Rev. Charles Irving Carpenter (January 13, 1906 – February 22, 1994) was an American pastor and the first Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force.

Early life and education

Born in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington ( Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

, in 1906, Carpenter was an ordained

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

pastor. He was a graduate of

Bucknell University Bucknell University is a private liberal arts college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, it now consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, Freeman College of Management, and the College of Engineering. ...

and Drew University.

Career

Carpenter originally joined the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

in 1936 and was assigned to

Fort H. G. Wright Fort H. G. Wright was a United States military installation on Fishers Island in the town of Southold, New York, just two miles off the coast of southeastern Connecticut, but technically in New York. It was part of the Harbor Defenses of Long Isla ...

. In 1942, Carpenter was assigned to

The Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metony ...

to establish chaplaincy work in the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

. He was later reassigned to the

United States Air Forces in Europe United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

during the closing months of

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 ...

. Following the war, he returned to The Pentagon. After the creation of the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

, Carpenter was named the first Chief of Chaplains in 1948. The following year, he was appointed to the grade of

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 ...

. Carpenter remained Chief of Chaplains until 1958, when he took up assignment at the

United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Uni ...

. Awards he received include 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 ...

with oak leaf cluster and the Belgian

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC i ...

, First Class.

Death

Carpenter died on February 22, 1994.

References

External links

Man of the Month
- Charles I. Carpenter
Valor Awards
- Military Times valor awards for Charles I. Carpenter.
Charles I. Carpenter Papers
at Archives of DePauw University and Indiana United Methodism.

from the New York Times on Charles I. Carpenter.
USAF Bio
on Charles I. Carpenter.
Religion in the Military
- Mentions Chaplain Charles I. Carpenter's appointment by President Truman.
Air Force, ANG chaplains reflect on milestones
- Air Chaplain Charles I. Carpenter drafted the order for USAF Chaplains. {{DEFAULTSORT:Carpenter, Charles 1906 births 1994 deaths Military personnel from Wilmington, Delaware United States Air Force generals United States Army officers Chiefs of Chaplains of the United States Air Force American Methodist clergy Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army personnel of World War II Bucknell University alumni Drew University alumni World War II chaplains 20th-century American clergy