Bolte, Charles Lawrence, born on 08-05-1895 in Chicago,
son of Anson Lee Bolte and Marion (Endicott) Bolte, He had two brothers and one sister, Edward Endicott Bolte, Dorothy Bolte and Roswell Anson Bolte.

Charles was a decorated combat veteran of both world wars, who retired from active duty in 1955, as a 4* General. During World War I, Bolte was a company commander and served with the 4th Infantry Division under Major General George Hamilton Cameron
. Cameron died in Staunton on 28-01-1944. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 6, Grave 5700. Bolte participated in the St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and Aisne-Marne offensives. Charles Bolte early in 1942, assumed the position of Chief of Staff of U.S. Forces
in the United Kingdom. As a Major General, he commanded the 69th Division, nickname `The Fighting 69th`
in 1943. The casualities of the 69th Europian campaig: total battle casualities 1,506, killed in action: 341, wounded in action: 1,146, missing in action: 9,and prisoner of war: 10. In July 1944, he took over the 34th Infantry Division in Italy, succeeding Major General Charles Wolcott Ryder,


















Division patrols in the area between the Elbe and the Mulde Rivers contacted Russian troops in the vicinity of Riesa and again at Torgau on elbe Day. Until VE-Day, the 69th patrolled and policed its area. Occupation duties were given to the Division until it left for home and inactivation 7 September. Bolte earned two Distinguished Service Medals, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit and the Purple Heart for his exploits. Bolte served in Washington after the war and in 1953, as a Lieutenant General, became Commander in Chief, U.S. Army, Europe. Later that year, General Bolte returned home to serve as Army Vice Chief of Staff under General, Matthew Bunker Ridgway


Charles was married to Adelaide Carleton (Poore) Bolte and they had one son David E Bolte.
Death and burial ground of Bolte, Charles Lawrence.




Leave a Reply