He was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, November 18, 1869.[1] His father, Cornelius W. Castner, served as captain of one of New Brunswick's first companies in the American Civil War.[2] In 1891, Castner graduated from Rutgers College (now Rutgers University ) with a degree in civil engineering.
Career
Major Joseph Castner in 1917.
On August 1, 1891, he was commissioned second lieutenant in the United States Army and assigned to the Fourth Infantry for duty. He was promoted as follows: first lieutenant, Fourth Infantry, April 28, 1898; captain, Squadron Philippine Cavalry, April 23, 1900; captain, Fourth Infantry, February 2, 1901; major, Twenty-first Infantry, August 27, 1913; lieutenant colonel, Sixth Infantry, May 13, 1917; colonel, Thirty-eighth Infantry, August 5, 1917; brigadier general, Ninth Brigade, April 12, 1918. He attended the Infantry and Cavalry School in 1895, and was in the War College in 1915.[3]
Prior to World War I Castner had already distinguished himself. While a lieutenant he participated as an explorer in the Glenn Expedition in Alaska.[4] For his services with the Tagalog Scouts in the Philippines, he was promoted to a captaincy in the Philippine Squadron of Cavalry, which commission he held until receiving a captaincy in the Regular Army. Later he served as Constructing Quartermaster in both Honolulu and in Yellowstone National Park. While he was a captain, he commanded the Second Battalion, Fourteenth Infantry and under his training that battalion set an unequaled record in known distance firing. While a major, he was Adjutant General of the District of Columbia Army National Guard, which he developed to a high state of efficiency. As colonel of the Thirty-eighth Infantry, he instilled that fighting spirit which won for his regiment fame as the "Rock of the Marne."[3]
The Commanding General of the 5th Division and his two infantry brigade commanders at Longuyon, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France, November 24, 1918. From left to right: Brigadier General Joseph C. Castner, commanding the 9th Brigade, Major General Hanson E. Ely, commanding the 59th Division, and Brigadier General Paul B. Malone, commanding the 10th Brigade.
In appreciation for his services in the Meuse-Argonne Operation, Castner was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the citation for which reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General Joseph Compton Castner, United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I. While in Command of the 9th Infantry Brigade, General Castner displayed conspicuous tenacity of purpose and a determination to overcome all obstacles. At the Bois des Rappes in the St. Mihiel salient and ensuing actions, his brigade effectively routed the enemy. The success of his command was in a large measure due to the splendid training and excellent leadership given it by the Commander.[5]
He was cited in the Fifth Division Orders. While his brigade formed part of the army of occupation, Castner took the course of instruction at the Army Center of Artillery Studies at Trier, Germany.[3]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: K. Stevenson's "The official history of the Fifth Division, U. S. A.: during the period of its organization and of its operations in the European world war, 1917-1919. The Red diamond (Meuse) division" (1919)
^Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Pentland Press, Inc. p. 70. ISBN1571970886. OCLC40298151.
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