| Clarence Self Ridley | |
| Birth Date: | 22 June 1883 |
| Birth Place: | Corydon, Indiana |
| Education: | United States Military Academy |
| Death Place: | Carmel, California |
| Signature: | Signature of Clarence Self Ridley (1883–1969).png |
| Order: | 7th |
| Governor of the Panama Canal Zone | |
| Term Start: | 1936 |
| Term End: | 1940 |
| Predecessor: | Julian Larcombe Schley |
| Successor: | Glen Edgar Edgerton |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1905–1947 |
| Servicenumber: | 0-2024 |
| Unit: | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Rank: | Major General |
| Commands: | 6th Infantry Division |
| Battles: | World War I World War II |
| Mawards: | Army Distinguished Service Medal |
Clarence Self Ridley (June 22, 1883 – July 26, 1969) served as the governor of the Panama Canal Zone from 1936 to 1940.[1] [2]
Ridley was born in Corydon, Indiana on June 22, 1883, to Judge William Ridley.[3]
Ridley graduated fourth in a class of 114 from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1905.[3] He was commissioned second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In 1917, Ridley was appointed senior military aide to President Wilson. He supervised construction of the Lincoln Memorial.[1] After World War I, Ridley graduated from the Command and General Staff School in 1925, the Army War College in 1931 and the Army Industrial College in 1932.[4] He then served as an instructor at the Army Industrial College.[5]
Ridley served as Governor of the Panama Canal Zone from 1936 to 1940.[1] He was promoted to brigadier general effective October 1, 1938 and received a temporary promotion to major general on February 14, 1941.[4] During World War II, he was commanding general of the 6th Infantry Division from January 1941 to August 1942.[6] [7] Ridley then served as chief of the U.S. Military Mission to Iran from 1942 to 1946, for which he was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal,[5] [8] the citation for which reads:
His promotion to major general was made permanent on February 27, 1947, and he retired from active duty on June 30, 1947, after forty-two years of service.[9]
Ridley died on July 26, 1969, in Carmel, California.[1] He was buried at the West Point Cemetery on October 21, 1969.[10]