Charles Kirkpatrick was born on June 20, 1907, in San Angelo, Texas. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on June 25, 1926, and was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy on June 30, 1927. Kirkpatrick was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy on June 4, 1931, and served aboard the battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) from July 1931 to May 1933. LtJg Kirkpatrick attended submarine training at Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, from June to December 1933, and then served aboard the submarine USS Cuttlefish (SS-171) during her fitting out in Groton, Connecticut, from January to June 1934. He remained aboard USS Cuttlefish from her commissioning on June 8, 1934, until April 1936, and then served aboard the submarine USS Cachalot (SS-170) from April to May 1936. His next assignment was aboard the submarine USS S-42 (SS-153) from May 1936 to May 1938, followed by service as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy from June 1938 to December 1939. LT Kirkpatrick served as Aide and Flag Lieutenant on the Staff of the Commander of Destroyer Flotilla One from January to September 1940, and then as Aide and Flag Lieutenant on the Staff of the Commander of Destroyers, Battle Force, from September 1940 to January 1942. LCDR Kirkpatrick next served with Submarine Squadron Six as a Prospective Commanding Officer of a submarine from January to March 1942, followed by service as Commanding Officer of the submarine USS Triton (SS-201) from March 1942 to February 1943, commanding her during her third, fourth, and fifth war patrols. CDR Kirkpatrick served as an Aide and Flag Lieutenant for the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Fleet, from February 1943 to June 1944, and then attended Fleet Sound School at Key West, Florida, additional training at Norfolk, Virginia, and Mine Warfare School at Yorktown, Virginia, from June to to August 1944. He served at Bethlehem Steel Company at Staten Island, New York, during the fitting out of the destroyer minelayer USS Shea (DM-30) from August to September 1944, and then remained aboard as Commanding Officer of USS Shea from her commissioning on September 30, 1944 to July 1945. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa as CO of USS Shea from March to May 1945, and the ship was badly damaged by a kamikaze attack on May 4, 1945. His next assignment was with the Bureau of Naval Personnel at the Pentagon from July to September 1945, followed by service as Executive Officer of the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) from September 1945 to June 1946. CDR Kirkpatrick served as Executive Officer of the Naval ROTC program at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, from June 1946 to June 1948, and then as Commander of Submarine Division 81 from June 1948 to August 1949. His next assignment was as Fleet Plans Officer on the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet, from August 1949 to December 1951, followed by service as Commander of Submarine Squadron TWO from December 1951 to February 1953. Capt Kirkpatrick served as the Navy Member of the Chairman's Staff Group on the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon from February 1953 to January 1956, and he then served as Commanding Officer of the heavy cruiser USS Bremerton (CA-130) from January to September 1956. Rear Admiral Kirkpatrick next served as Chief of Staff with Headquarters U.S. Taiwan Defense Command at Taipei, Taiwan, from September 1956 to October 1957, followed by service as Chief of Information in the Executive Office of the Secretary of the Navy from October 1957 to July 1960. He served as Commander of Amphibious Group ONE from July 1960 to July 1961, and then as Commander of Training Command Pacific from July 1961 to August 1962. His final assignment was as Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy from August 1962 until he had a heart attack on active duty in January 1964. He was hospitalized in the Naval Hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, from January 1964 until his retirement from the Navy on June 1, 1964. His heart attack cut his Naval career short, as his next assignment was to be Chief of Naval Personnel with a promotion to Vice Admiral. Charles Kirkpatrick died on March 12, 1988, and was buried at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery.

His 3rd Navy Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary heroism and outstanding courage as Commanding Officer of the USS TRITON engaged in war patrol operations in enemy-controlled waters during the period December 16, 1942 to January 26, 1943. Availing himself of every favorable attack opportunity, Lieutenant Commander Kirkpatrick boldly struck at the enemy, sinking one medium freighter-tanker and two medium cargo vessels, a total of 17,340 tons, damaging and probably sinking another medium cargo vessel of 4,000 tons and damaging a large tanker of 10,200 tons. Utilizing the TRITON as a radio station during an operation on December 23, 1942, he assisted in the aerial bombardment of Wake Island by casting a radio beam to direct the attack. The superb seamanship and skill evidenced by Lieutenant Commander Kirkpatrick during this period are a continuation of his illustrious combat record, sustaining and enhancing the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.