Harry K. Pickett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harry Kleinbeck Pickett
Pickett as brigadier general, USMC
Nickname(s)	"Pick"
Born	(1888-01-09)January 9, 1888 Ridgeway, South Carolina
Died	March 19, 1965(1965-03-19) (aged 77) Darjeeling, India
Buried	Singtom Cemetery Darjeeling, India
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1913–1946
Rank	Major general
Commands held	Troop Training Unit, Pacific Fleet Marine Garrison Forces, 14th Naval District 3rd Defense Battalion 1st Battalion, 11th Marines
Battles/wars	Veracruz Expedition World War I Dominican Campaign Haitian Campaign World War II Attack on Pearl Harbor
Awards	Legion of Merit (2)

Major General Harry Kleinbeck Pickett (January 9, 1888 – March 19, 1965) was a brave officer in the United States Marine Corps. He was special because he was present at the start of both World War I and World War II. On December 7, 1941, he was in charge of the Marine barracks at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He is best known for leading the team that trained both Marine and Army units for important water landings during World War II.

Harry K. Pickett: A Military Leader

Early Life and Marine Corps Start

Harry K. Pickett was born on January 9, 1888, in Ridgeway, South Carolina. He went to The Citadel, a military college in Charleston, South Carolina. While there, he was the first "Drum Major" for the school's band, which started in 1909. He finished college in 1911 with a degree in Engineering. Soon after, on March 15, 1912, he became a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

His first training was at the Marine Officers' School in Norfolk, Virginia. After finishing in June 1914, Pickett joined the 4th Marine Regiment. Before sailing to the Pacific, his regiment took part in the Veracruz Expedition in Mexico during the summer of 1914.

Pickett served on the island of Guam until August 1917. During this time, he became a Captain. In April 1917, when the United States joined World War I, he helped capture a German merchant ship called the SMS Cormoran.

Serving in Different Conflicts

After returning to the United States, Pickett worked at Marine bases in Washington and Virginia. In January 1918, he joined the 11th Marine Regiment. He led a company and later a whole battalion. His regiment went to France in October 1918, but they arrived too late to fight in World War I. They spent several months on duty in France before returning home in August 1919.

In October 1921, Pickett was sent to Santo Domingo with the 4th Marine Regiment. Their job was to help keep peace and stop bandits. He returned to the U.S. in June 1922. He continued his training and was promoted to major in July 1925.

From June 1928, Pickett served in Haiti. He took part in patrols against bandits and also trained local forces. He came back to the United States in January 1930. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in May 1934 and later to colonel in June 1938.

Preparing for World War II

In 1939, as Japan became more powerful in the Pacific, the U.S. government looked into building more naval bases. Colonel Pickett was in charge of surveying important islands like Midway Atoll, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll, and Palmyra Atoll. His job was to figure out how to defend these islands.

In May 1940, Pickett oversaw the placement of the 3rd Defense Battalion in Hawaii. He sent some of their anti-aircraft guns to defend Midway Atoll. Later, he sent other defense groups to Palmyra, Johnston Atoll, and Wake Island. These groups had powerful guns, searchlights, and machine guns to protect the islands from attacks by sea and air.

His Role in World War II

On December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Harry Pickett was the commanding officer of the Marine Barracks there. He was praised for his efforts during the attack. For his work in preparing defenses in Hawaii and other islands, he received the Legion of Merit award. He was promoted to brigadier general in January 1942.

In May 1943, General Pickett was sent to Coronado, California. There, he was given the important task of organizing the Troop Training Unit. This unit was responsible for training many Marine units, including the 5th Marine Division, and also parts of the U.S. Army, on how to perform amphibious landings. These are complex operations where troops land from the sea onto an enemy shore. His training was very important for the success of many battles in the Pacific. He received a second Legion of Merit for this excellent service.

After the War and Legacy

After World War II ended, Pickett stayed in charge of the Troop Training Unit until July 1946. He then retired from the Marine Corps after 33 years of service. He was promoted to major general because of his outstanding performance in combat. He also received an honorary award from the British, becoming an "Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire."

Major General Pickett passed away suddenly on March 19, 1965, in Darjeeling, India, while traveling around the world. A scholarship at his old college, The Citadel, is named in his honor. It helps young men from South Carolina or sons of U.S. Marines who show good character.

Awards and Honors

Here are the awards and decorations Major General Harry K. Pickett received: