Charles Roland Glenn was born on October 16, 1891, at Independence, Iowa. He was graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Pennsylvania, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, in 1914, and on March 24, 1917, was appointed first lieutenant in the Medical Reserve. On February 3, 1918, he was commissioned a first lieutenant, Medical Corps, in the Regular Army.
SERVICE
From May 1917 to June 1919 he was on duty with the Medical Corps at Fort Lawton, Washington, Camp Greenleaf, Georgia, and Camp Lee, Virginia. He served as Ward Surgeon, Surgical Service at the Station Hospital, Fort William McKinley, Manila, Philippine Islands, from July 1919 to July 1921, an upon his return to the United States, the following month was ordered to duty at Camp Lewis, Washington, where he subsequently was named Chief of Surgical Service.
In December 1924 he was transferred to the William Beaumont General Hospital at El Paso, Texas, as Ward Surgeon, Surgical Service, and in August 1927 enrolled in the Army Medical School, Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. He was graduated in February 1928 and enrolled in the Army Field Medical Service School, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. Following his graduation in May 1928, he went to Camp McClellan, Alabama, as Commanding Officer of the Camp Hospital for a brief tour of duty. In August 1928 he proceeded to Brooks Field, Texas, to enter the School of Aviation Medicine and upon completing the course the following December he was assigned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
He became Assistant Flight Surgeon, Station Hospital, Langley Field, Virginia, in February 1929. He was appointed Chief of Surgical Service at the Station Hospital, Randolph Field, Texas, in September 1931, and in July 1933 became Chief, Professional Services, and Surgeon of the Flying Cadet Detachment. He went to Albrook Field, Panama Canal Zone, in July 1935 as Post Surgeon.
Upon his return to the United States he became Station Surgeon at the Air Corps Tactical School, Maxwell Field, Alabama, in July 1937, and in December 1939 was named Air Base Surgeon at Moffett Field, California. In April 1941 he became Surgeon, Headquarters, West Coast Air Corps Training Center at Moffett Field, and in July 1942 was appointed Surgeon at the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command at Fort Worth, Texas, (redesignated Army Air Forces Training Command).
In August 1944 he was named Deputy Air Surgeon, Army Air Forces, Washington, D.C. In July 1945 he went to Okinawa as Air Surgeon of the Eighth Air Force In November 1945 he returned to the United States and was assigned as Air Surgeon of the Air Technical Service Command (later, Air Material Command) at Wright Field (later, Wright-Patterson AFB), Ohio. In 1948 he was appointed Chief Medical Officer of McClellan AFB, California, which position he held until his retirement from the Air Force on January 31, 1951, in the grade of Brigadier General.
Rated a Flight Surgeon, General Glenn held the Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Ribbon with Oak Leaf Cluster, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.
PROMOTIONS
First Lieutenant, Medical Section Officers’ Reserve Corps, March 24, 1917; First Lieutenant, Medical Corps, February 3, 1918; Captain, June 4, 1920; Major, May 13, 1929; Lieutenant Colonel, May 13, 1937; Colonel, A.U.S., February 1, 1942; Colonel, May 13, 1943; Brigadier General, A.U.S., September 17, 1943; terminated Brigadier General, A.U.S., April 30, 1946; Colonel (temporary), A.U.S., February 1, 1942; retired in the grade of Brigadier General, January 31, 1951.