Robert C. Richardson Jr.

Robert Charlwood Richardson Jr. (27 October 1882 – 2 March 1954) was a decorated United States Army general whose career spanned the first half of the 20th century, including service in the Philippine insurrection, World War I, and World War II. During World War II, he was commanding general of U.S. Army Forces in the Pacific Ocean Areas and military governor of the Territory of Hawaii.

Commissioned from the United States Military Academy in 1904, Richardson also attended the University of Grenoble, France, as well as the United States 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 to 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 Japanese attack on 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.