Major General
Charles M. Wesson

Major General Charles M. Wesson was born on July 23, 1878 and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1900 receiving a commission in the Cavalry.

In 1920, he accepted a commission as a major in the Ordnance Department. He served as Chief of Ordnance from June 3, 1938 until May 3, 1942.

He began his tenure as Chief of Ordnance shortly before Congress was apprised of the need to extensively reequip the Army. To this problem, he dedicated his considerable experience and extensive knowledge of ordnance materiel and Army needs. Methodically and with unfaltering confidence in the ability of the Ordnance Department to meet with new demands, he laid his plans for the war ahead. He accelerated wartime production, stimulated the development and use of Ordnance arsenals, and guided the engineering and production schedules to meet the tremendous demands of World War II.

General Wesson, who was Commanding Officer of Aberdeen Proving Ground from 1925 to 1929 and again from 1934 to 1938, retired on May 3, 1942 and died on November 25, 1956.