january january norwegian born american civil engineer general half 20th century best known service world war chief engineer general army son distinguished norwegian family emigrated united_states serving army world war earned degree civil engineering worked time founding civil engineering firm specializing bridge construction engineering professor firm involved construction number important bridges including hurricane deck bridge lake involved construction chain pacific_ocean enable heavy bombers delivered philippines commissioned army colonel chief construction section general new_guinea engineer reconnaissance missions enemy occupied territory decorated distinguished service medal theater chief engineer war commanded went design oversee construction major projects including named seven engineering wonders completion firm reputation later collapse mississippi_river bridge august early life born norway january son high school teacher lutheran minister second wife née family distinguished norway great nephew prime minister norway grandson politician cousin arctic explorer half brother brother mining engineer businessman women rights activist educated oslo following quarrel father left norway america stay relatives minnesota family cousin son theologian settled minneapolis arriving new_york_city december entered minneapolis september graduated bachelor_of_arts degree world war enlisted army minnesota july posted camp massachusetts training took advantage regulation normal year residency requirement members armed services seeking citizenship formally took oath citizen boston september army sent field artillery camp taylor near louisville kentucky commissioned second lieutenant january war having ended immediately placed inactive reserves discharged nominally serving year terms january wars decided engineer enrolled civil engineering course spring break returned norway reconciled father accompanying parents short holiday germany graduated degree june met recent immigrant norway like agreed marry graduated worked year taken trip europe finally married november union produced sons jack born born died meantime took job major project involved supervising construction bridge route missouri time frustrated americans pronounced leaf instead started calling jack joined engineering professor formation civil engineering firm field bridges parcel tenure minnesota long time reluctant ties completely eventually decided join new company taking unpaid university year owned parcel new firm opened doors april company headquarters located missouri contract design bridge missouri received fee met asked join company subsequently hired design engineer missouri leading supplier bridge components partners firm initially young firm struggled contracts major jobs lined bridge early faced parcel wished let trained employees informal company policy years fee design supervision construction 7th street bridge kansas_city kansas bridge helped weather worst great depression subsequent new deal involved major program public works applied design commissions washington missouri hurricane deck bridge lake missouri awarded contracts valued respectively awarded contract known kansas missouri involved projects project generate electricity tidal power brought contact captain chief engineer project project folded federal funding withdrawn friends appointed board inquiry investigated collapse world war construction october ordered work commence chain enable heavy bombers flown united_states philippines existing route guam considered vulnerable disruption japanese forces located nearby islands secure route christmas island fiji darwin required initial sum million allotted construct foot site appropriate fuel maintenance buildings project given highest possible priority rating november arrived honolulu hawaii signed cost plus fixed fee contract architectural engineering services connection construction route lay british french australian territory contract soon expanded include supervision construction flew fiji able report work started fiji november discussed progress airport fiji new_zealand agreed extend new_zealand minister finance recalled saying leaving formal agreement payment america cards drew cross representing airfield wrote extension actually estimated cost found hills approaches accordingly arranged australian complete emergency field development major carried des airfield working heard news japanese attack pearl harbor facility included yacht owned converted floating luxury hotel ship start pacific war abandoned commercial facilities war zone requested taken military southern seas company property taken recommended ship operated support construction islands including required survey work december southern seas purchased hawaii district engineer sum dollar settlement reached value ship captain took sky road describes meeting stop harbor return flight java seaplane delivered high priority supplies including torpedo luxury southern seas far cry cramped quarters old remained aboard night previously enjoyed pan customers yacht use pan service new_zealand discontinued yacht turned serve floating office follow islands decided fly miller fiji headquarters southern seas following arrived sydney december january signed cost plus fixed fee contract provide architectural engineering services australia contract remained force terminated mutual agreement employees australia civilian employees army april boarded series aircraft return united_states new guinea campaign australia brigadier general chief engineer general general headquarters southwest pacific area obtained permission appoint chief rank colonel directly commissioned colonel army soon way australia initially construction effort focused bases northern australia convinced japanese attempt capture port ordered improvements airfields construction new bases order cover approaches july decision attack japanese base altered priorities added requirement development bases northern coast commander lieutenant general called additional port bay estimated year suggested lower requirements obtain engineer units ordered available engineer unit attempted reduce workload cutting facilities shortening feet feet mat pavement september decided japanese troops sending american regimental combat team alternate means crossing mountains possible trail known climb elevations feet present formidable obstacles known trail held possibility took charge investigating trail reached september explored harbor taking depth native canoe set party american australians australian new guinea administrative unit native police native carriers days trail scaling heights feet concluded practical troops traverse route turned reaching october concluded harbor shallow trip total loss sighted plateau north believed suitable allowing troops flown opinion supported cecil missionary knew area recommended establishing valley flown start october set men including flight lieutenant expert knew tribal chiefs personally reached october cleared site burning remained able land day strip known landing set october explore north found suitable site near village cleared message dropped air instructed found troops flown way travelling coast boat supervised construction soon use december trip australian base vicinity japanese base expedition submitted detailed reports possibility construction area awarded citation read gallantry action near new_guinea sic september october colonel led reconnaissance party enemy occupied territory far advance friendly troops secured information great value command subsequently awarded citation read exceptionally service government position great responsibility new_guinea period july january campaign colonel personally executed numerous reconnaissance missions new_guinea difficult mountains swamp jungle far forward areas occupied troops order secure vital information needed engineering operations utilizing native labor recruited trained equipped hand tools constructed great series air fields needed transport air troops supplies distant inaccessible areas success completion essential advance airfields accomplished severe physical great personal risk possible effective coordination land air forces contributed success campaign promoted brigadier general july appointed head special force designed provide logistical support establish bases run ready acting chief engineer absence january personally decorated citation read extraordinary heroism action enemy january landing wave assault troops complete disregard safety proceeded immediately render assistance seizure vital airfield general exceptional courage initiative determination contributed success accomplishment mission american decorated campaign making presentation said engineer soldier best promoted major general march march formed handle military civilian construction philippines appointed command later personal gesture presented personal insignia gift father graduation worn transferred infantry told deserved worn real engineer promise end museum occupation japan august flew home private aircraft accompanying lieutenant general washington series meetings pentagon going leave caused cut short leave return manila august landed japan entered tokyo day find site decided locate tokyo september attended formal surrender aboard uss missouri received september departing home day post war june activated command retired army january age attended annual key officers held birthday starting year presented commander order british empire australian ambassador united_states ceremony embassy australia washington heard returning japan relieved president april flew greet arrival attended virginia marked anniversary presented insignia chief engineers lieutenant general returned personal involvement grant running company incorporated year awarded contract complex wind tunnels fee excess million continued recently portion world largest civil engineering groups 1960s oversaw successful design construction additional parallel doubling non tunnel sections adding capacity lanes adding emergency bridge tunnel facility longest world years company completed original project company image august effect hurricane katrina involved designing collapse mississippi_river bridge mississippi_river minneapolis minnesota august decorations major general decorations include medal oak leaf cluster world war victory medal army occupation germany medal pacific campaign medal service stars world war victory medal army occupation medal japan commander order british empire legacy died january interred suburb military honors number professional organizations began annual award programs honor memory awarded annually elevated member national civil engineering honor society awarded annually memory annual endowed family nasa communications building main campus named building houses gallery art camp scout ranch named chapter fort wood missouri named having gate bear
Leif J. Sverdrup