Robert C . Richardson , Jr . Robert Charlwood Richardson , Jr . , born in Charleston , South Carolina on October 27 , 1882 , and was admitted as a cadet at the United States Military Academy , from that state , on 19 June 1900 . His military career spanned the first half of the 20th Century . He was a veteran of the 1904 Philippine insurrection , World War I , and World War II . He commanded the U . S . Army , Pacific ( Hawaiian Department ) during the height of World War II in 1943 until his retirement in 1946 . During that time he was also the military governor of Hawaii ( which was at that time still a US Territory ) and Commanding General of U . S . Army Forces in the Pacific Ocean Areas . Commissioned from the United States Military Academy in 1904 , Richardson also attended the University of Grenoble , France , as well as the Army War College . During World War I he was a liaison officer in the American Expeditionary Force . Afterward he was a military attaché with the U . S . Embassy in Rome . He was the author of " West Point - An Intimate Picture of the National Military Academy " . Prior to World War II , Richardson commanded the 1st Cavalry Division from 1940 - 1941 . He then directed the War Department Bureau of Public Relations before becoming Commanding General of the VII Corps in Alabama , moving it to set up the defense of California immediately following the bombing of Pearl Harbor . In 1943 he was made Commanding General of the Hawaiian Department , Military Governor of Hawaii , and all Army personnel in the Pacific Ocean and Mid - Pacific Areas . As Commander of all Pacific Army personnel , he had administrative or what is called UCMJ authority of all Army units , while tactical or what is called today operational Joint control fell to Fleet Admiral Chester W . Nimitz . He was responsible for all Army disciplinary , training , and tactical unit preparations . He was the first senior Army general officer to ever serve as Joint forces subordinate commander under a non - Army flag officer , Fleet Admiral Nimitz . Early career . Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy ( West Point ) , then 2nd Lt Richardson of the U . S . Cavalry was ordered to the Philippine Islands to join the 14th Cavalry . He served in the field against the hostile Moros tribemen , at Jolo during the Philippine War guerrilla insurrection . He was wounded in action at Cotta Usap , on January 7 , 1905 , and subsequently awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star award for gallantry in action against hostile Moros tribesmen . He subsequently participated in various other engagements against the insurgents until he left his regiment on October 21 , 1905 . Returning to the United States , he was with the 14th Cavalry at the Presidio of San Francisco , California for the 1906 Earthquake where led his cavalry troop from the Presidio as part of the Government ’ s response to the earthquake and subsequent firestorm . On October 25 , 1906 , he returned to West Point as an Assistant Instructor of Modern Languages until August 13 , 1911 . Then 1st Lt Richardson returned to San Francisco , California until October 4 , 1911 when he sailed for his second Philippines tour with the 14th Cavalry at Camp Stotsenburg . On March 4 , 1912 , he returned to the United States to join the 23d Infantry at Texas City and Fort Clark , Texas . In August 1914 he returned for his second tour at West Point as Assistant Professor of English until June 1917 . World War One and post - Great War Europe . In June 1917 , then Captain Richardson was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry at Fort Ethan Allen , Vermont and on July 9 , 1917 he was appointed Aide to Major General T . H . Barry who commanded the Central Department , Chicago , Illinois . He helped in the rapid build up and training of the American Expeditionary Force ( AEF ) that was preparing to go to France . Then ( temporary ) Major Richardson sailed with General Barry to France from New York December 1 , 1917 . Fluent in French , Richardson served as Aide and observer with foreign armies until January 9 , 1918 . On June 14 , 1918 , he was assigned to the Operations Division , General Staff , AEF as Liaison Officer for G . H . Q Allied Headquarters and with American Armies , Corps , and Divisions during the combat operations of 1918 . He escorted Allied missions in St . Mihiel Offensive . By now a temporary Lt Colonel , Richardson was Liaison Officer with Headquarters , 1st Army for the opening of Meuse - Argonne Offensive and the Operations Officer Representative at Advance G . H . Q . With the end of hostilities , now a temporary colonel , Richardson joined the Reparations Board , Peace Commission , Paris from January 28 to February 28 , 1919 . As part of the Army occupation forces Colonel Richardson served on temporary duty at Headquarters , Third Army in Coblenz , Germany , and was attached to Headquarters , 10th French Army , Mayence , Germany until June 1 , 1919 . Interwar Period . Richardson returned to the United States on July 6 , 1919 to join the Morale Division , War Plans Division , War Department General Staff , Washington DC . In March 1920 , Richardson returned to his permanent regular grade of Captain . On August 9 , 1920 Captain Richardson join the Office of the Chief of Cavalry until January 28 , 1921 when he returned for his third Philippine tour of duty . In the Philippines , soon to be Major Richardson served as Assistant to Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations , Headquarters , Philippine Department , Manila until April 6 , 1923 , when he returned to the United States to attend the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . Upon graduation in June 1924 , Major Richardson sailed for France to attend the Ecole Superieure de Guerre , Paris , and upon graduation on September 2 , 1926 , he was ordered to Rome , Italy to serve as Military Attaché . In March 1928 , newly promoted Lt Colonel Richardson return to the United States to join the 13th Cavalry at Fort Riley , Kansas . On August 20 , 1928 , he was again assigned to West Point as Commanding Officer , Provisional Battalion and Executive Officer until March 2 , 1929 when he became Commandant of Cadets and Head of Department of Tactics . On June 30 , 1933 attended the Army War College , Washington and upon graduation he served in the Military Intelligence Division , War Department General Staff until December 7 , 1935 . Soon to be promoted to Colonel , he was given command of 5th Cavalry at Fort Clark Texas . In June 1938 , Colonel Richardson assumed command of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade at Fort Bliss Texas . On October 10 , 1940 , he assumed command of the 1st Cavalry Division , Fort Bliss Texas . On February 11 , 1941 he became the Director of Public Relations , Washington DC . World War II . At the start of World War II and the Pearl Harbor bombing , then Major General Richardson commanded VII Corps where he oversaw the build up of US California defenses following the Pearl Harbor bombing . Several months after Pearl Harbor , General Marshall sent him out on a personal reconnaissance of the whole Pacific theater to assess the extent of the allied situation . While in Australia , General MacArthur , his USMA classmate , requested of General Marshall that Gen Richardson return to command the Army Corps being stood up in Australia . Upon his return to Washington , Gen Richardson frankly reported to Gen Marshall the inappropriateness of US forces being placed under the command of foreign officers . This was based on his World War I experience from Gen Pershing insisting that US Forces fight under US command . This led to the unconfirmed rumor that his report cost him the Corps command under Gen MacArthur . In 1943 he was made Commanding General of the Hawaiian Department , Military Governor of Hawaii , and all Army personnel in the Pacific Ocean Areas and Mid - Pacific . As the administrative commander he oversaw all the Army ’ s planning , logistical preparation , training , and force deployment efforts as part of the overall U . S . Joint forces island hopping campaign that led to surrender of Japan . His Army ground and air forces fought in all the major central and mid - Pacific battle under the operational command of Admiral Nimitz . Lt Gen Richardson was in the front row of senior leaders who witnessed the Japan ’ s formal surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri . During his Hawaiian command , General Richardson build up an extensive training operation on the Hawaiian Islands to training all military personnel in amphibious operations , jungle fighting , and other command and support operation . He oversaw the construction of Fort Shafter ' s Richardson Hall in a scant 49 days . Also known as the " Pineapple Pentagon , " it has remained the planning and operational support centers for soldiers of the U . S . Army , Pacific since 1944 . During this period another controversy arose . In June 1944 General Richardson disputed Marine General Holland Smith removal of Army General Ralph C . Smith of command of the Army 27th Division during the Saipan campaign . General Richardson , as the administrative commander of all Pacific Army personnel , questioned whether Marine General Holland Smith , as the operational commander , had the authority to relieve Army General Smith and whether the relief was justified by the facts . This minor inter - service controversy was fanned by the media into controversy over Pacific war strategy and led to bitter inter - service relationship in the Pacific Theater . At the core , this was a difference of opinion between U . S . Navy / USMC and U . S . Army over command authority , pre - campaign planning , and operational tactics . Also fueling this was Gen Holland Smith ' s low opinion and poor treatment of the Army personnel under his control . He was promoted to Lieutenant General in June 1943 and retired in October 1946 . Awards and decorations . General Richardson ' s awards include : Army Distinguished Service Medal < br > Navy Distinguished Service Medal < br > Silver Star < br > Legion of Merit < br > Purple Heart " Foreign Awards " French Legion of Honor , Officer < br > Belgium Order of Leopold , Officer < br > Italian Order of S . Maurice and St . Lazarus , Officer < br > French Croix de Guerre with Palm < br > Panamanian Medal of La Solidaridad , second Class Retirement . He died on March 2 , 1954 , while on vacation in Italy , and was posthumously promoted to full general on July 19 , 1954 , by special act of U . S . Congress , Public Law 83 - 508 . References . February 20 , 1941 Official War Department Biography , Major General Robert C . Richardson Jr .