James Edward Wharton
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James Edward Wharton
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Brigadier General James E. Wharton, commander of the 28th Infantry Division in World War II.
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| Born | December 2, 1894 Elk, Chaves County, New Mexico |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Sourdeval, Normandy, France |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1944 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Service number | O-7025[1] |
| Unit |  80th Infantry Division(Assistant Division Commander)  9th Infantry Division(Assistant Division Commander) |
| Commands held | 30px 1st Engineer Special Brigade 28th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards |  Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Purple Heart |
James Edward Wharton (December 2, 1894—August 12, 1944) was a career United States Army officer who attained the rank of Brigadier General before being killed in action during World War II.
Contents
Early life
James E. Wharton was born in Elk, Chaves County, New Mexico on December 2, 1894.[2] He grew up in New Mexico and Arizona, and graduated from the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts at New Mexico State University in 1917.[3] He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant through the Reserve Officer Training Corps.[4]
Start of career
Wharton was an Infantry officer. His World War I and subsequent assignments included the 62nd and 57th Infantry Regiments in the Philippines, and he later served at Camp Fremont, Fort Benning, Fort Lee, and with the 3rd United States Infantry at Fort Snelling.[5][6][7] Wharton also served as an instructor at the United States Army Command and General Staff College.[8][9]
In addition to graduating from the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Wharton was a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, United States Army War College, and Army Industrial College.[10][11]
World War II
He was Chief of the Officer Branch in the Personnel Division (G-1) of the War Department General Staff when the United States entered the war.[12] In March, 1942, he was promoted to the temporary rank of Brigadier General as Director of the Military Personnel Division in the Army Services of Supply.[13]
In 1943 he served as Assistant Division Commander of the 80th Infantry Division during its creation and initial training.[14]
Wharton commanded the 1st Engineer Special Brigade on Utah Beach as part of the D-Day landings in Normandy.[15] Engineer Special Brigades were large organizations (15 to 20 thousand soldiers) which were responsible for transferring equipment and personnel off the beachheads and making them available for assault operations.[16]
After the D-Day invasion he served as Assistant Division Commander of the 9th Infantry Division.[17]
On August 12, 1944 Wharton succeeded Lloyd D. Brown as commander of the 28th Infantry Division.[18]
Death and burial
On the same day that Wharton took command, he was visiting his front line units in order to gain an understanding of their current situation. He was shot and killed by a German sniper while at the command post of the 112th Infantry Regiment near Sourdeval, Normandy, France.[19] He was succeeded by Norman Cota.
Wharton was temporarily interred in France. He was later buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 34, Site 1198.[20]
Awards
Wharton received the Legion of Merit for superior service with the Services of Supply.[21]
He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal for his achievements with the 1st Engineer Special Brigade and the 80th and 9th Infantry Divisions.[22]
He was also awarded the Purple Heart.[23]
Legacy
In 1952 the 112th Infantry Regiment was stationed in Heilbronn, Germany when the 28th Division was activated for the Korean War. The casern used as its headquarters was christened Wharton Barracks.[24] Wharton Barracks was closed in 1989.
Family
In 1921 Wharton married Madelyn Burke of Petersburg, Virginia (1893-1952).[25][26] Their children included sons Edward B. (1927-1991) and Robert H. (born 1929). Robert H. Wharton became a priest in 1954.[27][28][29][30]
References
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- Army Distinguished Service Medal, James E. Wharton at Military Times Hall of Valor
- James Edward Wharton at Arlington Cemetery.net
- James Edward Wharton at Find a Grave
- ↑ U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945, entry for James E. Wharton, retrieved March 4, 2014
- ↑ Port of San Francisco, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1957, U.S. Army Transport Thomas, entry for James E Wharton, April 26, 1923, page 107, retrieved February 28, 2014
- ↑ New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, Annual Catalogue, 1919, pages 144, 165, 172, 205
- ↑ U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, entry for James Edward Wharton, retrieved February 28, 2014
- ↑ New Mexico World War I Records, 1917-1919, entry for James Edward Wharton, retrieved March 4, 2014
- ↑ Army and Navy Register, The Army, April 23, 1921, page 417
- ↑ Russell K. Brown, Fallen in Battle: American General Officer Combat Fatalities from 1775, 1988, page 153
- ↑ Annual Report, 1936, page 3
- ↑ Virginia Adjutant General, Annual Report, 1921, page 50
- ↑ Wilson Allen Heefner, Twentieth Century Warrior: The Life and Service of Major General Edwin D. Patrick, 1995, page 61
- ↑ Army and Navy Journal, Inc., The Army, 1940, Volume 77, Issues 27-52, page 606
- ↑ John Greenwood, Normandy to Victory.
- ↑ John Greenwood, editor, Normandy to Victory: The War Diary of General Courtney H. Hodges, 2008, page 429
- ↑ Associated Press, Brig. Gen. Wharton Killed in Action, August 18, 1944
- ↑ Joseph Balkoski, Beach: The Amphibious Landing and Airborne Operations on D-Day, page xviii
- ↑ Alfred M. Beck, Technical Services, the Corps of Engineers, the War Against Germany, 1985, Page 337
- ↑ United States Department of the Army Historical Division, United States Army in World War II: The War Department, Volume 6, 1961, page 511
- ↑ Turner Publishing, 28th Infantry (Keystone) Division (Mechanized):125 Years of Service, 2005, page 43
- ↑ Russell K. Brown, Fallen in Battle
- ↑ U.S. National Cemetery Interment Control Forms, 1928-1962, entry for James E Wharton, retrieved February 28, 2014
- ↑ Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum, Biography, James E. Wharton, 2009
- ↑ Military Times, Hall of Valor, Award Recipient: James E. Wharton, retrieved February 28, 2014
- ↑ Arlington Cemetery.net, James E. Wharton, Brigadier General, United States Army, retrieved February 28, 2014
- ↑ Stars and Stripes, 112th RCT Dedicates Heilbronn Barracks to Gen Wharton, June 25, 2952
- ↑ Army Navy Register, Married, March 5, 1921, page 233
- ↑ The News (Frederick Maryland), Obituary, Mrs. James E. Wharton, February 23, 1952
- ↑ Gettysburg Times, Mount Grad Will Head Department, September 29, 1965
- ↑ U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014,entry for Edward B. Wharton, retrieved February 28, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Army World War II Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, entry for Edward B. Wharton, retrieved February 28, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010, entry for Edward B. Wharton, retrieved February 24, 2014
- Pages with reference errors
- Pages with broken file links
- 1894 births
- 1944 deaths
- People from Chaves County, New Mexico
- American military personnel of World War I
- American military personnel of World War II
- United States Army generals
- New Mexico State University alumni
- United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
- United States Army War College alumni
- Industrial College of the Armed Forces alumni
- Operation Overlord people
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Recipients of the Purple Heart medal
- Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
