Robert Wesley Colglazier Jr. Explained
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]
Early life
Colglazier 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
Colglazier received a commission as a second lieutenant upon graduating from college, and began a career in the Army Reserve.[5] [6]
World War II
In 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
After 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
In 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
After 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
From 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
His 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
Colglazier 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
Colglazier 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]
Notes and References
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5QUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GJgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6152,7280432&dq=colglazier+army&hl=en Newspaper article, Leaves Army
- https://books.google.com/books?id=5KPZPwcF7ygC&q=colglazier+texas+a%26m+1925 Army Reserve Magazine
- https://books.google.com/books?id=dqCWy9A-KFIC&dq=colglazier+army&pg=PA315 Keepers of the spirit: the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, 1876-2001
- https://books.google.com/books?id=sShQAAAAYAAJ&q=colglazier Engineering News-Record
- https://books.google.com/books?id=zoAXAQAAMAAJ&q=colglazier Army and Navy Journal
- https://books.google.com/books?id=iPseAAAAMAAJ&q=colglazier The Military Engineer
- https://books.google.com/books?id=Dr0UIZJw58YC&dq=robert+colglazier+pentagon&pg=PA38 The Pentagon: a History; the Untold Story of the Wartime Race to Build the Pentagon -- And to Restore it 60 Years Later
- https://books.google.com/books?id=x1QYAQAAIAAJ&q=robert+colglazier+pentagon Robert W. Colglazier entry
- https://books.google.com/books?id=bFIuAAAAMAAJ&q=robert+colglazier+mediterranean Hearing record
- https://books.google.com/books?id=Q5U3AQAAIAAJ&q=Colglazier The Military Engineer
- https://books.google.com/books?id=dHgzth4m6toC&q=robert+colglazier+korea Hearing record on H.R. 8873
- https://web.archive.org/web/20121106212329/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/450259682.html?dids=450259682:450259682&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jun+01,+1954&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Army+Called+Too+Weak+for+Global+War&pqatl=google Newspaper article, Army Called Too Weak for Global War
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6gMjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Hs4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1052,25294&dq=colglazier+army&hl=en Newspaper article, Army Can't Fight Global War With Cutbacks, Congress Told
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=frVFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XM8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1669,1071344&dq=colglazier+army&hl=en Newspaper article, Army Orders French Cars for Staff Use
- https://books.google.com/books?id=nCkvAAAAMAAJ&q=colglazier Hearing Record
- https://books.google.com/books?id=Jnl9p4Aw3pIC&q=colglazier+Assistant+Deputy+Chief+of+Staff+for+Logistics Hearing record
- https://books.google.com/books?id=N-wXAQAAMAAJ&q=colglazier Army, Navy and Air Force Journal
- https://web.archive.org/web/20121106212347/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1777349972.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb+10,+1963&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=New+Weapons+Needs+Laid+To+Earlier+False+Economy&pqatl=google Newspaper article, New Weapons Needs Laid To Earlier False Economy
- https://web.archive.org/web/20121106212359/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/csmonitor_historic/access/218723352.html?dids=218723352:218723352&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&date=Feb+03,+1964&author=&pub=Christian+Science+Monitor&desc=Army+Plans+Funds+For+Battle+Copters&pqatl=google Newspaper article, Army Plans Funds For Battle Copters
- https://archive.today/20130131191856/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1707850312.html?FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+26,+1960&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Army's+M48+Tanks+Upheld+At+Hearing&pqatl=google Newspaper article, Army's M48 Tanks Upheld At Hearing
- https://books.google.com/books?id=G1NrzaxzRN4C&dq=colglazier+army&pg=PA182 Women's Army Corps, 1945-1978
- https://web.archive.org/web/20121106212429/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/580091732.html?dids=580091732:580091732&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Mar+25,+1964&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Navy,+Army+Brass+Shifted,+Promoted&pqatl=google Newspaper article, Navy, Army Brass Shifted, Promoted
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ydlOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LksDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5404,1512187&dq=robert+colglazier+fourth+army&hl=en Newspaper article, Phase-out of Reserves to be Slow
- https://www.nytimes.com/1966/02/01/archives/4th-army-head-retires.html Newspaper article, 4th Army Head Retires
- https://web.archive.org/web/20121106212448/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/938325722.html?dids=938325722:938325722&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+12,+1965&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=Johnson+Speeds+Aid+To+Stricken+Louisiana&pqatl=google Newspaper article, Johnson Speeds Aid To Stricken Louisiana
- https://books.google.com/books?id=tH_VAAAAMAAJ&q=colglazier Texas Highways
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P2dFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=O7wMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2892,5095479&dq=robert+colglazier+fourth+army&hl=en Newspaper article, Hunger Strike Sentence Will be Suspended
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F0UaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ticEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7445,80828&dq=robert+colglazier+fourth+army&hl=en Newspaper article, Probe Asked on Leniency to PFC Belton
- https://web.archive.org/web/20121106212500/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/629457052.html?dids=629457052:629457052&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+10,+1965&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Rip+Leniency+for+GI+Balking+at+Viet+Duty&pqatl=google Newspaper article, Rip Leniency for GI Balking at Viet Duty
- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dPUeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-YsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4513,1597786&dq=colglazier+army&hl=en Newspaper article, Ex-Hunger Striker on Way to Viet Nam
- http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=100083 Valor Awards for Robert W. Colglazier
- https://books.google.com/books?id=hO_Hk9xiBhUC&q=robert+colglazier+%22legion+of+merit%22 Biographical sketch, Robert W. Colglazier
- https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0717FB3B581B7B93C5A91782D85F478485F9 Legion of Merit is Awarded to 20; Fifteen Officers and Five Enlisted Men are Honored by the Army
- Newspaper article, Texas A&M Names 3 San Antonians, San Antonio Light, August 8, 1971
- http://corps.tamu.edu/about-the-corps/1997-hall-of-honor-inductees.html 1997 List of Inductees
- Social Security Death Index
- http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SAEC&p_theme=saec&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F2231506E6BC550&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Newspaper obituary, Colglazier, 88, Army general
- http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/j2ee/servlet/NGL_v1 Nationwide Gravesite Locator
