Brigadier General James Edward Wharton (December 2, 1894 – August 12, 1944) was a career United States Army officer who briefly commanded the 28th Infantry Division in the Battle of Normandy before being killed in action during World War II.

[12] In March, 1942, he was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general as Director of the Military Personnel Division in the Army Services of Supply.

[15] Engineer Special Brigades were large organizations (15 to 20 thousand soldiers) which were responsible for transferring equipment and personnel off the beachheads and making them available for assault operations.

[18] On the same day that Wharton took command, he was visiting his front line units in order to gain an understanding of their current situation.

He was shot and killed by a German sniper while at the command post of the 112th Infantry Regiment near Sourdeval, Normandy, France.