Harold Denny Campbell (March 30, 1895 – December 29, 1955) was a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

who served in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. He is most noted for his service as an aviation officer who commanded the

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the aviation combat element for the ...

in the

Pacific theater The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

and on the staff of

Lord Mountbatten Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British naval officer, colonial administrator and close relative of the British royal family. Mountbatten, who was of German ...

during World War II.

Early life

Harold Denny Campbell was born on March 30, 1895, in

Waterbury, Vermont Waterbury is a town in Washington County in central Vermont, United States. Although the town is still home to the Waterbury Village Historic District, the village sharing the name of the town officially dissolved as a municipality in 2018. As o ...

, as the son of E. E. Campbell, real estate and insurance dealer. He attended Waterbury High School and subsequently

Norwich University Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...

Northfield, Vermont Northfield is a New England town, town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. The town lies in a valley within the Green Mountains and has been home to Norwich University since 1866. It contains the Northfield (CDP), Vermont, village of No ...

, where he graduated in May 1917 with degree in

civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...

. During his studies at Norwich University, Campbell joined

Vermont National Guard The Vermont National Guard is composed of the Vermont Army National Guard and the Vermont Air National Guard. Together, they are collectively known as the Green Mountain Boys. Both units use the original Revolutionary War-era Flag of the Green Mo ...

in 1916 and was stationed at

Fort Ethan Allen Fort Ethan Allen was a United States Army installation in Vermont, named for American Revolutionary War figure Ethan Allen. Established as a cavalry post in 1894 and closed in 1944, today it is the center of a designated national historic distric ...

, before he was sent to participate as

Cavalryman Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...

Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the p ...

. Following his graduation from Norwich, Campbell joined almost immediately the Marine Corps on May 19, 1917, and was assigned to the 23rd Company, 2nd Battalion,

5th Marine Regiment The 5th Marine Regiment (also referred to as "5th Marines") is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the most highly decorated regiment in the Marine Corps and falls u ...

. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve on the same date and appointed platoon leader. Campbell sailed for

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

on July 27, 1917, and later attended Lewis gun course at Machine gun school. His unit together with 15th Company were subsequently transferred to the 6th Machine Gun Battalion. Coolidge with Capt

Campbell was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on December 17, 1917, and later participated in all major engagements of Marine Corps in World War I. He was wounded by enemy machine gun fire to his hand during Meuse-Argonne Offensive on the beginning of November 1918 and later was decorated with

Purple Heart Medal The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...

for these wounds. After his recovery, Campbell served with occupation forces in Germany until June 1919.

World War II

On 6 December 1941, only one day before the Japanese

Attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

, Campbell was appointed commanding officer of the

Marine Aircraft Group 11 Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of two F-35C squadrons, one F-35B squadron, two F/A-18C squadrons, one fleet replacement squadron, one KC- ...

stationed at Brown Field within Quantico Base. He served in this capacity until 25 May 1942, when he was personally selected by Chief of

Combined Operations In current military use, combined operations are operations conducted by forces of two or more allied nations acting together for the accomplishment of a common strategy, a strategic and operational and sometimes tactical cooperation. Interactio ...

. Campbell was assigned to this staff as Marine Corps Aviation Officer and his main responsibility was to advise in the matter of Air Cover for Commando operations. He participated in the planning of Dieppe Operation. Campbell served in this capacity until April 26, 1943. For his service in England, he was promoted to the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

and decorated with the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

. Campbell arrived to the United States in June 1943 and reported at

Headquarters Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...

. He has been subsequently transferred to

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...

in August 1943 and took command of

4th Marine Aircraft Wing The 4th Marine Aircraft Wing is the reserve airwing of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana but its subordinate units are scattered throughout the United States. Mission Conduct air operations in support ...

stationed there. The 4th Marine Wing served as Aircraft Defense Force, Samoan Area, a part of Defense Forces, Samoan Group under Major General

Charles F. B. Price Charles Frederick Berthold Price (September 18, 1881 – January 23, 1954) was a Lieutenant General of the United States Marine Corps, who saw service during Cuban Pacification, Spanish–American War, World War I and World War II. Retired Mari ...

. Campbell remained in this capacity until July 1944, when he was appointed commanding general of the

. Following the

Battle of Peleliu The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II by the US military, was fought between the United States and Japan during the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign of World War II, from September 15 to November 27, 1944, on the island of P ...

, Campbell served simultaneously as Peleliu Island Commander. He was succeeded by Brigadier General

Christian F. Schilt Christian Frank Schilt (March 19, 1895 – January 8, 1987) was one of the first Marine Corps aviators and a recipient of the United States highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. He received the Medal for using his biplane to evacuate ...

in March 1945 and returned to the United States. Campbell was appointed commanding general of the

9th Marine Aircraft Wing The 9th Marine Aircraft Wing was an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The wing was commissioned during World War II as a training unit for Marine Aviation personnel he ...

and

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point (*) is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, United States, in the eastern part of the state. It was built in 1941, and was commissioned in 1942 and ...

. He served in this capacity until his retirement in November 1947. Campbell was advanced to the rank of

on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat.

Later life

After his retirement from the Marine Corps, Campbell worked as school teacher and later also as principal at Waterbury High School. Major General Harold D. Campbell died on December 29, 1955, in Wesson Memorial Hospital,

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...

. He is buried at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, together with his wife Mildred Shatuck Campbell (1898–1947). They had together two children: daughter Nancy Jean Campbell (1929–1931) and son Harold Denny Campbell III, who also graduated from

in 1951.

Military awards

Campbell's decorations and awards include:

Legion of Merit citation

:Action Date: June 16, 1942 – April 26, 1943 :Name: Harold D. Campbell :Service: United States Marine Corps :Rank: Brigadier General :Citation: ''The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Brigadier General Harold D. Campbell (MCSN: 0-147), United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Marine Corps Aviation Officer on the staff of Chief of Combined Operations (British), from June 16, 1942, to April 26, 1943. In a position of great responsibility throughout this vital period, Colonel Campbell performed his duties with marked efficiency and skill, displaying a broad professional and technical knowledge of Naval and Marine aviation and its coordination with amphibious warfare which proved invaluable to combined operations. His brilliant diplomacy, sound judgment and outstanding devotion to duty contributed materially to the development of a cordial relationship, mutual trust and understanding between the American and British Forces.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Harold D. 1895 births 1955 deaths People from Waterbury, Vermont Military personnel from Vermont Norwich University alumni Air Corps Tactical School alumni United States Naval Aviators United States Marine Corps generals American military personnel of the Banana Wars United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I United States Marine Corps World War II generals Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Navy and Marine Corps Medal Burials at Arlington National Cemetery