Background
Charles Thomas Menoher came of Scotch-Irish colonial stock. His parents, Samuel and Sarah Jane (Young) Menoher, moved from Ohio to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where Charles was born while his father was a soldier in the Civil War.
Charles Thomas Menoher came of Scotch-Irish colonial stock. His parents, Samuel and Sarah Jane (Young) Menoher, moved from Ohio to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where Charles was born while his father was a soldier in the Civil War.
Menoher attended the borough schools, was interested as a boy in local literary and musical organizations, taught school for a while, and in the year 1882 was selected from among fifteen applicants to enter the United States Military Academy. Upon graduation in 1886, he was assigned to the artillery, and rose through all intermediate grades to become colonel, July 1, 1916. Meanwhile, he had graduated from the Artillery School (1894) and the Army War College (1907), and had been selected for the original General Staff Corps.
With the advent of the World War, Charles was appointed brigadier-general, National Army, August 5, 1917; and while in command of the School of Instruction for Field Artillery at Saumur, France, was advanced to the grade of major-general, National Army, November 28, 1917. His assignment to the 42nd (Rainbow) Division followed, with servicein the Lunéville and Baccarat sectors; in repelling the critical German Champagne-Marne offensive; in the Allied offensive across the Ourcq River; in the attack on the St. Mihiel salient; and in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. With the signing of the Armistice, Menoher was appointed by the president to be director of the Air Service at Washington, January 2, 1919, and was commissioned major-general, chief of Air Service, the next year, July 3, 1920. His successful administration of this office was impaired by friction with his principal assistant, Col. William Mitchell, over questions affecting the adequacy and conduct of the Air Service, and although upheld in the main by the Secretary of War, Menoher finally requested and received duty with troops. He commanded the Hawaiian Division, 1922-24, and then the Hawaiian Department until February 1925, after which he was in command of the IX Corps Area at San Francisco until the date of his retirement by operation of law, March 20, 1926.
Charles's brilliant services were recognized, November 7, by appointment as brigadier-general, Regular Army, and his assignment, November 10, 1918, to command the VI Army Corps. For his conspicuous record in the World War, he was awarded the Distinguished-Service Medal, the citation stating in part that "The reputation as a fighting unit of the Forty-Second Division is in no small measure due to the soldierly qualities and the military leadership of this officer. " He received also many foreign decorations, and was entitled to wear the American Victory Medal with five clasps.
Menoher was an officer of sterling character, high professional attainments, and strong sense of duty.
Quotes from others about the person
Menoher was characterized by Secretary of War Weeks as "a man of fine fighting record in France, a man of good judgment and level head, and a very capable executive".
Menoher was married early in life to Nannie Wilhelmina Pearson, daughter of Maj. William H. Pearson, U. S. A. She died in 1919, and on January 17, 1923, at Honolulu, he married Elizabeth Painter, who survived him, as did three sons by his former marriage, all of whom entered the military service.
11 July 1831 - 8 October 1903
2 May 1832 - 9 June 1925
30 August 1854 - 18 December 1908
29 September 1864 - 3 April 1936
30 November 1859 - 26 July 1945
11 October 1852 - 13 October 1930
2 October 1871 - 5 January 1953
9 March 1872 - 9 May 1919
19 February 1891 - 25 January 1922
14 November 1892 - 13 February 1958
31 August 1910 - 23 October 1978
30 January 1896 - 23 August 1943
