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Virginia Military Institute Archives
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Charles E. Kilbourne personal papers, 1898-1963. MS 0511. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lextington, Virginia.
Major General Charles Evans Kilbourne (1872-1963), an 1894 VMI graduate, had a distinguished career in the United States Army before returning to his alma mater to serve as the sixth Superintendent. He entered the volunteer Signal Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, and received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action in the Philippines in 1899. He received his regular Army commission in 1899 and served in China during the Boxer Rebellion. During World War I he was Chief of Staff of the 89th Division and was wounded in action in France. Kilbourne served multiple tours of duty in the Philippines and was instrumental in the development of the military installations on the island of Corregidor, including the initiation of the tunnel system used during World War II by General Douglas MacArthur's troops. He also served in the War Plans Division in Washington, D.C. from 1932 to 1938.
Kilbourne was promoted to Brigadier General in 1928. He received his promotion to Major General in 1935 and retired from active duty the following year. He was the first person in United States history to hold simultaneously the nation's three highest military awards: The Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Distinguished Service Medal. Kilbourne became Superintendent of VMI on October 1, 1937 and guided the Institute through the challenging years of World War II. He retired on June 20, 1946 and was named Superintendent Emeritus. He died on November 12, 1963 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.
This collection consists of miscellaneous personal papers found in the Kilbourne family home in 2016, including: A file of correspondence and memoranda (1898-1937) dating from Charles E. Kilbourne's career in the United States Army, primarily letters of recommendation Photographs Scrapbooks Newspaper clippings Subject files related to Kilbourne's visit to the Philippines (1954-1955) and the Great Yamen Imperial Order of Dragon (1954-1963) This collection also includes material relating to Kilbourne's long association with the Philippines.
Official VMI records documenting Charles E. Kilbourne's years as Superintendent are available here .
This file contains memoranda and correspondence relating to the United States Army career of Charles E. Kilbourne. These are primarily letters of recommendation written by senior officers on behalf of Kilbourne in support of promotions and assignments.
Also included is a letter (dated 1935) from Charlotte Dern, the wife of the Secretary of War George Dern, expressing concern that the Kilbournes might have been captured by the Japanese during their tour of China.
Photograph topics include portraits of Charles E. Kilbourne taken during World War I, his visit to the Philippines (1954-1955), and meeting with President John F. Kennedy in the spring of 1963.
This file contains primarily newsletters sent to Charles E. Kilbourne from the organization (1954-1963).
The Great Yamen Imperial Order of Dragon organization commemorated the China Relief Expedition of 1900 and sent the newsletter to veterans who had participated. The expedition was a campaign by a multinational military group, including United States Army forces who were sent to China to rescue foreign civilians trapped by the Boxer Rebellion and to quell the revolt. Charles E. Kilbourne contributed content to this newsletter, including the article "Early Days in the Occupation of Peking."
This series (five items) consists of three scrapbooks, one guest book, and one award presentation photograph album.
This scrapbook contains newspaper clippings and photographs that document the activity of Charles E. Kilbourne in the Philippines (January-February 1936).
This scrapbook contains photographs and clippings that document Charles E. Kilbourne's return visit to the Philippines at age 82. It contains a handwritten foreword ( available online ) written by Kilbourne in which he details his long relationship with the Philippine Islands during his United States Army career and his role in the creation of the Correidor tunnel system (Malinta Tunnel).
Charles E. Kilbourne inadvertently wrote the date 1953-54 in this scrapbook; however, the trip took place in late 1954 and early 1955.
This scrapbook contains the story of the life of the Kilbourne family dog, the dachshund Gretel.
A guest book kept at the Kilbourne home that is signed by visitors with addresses, dates, and guest comments.
This photograph album contains ten photographs that document the presentation of the first New Market Award to Charles E. Kilbourne.