Major General Harry Kleinbeck Pickett (January 9, 1888 – March 19, 1965) was a United States Marine Corps Officer who has the distinction of having been present at the start of both world wars; he was serving as Commanding Officer of the Marine barracks at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and is most noted for leading the unit that trained both Marine and Army amphibious units in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Early years
Harry K. Pickett was born on January 9, 1888, in Ridgeway, the son of James Cason and Wilhelmina (Heins) Pickett. Following high school, Pickett entered The Citadel in Charleston. While there, he served as first Drum Major of the Regimental Band, when it was organized in 1909. Pickett graduated in 1911 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on March 15, 1912.
Pickett's first assignment was at Marine Officers' School at Norfolk Navy Yard, in Virginia, where he underwent officer training. Upon graduation in June 1914, Pickett was attached to the 4th Marine Regiment and sailed to the Naval Station Guam|Naval Station in Guam. Before his regiment sailed to the Pacific, it took part in the Veracruz Expedition during the summer of 1914.
Pickett served on Guam until August 1917, during which time he reached the rank of Captain. He took part in the capture of the German Merchant raider in April 1917, when United States declared war on Germany.
Upon his return to the United States, Pickett served for a brief period at the Marine barracks at Puget Sound Navy Yard in Bremerton in Washington. He was transferred to the Marine barracks at Quantico in Virginia in January 1918 and attached to the newly activated 11th Marine Regiment. Pickett served as commanding officer of a company in the regiment's 1st Battalion. Following a temporary promotion to the rank of Major on July 1, 1918, he then assumed command of 1st Battalion.
Pickett's regiment was attached to the 5th Marine Brigade under Brigadier General Eli K. Cole and ordered to France in October 1918. Picket and his unit arrived too late to see combat in World War I and spent the rest of the war in the towns of Issoudun and Montierchaume. After several months of occupation duty, Pickett returned to the United States in August 1919. The 11th Marines were deactivated after arrival at Naval Station Norfolk and Pickett reverted to his substantive rank of captain. He was then transferred to the Marine barracks at Charleston Navy Yard, before he was ordered for recruiting duty in Memphis in September 1920.
Pickett was posted to the 4th Marine Regiment in October 1921 which then sailed with 2nd Marine Brigade, under Brigadier General Charles G. Long, to Santo Domingo. His regiment was tasked with the support of military government and suppression of bandits under Desiderio Arias. Returning to the United States in June 1922, Pickett attended a field officers' course at the Marine Corps Schools in Quantico and then attached to Marine Corps headquarters. He was promoted to major on July 28, 1925, and assigned for duty with the Quartermaster Department under Brigadier General Charles L. McCawley.
From June 1928, Pickett was attached to the 1st Marine Brigade and sent to Haiti. He took part in jungle patrols against Cacos bandits and also served as an instructor with the Garde d'Haïti. He returned to the United States in January 1930 and served at Marine Corps headquarters until July 1935 during which time he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, on May 29, 1934. He then served at Marine Corps installations at Quantico and San Diego and completed a course at Army Coast Artillery School at Fort Monroe in Virginia. Picket was promoted to the rank of Colonel on June 28, 1938.
World War II
Because of the increasing danger of Japanese expansion in Pacific during 1939, the United States Congress established a special board under Admiral Arthur J. Hepburn. This board was tasked with the investigation of need for additional naval bases in Pacific. Hepburn and his board emphasized the importance of Midway Atoll, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll and Palmyra Atoll. Pickett, who was the Senior Marine Officer of the 14th Naval District at the time, was tasked with the survey of all four atolls.