Garrison won the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V"; a Gold
Star in lieu of a Second Bronze Star Medal, with "V"; Presidential
Unit Citation Ribbon with three stars; American Defense Service Medal, with
star; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, with seven operation
stars; World War II Victory Medal; Navy Occupation Service Medal, with Asia
Clasp; National Defense Service Medal; Philippine Liberation Ribbon, with two
stars.
Charles Ford
Garrison was born January 13, 1911, in Washington, D.C., the son of LCDR Philip
E. Garrison, MC, USN, and the former Jane Frances Walsh. He attended Swavely
Preparatory School and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis,
Maryland, with the Class of 1933.
Upon receiving has
Ensign's commission on June 1, 1933, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Tennessee in
the Gunnery Department as a Main Battery Spotter and Aerial Gunnery Observer
until January 1936.
In that month he
became a student at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, and was
designated a Naval Aviator in May 1937. He was immediately assigned as a pilot
with Bombing Squadron Two aboard the U.S.S. Lexington until June 1938. A month
later he became a pilot and Senior Naval Aviator in the cruiser U.S.S.
Pensacola, an assignment that lasted until November 1940.
In December 1940 he
became an instructor at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, until April 1942.
Then in June 1942 he took up duties as the Executive Officer of the Naval Air
Station, Johnston Island, in the Pacific, an assignment that lasted until
February 1943.
In March 1943 he
became Air Officer aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid until February 1944. He then
became Assistant Operations Officer with the Staff of Carrier Division 22,
later to become Carrier Division 24, 25 and 26, aboard flag-bearing carriers.
Garrision won a
Bronze Star Medal "For meritorious achievement as Assistant Operations
Officer on the Staff of Escort Carrier Task Unit Commander, during a surface
engagement against major units of the enemy Japanese fleet in the Battle of
Samar Island, October 25, 1944. When a formidable column of Japanese
battleships, cruisers, and destroyers attacked our small Task Unit of Escort
Carriers, Commander Garrison rendered invaluable service by assisting in
planning and organizing air attacks against the enemy, thereby aiding in
turning the tide of battle in our favor. Although constantly bombarded by
enemy gunfire, he calmly transmitted
tactical orders, keeping our air and surface forces coordinated to give maximum protection to our heavily outgunned
forces¼”.
He won a Gold Star
in lieu of a Second Bronze Star Medal "For meritorious achievement as
Assistant Operations Officer to Commander Carrier Division 25 and 26 during and
from amphibious operations against enemy Japanese forces at Morotai, the
Philippines Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa from July 27, 1944 to April 7, 1945.
"Demonstrating
outstanding ability, Commander Garrison supervised the planning of the complex
air schedules for the Task Unit and effected rapid changes in order to obtain
maximum efficiency of our air power from the Escort Carrier Task Units during
support missions for our troops ashore and strikes against enemy shipping,
airfields and installations. Coordinating the daily air operations, he
contributed materially to the smooth functioning of the Task Unit and to the
success of our forces in these campaigns...".
Completing his
staff assignment in November 1945, he reported in January 1946 as Operations
Officer at the Naval Air Station, Quonset Point, Rhode Island, until May 1948
when he was promoted to Executive Officer. In January 1949 he was sent for
study to the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia; he graduated in May
of that year.
Garrison then
commanded Composite Squadron 12 until June 1951 when he became a student again,
this time at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. Graduating in June
1952 he was then sent to Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, as a professor
of Naval Science to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Unit.
In July 1954 he
took up command of Air Transport Squadron One until August 1955. The following
month he became a Staff Member, Joint Intelligence Group, Joint Chiefs of
Staff, Washington, D.C., until September 1957 when he joined the Staff,
Commander in Chief, Naval Forces, Eastern Atlantic & Mediterranean, as
Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence.
After more than a
year in that role, he assumed command of the U.S.S. Tarawa (CVS-40) on 7
January 1959, a position he held for a full year.
He then reported in
February 1960 as Assistant Chief of Staff, Commander in Chief, Continental Air
Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado. In October of that year he was
transferred to the Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, D.C., as Head,
Office of Collection Management.
The Captain was
married to the former Elizabeth Jackson of Hanover, New Hampshire. The couple
had two children, Judith Ann and Jane Sydney Garrison.
Garrison died 10
November 1964 at Falls Church, Virginia.