Charles Kenneth Heiden

West Point, 1949

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Terry Powers on November 14, 2022:

Major General (Retired) Charles Kenneth Heiden. Born in Detroit, Michigan to Carl William and Elsie Mae Heiden. Chuck was a product of the Detroit Public School System graduating from Edwin Denby High School in 1942 at age 16. He attended college at night at Lawrence Institute of Technology for a year while working as a draftsman for the Fruehauf Trailer Company during the day. In 1943 at the age of 17, Chuck enlisted in the US Army; two years later he was selected from the enlisted ranks to attend the Army West Point Preparatory Program at Amherst College and won a competitive Army appointment to USMA. Chuck and Nancy Earle Gray,were married on graduation day in the Chaplain's Office in the 19th Division of Cadet Barracks. After completing Armor branch schooling, Chuck was assigned to the 45th Calvary Squadron in the Panama Canal Zone. Following the overseas tour Chuck returned to Ft. Knox as an instructor and was subsequently sent to the University of Michigan to earn a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1957. Until he became a senior colonel his assignments were alternated between troop units and various armor equipment research and development staff positions. He served in troop assignments from platoon leader to brigade commander, including cavalry squadron command in the highlands of Vietnam. His research and development assignments included staff positions at Hq, CONARC and Hq, DA. While in command of the US Army Armor Combat Development Agency, at Fort Knox in 1972, he was appointed Deputy Director of the Army's Main Battle Tank Task Force. Following the Abrams tank program, Chuck spent the next eight years in D.C. area with all but one of those years being in military personnel assignments. Upon his selection to general officer, he spent one year on the Joint Staff followed by six years in Military Personnel Command, first , as the Director of Enlisted Personnel and, then, as the Commander, US Army Milpercen. His final assignment, prior to retirement as Commanding General, US Army Training Center & Fort Dix. Chuck became the President and Director of Montel Metals Inc., a railroad materials supplier. He also was appointed to the Board of Directors of Cedar Lake Lodge Inc., a residential facility for mentally retarded/developmentally disabled persons. He resigned the position at Montel after two years but became Chairman, Cedar Lake Lodge Inc. for the next sixteen years. He concurrently did consulting in computer simulation for BBN Inc, BDM Inc., Illusion Engineering Inc. and several other corporations working on training simulations that are still used today. His charitable work continued for years into another retirement. He loved his family and took great care of them. His research into family history answered the question of where we came from, so the future generations would know and appreciate their heritage. A father, grandfather and great grandfather, he passed away peacefully to join his wife Nancy in heaven. He is survived by his son Charles and his daughter in law Tina, grandchildren, Allison (Andrew Reed) and Shelby and great granddaughter, Harper. www.highlandsfuneralhome.com/memorials/charles-heiden/4294603/

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