general major general december april deputy commanding general chief field operations manhattan_project acting executive officer graduated degree civil engineering world war served 1st engineers western awarded french war instructor west_point resigned commissioner canals state new_york head construction engineering world war returned active duty executive officer went china burma india theater help build january chose second command manhattan_project observed trinity test bombing gunnery range august went supervise bombing hiroshima nagasaki led teams scientists inspect effects atomic bombs appointed chairman subsequently worked consultant projects member evaluation board advisor united_states representative korean war returned active duty serving assistant general manager manufacturing oversaw vast increase commission production capabilities retiring worked preparations new york world fair early life born december new_york fourth children farmer wife margaret née raised family acre farm father apple orchard raised pigs dairy cattle children helped farm delivering milk stayed adults graduated professional job working seeing irish workers bosses staunch supporter organized labor worked panama canal joined married departing france joined rank second lieutenant departed new_jersey august assistant supply officer rank lieutenant captain regimental supply officer october subsequently rank major commanded january july finally july participated offensive battle offensive 1st engineers main role maintenance roads construction bridges 1st division area detachments employed torpedoes clear paths barbed wire battle committed line infantry leadership action followed awarded citation read extraordinary heroism action serving france october october ordered hold hill strongly held enemy forces major great skill courage determination led battalion attack seized held vital point despite fact attacked greatly superior numbers sides nearly surrounded strong enemy forces showed extraordinary determination regain highly important position held hill reinforcements reach darkness fallen october fearless leadership utter disregard safety complete devotion duty raised morale battalion high pitch inspired acts great endeavor awarded palm actions 1st battalion received citation commander armistice germany november 1st engineers participated occupation basing 1st engineers returned united_states august september war joined served instructor west point resigned remained reserves governor new_york appointed commissioner canals state new_york head construction engineering considered possible candidate replace retire great depression led vast expansion public works activity nationally new_york major projects new_york included new york world fair construction airport world war construction united_states returned active duty february rank lieutenant colonel act colonel executive officer point army embark national task prepare necessary accommodations training facilities vast army created enormous construction program shortages delays costs poor living conditions construction sites newspapers began publishing accounts charging incompetence worked new simplified procedures centralized provided flexibility needed projects time enormous expenditures demanded awarded legion merit services china burma india september lieutenant general created special coordinate activities china burma india theater home colonel appointed committee oversee construction creation line communications india china largest engineer undertaking war number new units trained united_states specifically task reorganization later year chief engineer china burma india theater december head promoted brigadier general january organized command divisions districts charge work inside india construction responsibility colonel addition work support deployment bombers china india involved construction expansion series air bases required twice size older forced divert resources construct inch oil pipeline airfields bridge fast following rivers northern burma pick selected production discontinued favor bailey bridge technical arguments won production view difficulties obtained bailey bridges british sources end major bridges decision controversial washington shift terminus inch oil pipeline calcutta order avoid crossing rivers dangers concentrating vulnerable installations calcutta area awarded distinguished service medal manhattan_project december secretary war ordered director manhattan_project find deputy concerned happen officer army told matter duty told colonel commander choice replied choice site code remote new_mexico facilities housed main group researchers responsible final assembly bombs physics atomic bomb extended tours bombing gunnery range chosen site trinity test signing commented recall asked going sign shouldn handle took heavy ball hand felt growing warm got certain sense hidden power wasn cold piece metal piece metal working inside maybe time began believe fantastic tales scientists told nuclear power observed trinity nuclear test control located yards test tower report test president july stated effects called unprecedented magnificent beautiful terrifying man phenomenon tremendous power occurred lit peak ridge nearby mountain range clarity beauty described seen imagined seconds explosion came air blast pressed hard people watching followed immediately strong sustained awesome warned feel things dare forces previously reserved words inadequate tools job present physical mental psychological effects witnessed realized assumed special responsibility combat operations served target committee acting chairman absent july arrived guam coordinate project local commanders tasks brief general army joined rear admiral represented captain commander informally joint chiefs decision making authority nuclear mission notified little boy bomb ready use august weather permitting space week crashed burned runway parsons concerned crashed little boy fire cook explosive detonate weapon catastrophic consequences parsons raised possibility bomb flight agreed good idea asked parsons knew sir don parsons conceded got afternoon learn bombing hiroshima august generals parsons observers sent detailed report brought forward date attack good weather predicted august signed bomb love kisses bomb loaded pre flight inspection fuel pump found faulty meaning gallons imp gal fuel bomb bay tank carried took difficult decision continue mission view weather number problems faced mission crews day mission carried successfully surrender japan august attacks directed prepare teams inspect effects atomic bombs hiroshima nagasaki begun assembling required personnel equipment arrived hiroshima air september group equipped portable headed included brigadier general japanese rear admiral acted translator colonel head medical section remained hiroshima september surveyed nagasaki september october greatly impressed damage atomic bombs extensive japanese preparations allied invasion planned prior surrender post war promoted rank major general october remained deputy commander manhattan_project retired active service april appointed chairman mayor recommendation aftermath war providing public housing especially returning veterans major priority city unlike projects time new_york_city public housing racially segregated writing declared new_york public housing projects demonstrate whites live served member evaluation board advisor representative korean war returned active duty army served july transferred successor organization manhattan_project assistant general manager manufacturing role oversaw vast increase commission production capabilities construction new eventually triple production nuclear weapons left active duty army february subsequently worked consultant projects worked preparations new york world fair children thomas barbara peter stephen thomas graduated west_point class received silver star medal reached rank captain killed february army port repair ship named honor peter graduated west_point class served army vietnam war commanded 56th air defense artillery offensive retired army rank colonel daughter woman nevada elected united_states house_of_representatives serving granddaughter served nevada state treasurer died saint mary hospital nevada april wife died year ironically man spent lifetime building things principally remembered destruction hiroshima nagasaki
Thomas Farrell (general)