Clayton Barney Vogel

Clayton Barney Vogel (September 18, 1882 – November 26, 1964) was a United States Marine Corps officer with the rank of major general who served in a variety of capacities from 1902 until 1946. He is best known for his support of the Navajo code talker program.

Early life Clayton Vogel was born on September 18, 1882, in Philadelphia, the son of Theodore Knight and Clayonia Woods Vogel. Clayton was influenced by his father, who was a veteran of the Civil War and served with the Union Army's 198th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry as a brevetted Captain. His father was also a founding member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Holcomb planned to bring the brigade up to the fine standard of landing operation expertise now found in the 1st Marine Brigade and thought Vogel would fit the job. Vogel was appointed to the permanent rank of brigadier general in February 1939 and succeeded John C. Beaumont in command of 2nd Marine Brigade in San Diego during September of that year.

Vogel was transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, in May 1944 and appointed commanding general of that facility as a substitute for retiring Major General Emile P. Moses. He was responsible for the recruit training on the East Coast until his retirement on February 1, 1946, after 42 years of active service.

Navajo Code Talkers On February 28, 1942, General Vogel tested the idea of the Navajo code talkers by "installing a telephone connection between two offices and wrote out six messages that were typical of those sent during combat. One of those messages read "Enemy expected to make tank and dive bomber attack at dawn." The Navajo managed to transmit the message almost verbatim: "Enemy tank dive bomber expected to attack this morning." The remaining messages were translated with similar proficiency, which duly impressed General Vogel. The Navajo were recommended, in part, because Nazi Germany had not infiltrated the Navajo as they were the only "tribe that has not been infested with German students during the past twenty years. These Germans, studying the various tribal dialects under the guise of art students, anthropologists, etc., have undoubtedly obtained a good working knowledge of all tribal dialects except Navajo." u

Later life Vogel settled in Bedminster in Bucks County and was an hereditary Companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. He was active within the Loyal Legion until his death and served as the Legion's Commander-in-Chief in 1964. He was also president of the Valley Forge Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Major General Clayton B. Vogel died on November 26, 1964, in Naval Hospital Philadelphia. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, together with his wife Margaret.

Military awards Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Clayton B. Vogel: