, he was named Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, receiving a promotion to lieutenant general and serving until 1964. At the time of his promotion, Colgaizer was the highest-ranking reservist serving on active duty. During this assignment, Colglazier oversaw modernization of weapons and vehicles and an increase in procurement as the Army's effort in Vietnam increased.[17][18][19][20][21]
Vietnam War
editFrom 1964 to 1966, Colglazier commanded the Fourth Army in San Antonio.[22][23][24] During his command, he was dispatched to Louisiana by President Lyndon Johnson to coordinate disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Betsy.[25][26]
During his command, Colgaizer also generated headlines when he reduced the sentence of Private First Class Winstel R. Belton, who had gone on a hunger strike to protest orders to report to Vietnam. Belton was originally sentenced to five years imprisonment, but Colglazier reduced the penalty to a one-year suspended sentence, provided that Belton report to Vietnam, which he did.[27][28][29][30]
Awards
editHis personal decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Order of the British Empire, French Legion of Honor and French Croix de Guerre.[31][32][33]
Military retirement and later career
editColglazier retired from the Army in 1966. In retirement he remained active with Texas A&M, serving as councilman-at-large for the Association of Former Students. He was named a Texas A&M Distinguished Alumnus in 1971.[34] In 1997 he was inducted to the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Hall of Honor.[35]
Death and burial
editColglazier resided in San Antonio and died there on January 23, 1993.[36][37] He was buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Section AI, Plot 644.[38]
References
edit- ^ Newspaper article, Leaves Army, Reading Eagle, January 15, 1966
- ^ Army Reserve Magazine, published by US Army Reserve, Volume 12, 1966
- ^ Keepers of the spirit: the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, 1876-2001, by John A. Adams, 2001, page 315
- ^ Engineering News-Record, published by McGraw-Hill, Volume 126, Part 2, 1941, page 114
- ^ Army and Navy Journal, 1936, Volume 74, Issues 1-26, page 39
- ^ The Military Engineer, published by the Society of American Military Engineers, 1948, Volume 40, page 137
- ^ The Pentagon: a History; the Untold Story of the Wartime Race to Build the Pentagon -- And to Restore it 60 Years Later, by Steve Vogel, 2008, page 38
- ^ Robert W. Colglazier entry, Guide to the Oral History Collection, Texas A&M University, published by the University, 1988, page 25
- ^ Hearing record, Hearings On Sundry Legislation Affecting the Naval and Military Establishments, US Senate Armed Services Committee, Issues 1-9, 1962, page 829
- ^ The Military Engineer, published by Society of American Military Engineers, 1951, Volume 43, page 478
- ^ Hearing record on H.R. 8873, Department of Defense Appropriations for 1955, US Senate Appropriations Committee, 1954, page 421
- ^ Newspaper article, Army Called Too Weak for Global War, Los Angeles Times, June 1, 1954
- ^ Newspaper article, Army Can't Fight Global War With Cutbacks, Congress Told, by United Press International, published in Palm Beach Post, June 1, 1954
- ^ Newspaper article, Army Orders French Cars for Staff Use, Portsmouth (Ohio) Times, July 5, 1956
- ^ Hearing Record, Military Posture Briefings: Hearings Before the Committee on Armed Services, US House of Representatives, 1961, page 829
- ^ Hearing record, Hearings Before the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives on Subjects Affecting the Naval and Military Establishments], 1958, page 339
- ^ Army, Navy and Air Force Journal, published by Army and Navy Journal Inc., 1959, Volume 96, Issues 27-52, page 1336
- ^ Newspaper article, New Weapons Needs Laid To Earlier False Economy, Baltimore Sun, February 10, 1963
- ^ Newspaper article, Army Plans Funds For Battle Copters, Christian Science Monitor, February 3, 1964
- ^ Newspaper article, Army's M48 Tanks Upheld At Hearing, Baltimore Sun, August 26, 1960
- ^ Women's Army Corps, 1945-1978, by Bettie J. Morden, 1990, page 182
- ^ Newspaper article, Navy, Army Brass Shifted, Promoted, Chicago Tribune, March 25, 1964
- ^ Newspaper article, Phase-out of Reserves to be Slow, by Associated Press, published in Victoria (Texas) Advocate, December 13, 1964
- ^ Newspaper article, 4th Army Head Retires, New York Times, February 1, 1966
- ^ Newspaper article, Johnson Speeds Aid To Stricken Louisiana, Hartford Courant, September 12, 1965
- ^ Texas Highways, Texas Highway Department, 1965, Volumes 12-13, page 162
- ^ Newspaper article, Hunger Strike Sentence Will be Suspended, by Associated Press, published in Dubuque (Iowa) Telegraph-Herald, September 30, 1965
- ^ Newspaper article, Probe Asked on Leniency to PFC Belton, Milwaukee Journal, October 11, 1965
- ^ Newspaper article, Rip Leniency for GI Balking at Viet Duty, Chicago Tribune, October 10, 1965
- ^ Newspaper article, Ex-Hunger Striker on Way to Viet Nam, by Associated Press, reported in Sarasota Journal, October 14, 1965
- ^ Valor Awards for Robert W. Colglazier, Military Times Hall of Valor, accessed may 28, 2011
- ^ Biographical sketch, Robert W. Colglazier, Hearing record, Committee for Special Investigations, US Senate Armed Services Committee, 1963, Volume 2, page 788
- ^ Legion of Merit is Awarded to 20; Fifteen Officers and Five Enlisted Men are Honored by the Army, New York Times, September 7, 1943
- ^ Newspaper article, Texas A&M Names 3 San Antonians, San Antonio Light, August 8, 1971
- ^ 1997 List of Inductees, Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Hall of Honor, accessed May 28, 2011
- ^ Social Security Death Index
- ^ Newspaper obituary, Colglazier, 88, Army general, San Antonio Express, January 25, 1993
- ^ Nationwide Gravesite Locator Archived 2019-05-17 at the Wayback Machine, Department of Veterans Affairs, accessed May 28, 2011