Robert Charlwood Richardson Jr. (27 October 1882 – 2 March 1954) was admitted as a cadet at the United States Military Academy on 19 June 1900.

Commissioned from the United States Military Academy in 1904, Richardson also attended the University of Grenoble, France, as well as the Army War College.

He then directed the War Department Bureau of Public Relations before becoming Commanding General of the VII Corps in Alabama, moving it to set up the defense of California immediately following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

In 1943 he was made Commanding General of the Hawaiian Department, Military Governor of Hawaii, and all Army personnel in the Pacific Ocean and Mid-Pacific Areas.

Then 1st Lt Richardson returned to San Francisco, California until 4 October 1911, when he sailed for his second Philippines tour with the 14th Cavalry at Camp Stotsenburg.

[1] In June 1917, then Captain Richardson was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont and on 9 July 1917, he was appointed Aide to Major General T. H. Barry who commanded the Central Department, Chicago, Illinois.

With the end of hostilities, now a temporary colonel, Richardson joined the Reparations Board, Peace Commission, Paris from January 28 to February 28, 1919.

On 9 August 1920 Captain Richardson joined the Office of the Chief of Cavalry until 28 January 1921, when he returned for his third Philippine tour of duty.

Several months after Pearl Harbor, General Marshall sent him out on a personal reconnaissance of the whole Pacific theater to assess the extent of the allied situation.

This was based on his World War I experience from General John J. Pershing insisting that US forces fight under US command.

His Army ground and air forces fought in all the major central and mid-Pacific battles under the operational command of Admiral Nimitz.

The "Pineapple Pentagon," has remained the planning and operational support centers for soldiers of the U.S. Army, Pacific since 1944 and was memorialized for General Richardson after his death.

At the core, this was a difference of opinion between the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and the U.S. Army over command authority, pre-campaign planning, and operational tactics.

Also fueling this was General Holland Smith's low opinion and poor treatment of the Army personnel under his control.

[3] General Richardson stood in the front row of senior leaders who witnessed Japan’s formal surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri on 2 September 1945.