Charles Lewis Scott

Charles Lewis Scott (October 22, 1883 – November 27, 1954) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Philippine–American War, World War I and World War II, Scott's career began when he graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1905. A notable equestrian, he was prominent in the Cavalry Branch prior to the Second World War and participated in polo, endurance races, fox hunting, and horse shows.

As an early proponent of the Armor Branch during the years between the world wars, Scott was the first commander of the 2nd Armored Division and the second commander of I Armored Corps. As commander of the Armor Replacement Center and Armor Center and School at Fort Knox, he directed individual and collective training for tank crewmen and units, which played a vital role in U.S. success during World War II. Scott received the Army Distinguished Service Medal in recognition of his accomplishments at Fort Knox, and retired in 1946.

Early life

Scott was born in Mount Pleasant, Monroe County, Alabama on October 22, 1883, a son of Robert Gormain Scott and Mary McClellan (English) Scott. Charles L. Scott a U.S. Congressman from California and U.S. Minister to Venezuela, was his grandfather. He was raised on a Mount Pleasant plantation near the Alabama River, and did not attend school, except for one six-month term, but was educated at home by his mother. He graduated in 1905, and was ranked 49th of 114. Scott was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the 12th Cavalry Regiment. In July 1920 he was promoted to permanent major and assigned to the office of the Quartermaster general as head of the Remount Service's Animal Division. Scott's team received five medals, including one gold, two silver, and two bronze.

Scott was a student at the United States Army War College from September 1932 until graduating in June 1933, after which he was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Cavalry as chief of the Materiel and Equipment Section.

Later career

Convinced by the results of the May 1940 Third United States Army maneuvers that the United States would need to field an armored force for World War II, tank and Cavalry officers including Scott, Bruce Magruder, George S. Patton, and Adna R. Chaffee Jr. agreed to recommend its creation to George Marshall, the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. Marshall concurred, and the Army organized and fielded the I Armored Corps. Chaffee was assigned as corps commander, with Magruder assigned in July 1940 as commander of the 1st Armored Division at Fort Knox and Scott assigned to command the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Benning.

From January to July 1942, Scott served in Cairo, Egypt as senior U.S. military attaché and senior U.S. military observer with the British Eighth Army during the Western Desert campaign. He died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on November 27, 1954. They were the parents of a son, Robert Charles Lewis Scott (1913–2003). Robert C. L. Scott was an army veteran of World War II, and a career history professor, department chair, and dean at Williams College.