Harry K. Pickett

Major General Harry Kleinbeck Pickett (January 9, 1888 – March 19, 1965) was a United States Marine Corps Officer who has the distinction of having been present at the start of both world wars; he was serving as Commanding Officer of the Marine barracks at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and is most noted for leading the unit that trained both Marine and Army amphibious units in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Early years

Harry K. Pickett was born on January 9, 1888, in Ridgeway, South Carolina, the son of James Cason and Wilhelmina (Heins) Pickett. Following high school, Pickett entered The Citadel in Charleston. While there, he served as first Drum Major of the Regimental Band, when it was organized in 1909. Pickett graduated in 1911 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on March 15, 1912.

Pickett's first assignment was at Marine Officers' School at Norfolk Navy Yard, in Virginia, where he underwent officer training. Upon graduation in June 1914, Pickett was attached to the 4th Marine Regiment and sailed to the Naval Station in Guam. Before his regiment sailed to the Pacific, it took part in the Veracruz Expedition during the summer of 1914.

Upon his return to the United States, Pickett served for a brief period at the Marine barracks at Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton in Washington. He was transferred to the Marine barracks at Quantico in Virginia in January 1918 and attached to the newly activated 11th Marine Regiment. Pickett served as commanding officer of a company in the regiment's 1st Battalion. Following a temporary promotion to the rank of Major on July 1, 1918, he then assumed command of 1st Battalion.

Pickett's regiment was attached to the 5th Marine Brigade under Brigadier General Eli K. Cole and ordered to France in October 1918. Picket and his unit arrived too late to see combat in World War I and spent the rest of the war in the towns of Issoudun and Montierchaume. After several months of occupation duty, Pickett returned to the United States in August 1919. The 11th Marines were deactivated after arrival at Naval Station Norfolk and Pickett reverted to his substantive rank of captain. He was then transferred to the Marine barracks at Charleston Navy Yard, before he was ordered for recruiting duty in Memphis in September 1920.

In May 1940, Pickett supervised the deployment of the 3rd Defense Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Pepper on Hawaii and ordered one of his 3-inch anti-aircraft artillery detachments to defend Midway Atoll. In March 1941, the 1st Defense Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Bertram A. Bone also arrived on Hawaii and Pickett ordered immediately some of his detachments to the defensive positions on Palmyra and Johnston Atoll. In August of that year, he also ordered another defense detachment to Wake. These battalions consisted of the batteries with 5"/51 caliber guns, searchlight and aircraft sound locator and antiaircraft groups with M2 Browning and M1917 Browning machine guns and were ideal for the defense of the islands from attack from the sea and air.

During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Pickett was serving as commanding officer, Marine Barracks Pearl Harbor, he was later commended by Admiral Claude C. Bloch, commander of the 14th Naval District, for his efforts during the attack. Pickett later received the Legion of Merit for his service in connection with the preparation of defenses on Hawaii and other islands.

Retirement Military funeral honors with funeral escort for Harry K. Pickett at Arlington National Cemetery (July 19, 2023) Following the end of the war, Pickett remained in command of the Troop training Unit at Coronado until July 1946, when he was succeeded again by Major General LeRoy Hunt. Pickett then retired from the Marine Corps after 33 years of active service and was advanced to the rank of major general for having been specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat. He was also appointed Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his service in the Pacific and at Coronado.

In May 2023, Pickett's remains were removed from India for reburial at Arlington National Cemetery. This required a long effort by his granddaughter along with assistance from Major Bob Mebane, a retired Army officer and Colonel Russ Olson U.S. Army retired, a former attache at the United States Embassy in New Delhi; both were graduates of The Citadel.

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Harry K. Pickett: