Charles Paglesen Howard (December 26, 1887 – July 2, 1966) was an American politician who was a member of the Massachusetts Senate and chairman of the state Commission of Administration and Finance.

He was discharged with the rank of major and continued his involvement with the military with the United States Army's Officers' Reserve Corps.

[7] He was a member of the rules, judiciary, state administration, mercantile affairs, and special joint coal investigating committees.

[1] In 1925, Howard was elected Reading's town moderator, a position he would hold for over three decades (with the exception of 1943–1946 when he was unavailable due to military service).

[1] He also served as state budget commissioner until 1928, when, due to the commission's increased workload, Fuller chose to separate the two positions.

On August 2, 1958, Howard was a passenger on a Sabena flight from Athens to Brussels that was forced by fighter jets to land in Czechoslovakia.