Carlos Fernando Chardón | |
|---|---|
 Major General Carlos Fernando Chardón | |
| Secretary of State of Puerto Rico | |
| In office 1969–1973 | |
| Governor | Luis A. Ferré |
| Preceded by | Guillermo Irizarry |
| Succeeded by | Victor M. Pons |
| Adjutant General of Puerto Rico | |
| In office 1973–1975 | |
| Governor | Rafael Hernández Colón |
| Preceded by | Alberto A. Picó |
| Succeeded by | Salvador M. Padilla Escabi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1907-09-05)September 5, 1907 |
| Died | December 9, 1981(1981-12-09) (aged 74) |
| Education | University of Cornell (BS) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Branch/service |  United States Army Army National Guard |
| Years of service | 1945-1975 |
| Rank |  Mayor general |
| Commands | 295th Infantry Regiment Puerto Rico Adjutant General |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
Carlos Fernando Chardón Palacios, also referred to as "Fernando Chardón"[note 1] (September 5, 1907 – December 9, 1981), was theSecretary of State of Puerto Rico from 1969 to 1973 and thePuerto Rico Adjutant General from 1973 to 1975.
Carlos Fernando Chardón Palacios was born inPonce, Puerto Rico, to Carlos Felix Chardón and Isabel Palacios Pelletier. His great-grandfather, Juan Bautista Chardón, a Catholic native ofChampagne, France, immigrated toPuerto Rico fromLouisiana in 1816, encouraged by theRoyal Decree of Graces issued by the Spanish Crown.[1]
Chardón received his primary and secondary education in his hometown. After graduating from high school, he enrolled and attended theUniversity of Cornell In 1928, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering.[2]
After he graduated from Cornell, Chardón returned to Puerto Rico and joined thePuerto Rico National Guard. He was assigned to the 295th Infantry and commissioned a first lieutenant.[2] He served in the regularUnited States Army duringWorld War II and in 1945, was honorably discharged from the Army with the rank oflieutenant colonel.[2][3]
In 1946, he returned to Puerto Rico and continued to serve in the National Guard. Chardón was promoted to the rank ofcolonel and was named Commander of the295th Infantry Regiment. Although the unit as such did not participate in theKorean War, most of its members saw action in the conflict, either as replacements for Puerto Rico's65th Regiment casualties, or to cover vacancies in that unit resulting from the rotation system.[4]
On July 20, 1965, he served temporarily as Adjutant General of Puerto Rico upon the death of Major GeneralJuan César Cordero Dávila. in 1968, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the Puerto Rican National Guard.[2]
Chardón served as Secretary of State of Puerto Rico from 1969 to 1973, representing theNew Progressive Party of Puerto Rico under the governorship ofLuis Alberto Ferré Aguayo[5] AsSecretary of State of Puerto Rico he led all efforts to promote the cultural, political, and economic relations between Puerto Rico and foreign countries, and other jurisdictions of the United States. Part of his responsibilities included that he be the acting governor in the event that the Governor of Puerto Rico is unable to perform his duties.[3] He is tied with the 22nd Secretary of State,Kenneth McClintock, as the third longest-serving Secretary of State.
In 1973, Chardón was promoted to the rank of major general in the National Guard and resigned his position of Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Chardón served as thePuerto Rico Adjutant General from 1973 to 1975 under the governorship ofRafael Hernández Colón who represented the political beliefs of thePopular Democratic Party As Adjutant General, he was the Senior Military Advisor to theGovernor of Puerto Rico and oversaw both State and Federal Missions of thePuerto Rico National Guard. During the command of BG Carlos Chardón proposed the naming of the National Guard training facility inSalinas, Puerto Rico asCamp Santiago.[3] Chardón retired as the Puerto Rico Adjutant General in 1975.[2]
In 2019, Carlos Fernando Chardón was posthumously inducted to the Puerto Rico Veterans Hall of Fame.[citation needed]
He was married to Carmín Cuyar Gatell and was the father of four offspring.[2] His brother wasCarlos E. Chardón, the first Puerto Ricanmycologist, a high-ranking official in government on agriculture during the 1920s, the first Puerto Rican appointed as Chancellor of theUniversity of Puerto Rico (1931–1935), and the head of the Puerto Rican Reconstruction Administration in the mid-to late 1930s during theGreat Depression.[1] His nephew isCarlos A. Chardón Lopez, who served as Puerto Rico's Secretary of Education in 1977 and 2009.[6]
On December 9, 1981, Chardón died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the Ashford Memorial Hospital inSan Juan, Puerto Rico He was buried withfull military honors in Plot: Section HSA, Plot 6, at thePuerto Rico National Cemetery inBayamón, Puerto Rico. His widow, Carmín (1911–2000), was buried in the same plot upon her death.[7]
The Puerto Rican Government named a street after him in San Juan:Calle Carlos F. Chardón.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Secretary of State of Puerto Rico 1969–1973 | Succeeded by |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Major GeneralAlberto A. Picó | Adjutant General of the Puerto Rico National Guard Under GovernorRafael Hernández Colón 1973–1975 | Succeeded by Major GeneralSalvador M. Padilla Escabi |
