World War II Charles Alan Pownall (October 4, 1887 – July 19, 1975) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy and Governor of Guam (May 30, 1946 – September 27, 1949).

[2] Charles A. Pownall was born on October 4, 1887, in Atglen, Pennsylvania, and after the graduation from high school, he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.

During World War I, Lieutenant Commander Pownall commanded the patrol vessel USS Vedette on convoy escort and antisubmarine operations in the Atlantic Ocean and European waters and was awarded the Navy Cross; citation as follows: For distinguished service in the line of his profession as commanding officer of the USS Vedette, engaged in the important exacting and hazardous duty of transporting and escorting troops and supplies through waters infested with enemy submarines and mines.

He was in command of Task Force 50.1 when it raided the Japanese positions on Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands on 18 September 1943 in preparation for the American invasion that would follow in November 1943.

[4] In September 1945, Pownall was ordered back to the Pacific area and served as Commander Naval Forces Marianas with additional duty as military Governor of Guam from 30 May 1946.

[6] In 1948, Pownall, along with the United States Secretary of the Navy, gave the Guam Congress the power to create laws, pending the governor's approval.

[2] When the Guam Congress attempted to pass a law allowing them to subpoena American citizens, Pownall vetoed it.

[2] When confronted, Pownall told Guam Speaker of the House Antonio Borja Won Pat to leave the matter to him.

Upon review, Truman ordered a transitional government created, and pressured Pownall to restore the former Congressmen to their seats on 2 April 1948.