Conditions Governing Use

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Conditions Governing Access

The bulk of the collection has no restrictions; however, some files are confidential.

Preferred Citation

C. Ernest Edgar III papers, 1956-2010. MS 0537. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of C. Ernest Edgar III, 2017-2018

Biographical / Historical

Major General Charles Ernest Edgar III served over thirty-four years in active military service following his commissioning in June 1958 as a Distinguished Military Graduate VMI. Prior to his retirement on October 1 1992, he served at every level of the United States Army Corps of Engineers from the individual project to the Corps worldwide military and civil works programs, culminating in his service first as Deputy Commanding General/Deputy Chief of Engineers and then as Commanding General and Acting Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C. In that capacity, Edgar was also the senior staff engineer for the Army, supervising their worldwide facilities, engineering and environmental activities, and providing advice on combat and topographic engineering.

Prior to his final assignment, Edgar served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Mobilization Planning Requirements). Previously, he was the Commanding General of the Corps' South Atlantic Division, Atlanta, Georgia. His other command assignments include: Commander and Division Engineer, New England Division, Waltham, Massachusetts Commandant of Cadets and Professor of Military Science, VMI, Lexington, Virginia Commander and District Engineer, Little Rock District, Little Rock, Arkansas Commander, 577th Engineer Battalion (Construction), Vietnam Company Commander, 237th Engineer Battalion (Combat), Germany Other staff assignments have included service as Deputy Director and Acting Director of Civil Works, Headquarters, United States Army Corps of Engineers, and as a Staff Officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of Military Operations and in the Office of Personnel Operations, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., among others.

Following his retirement from the Army, Edgar worked as an executive for several engineering firms, as a consultant, and served on the boards of various non-profit organizations.

Scope and Contents

This collection spans the military and civilian careers of Major General C. Ernest Edgar III. Included are files (arranged chronologically) that document every significant United States Army Corps of Engineers assignment. Included is information about: Overseas service at Heilbronn, Germany with the 237th Engineer Battalion (1958-1961) Vietnam War assignments (United States Military Assistance Command Vietnam, 1965-1966) Commanding Officer, 577th Engineer Battalion Construction (1969-1970) Commander and District Engineer, Little Rock District (1975-1978) Other stateside assignments The collection also includes materials relating to Edgar's post-Army career as an executive and consultant, involvement with non-profit and civic organizations, and subject files documenting his long relationship with VMI, including his service as Commandant of Cadets and on the Board of the VMI Research Laboratories.

Types of records include correspondence, memoranda, military orders and citations, project files, photographs and slides, and printed material.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Correspondence
• Generals—United States—Biography
• Memorandums
• Military decorations
• Orders (military records)
• Photographs
• Slides (photographs)
• United States. Army—Officers—Biography
• United States.Army—Corps of Engineers
• United States.Army—Corps of Engineers—Civil Works Directorate
• United States.Army—Corps of Engineers—Little Rock District
• United States.Army—Corps of Engineers—New England Division
• United States.Army—Engineer Construction Battalion, 577th
• United States.Army—Office of the Chief of Engineers
• United States—Military Assistance Command, Vietnam
• VMI Research Laboratories, Inc.
• Vietnam War (1961-1975)
• Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1958