brigadier general november american soldier general half 20th century best known service world war headed advance base track campaign later commanded advance base war headed responsible number important flood control irrigation projects education early life born illinois entered west_point illinois graduated sixth class commissioned second lieutenant june world war initially served instructor july posted mexican border served november february 8th engineers returned texas promoted captain major commanded 8th engineers april august returning august instructor drawing august december tactics november december december instructor mathematics wars like officers aftermath world war reduced rank substantive rank captain august promoted major february june entered graduated june degree civil engineering assistant posted 11th engineers based panama canal zone returned united_states appointment student command graduating minnesota july promoted lieutenant colonel attended instructor command world war commanding officer 21st engineers 21st engineers assigned task investigating techniques rapid construction air bases involved development number new construction techniques notably use expertise construction led sent chief engineer java departing washington air january arrived days later mission provide airfield facilities java aircraft tapping vast resources labour available world densely populated regions set required airfields java captured japanese aircraft arrived reached australia february chief engineer australia rank brigadier general represented army body controlling coordinating construction activities australia arrival australia general brigadier general accompanied philippines chief engineer general headquarters earlier class west_point remained chief engineers chief staff track campaign logistical difficulties general sir agreed establish logistical activities designated commander advance base new_guinea october given australian deputy officer australian american logistical units placed chose exercise command australian units built organization radical departure australian_army considered normal administrative procedure adequately meet novel demands campaign country lacking roads railways transport sea air administrative base areas coincided operational areas later wrote responsibility authority maximum means available commander authority approval local commanders means available assist meeting service problem directive provided local commander called lay authority impressed australian officers sensitive handling inter allied issues operative nature ability job lieutenant general came regard close friend later described born operators important decisions involved construction new deep water berth liberty ships island involved building causeway island project double capacity port port order build divert african american engineers work airfields port raising fears airmen like airfields ready weather operations time rainy season arrived rains late october close airfields causeway opened october wharf accepted ship november relinquished roles resumed post march replaced brigadier general turn replaced october responsible logistical activities major base december coordinator destined new hub activity enormous work required base ready action service new_guinea awarded commandant wartime responsible training officers engineers civilian life trained officers officers transferred arms given training engineering subjects prepared enlisted men commissioning officers strong criticism content training courses norm machinery operated clock engineer officers supervise manner construction tasks commanders felt training courses taught concentrating leadership combat technical matters operation maintenance construction equipment reformed curriculum time late changes effect overseas theaters operations work awarded legion merit later life assistant chief engineers military operations june march reverted permanent rank colonel march june commander based san_francisco responsible southern half pacific_coast involved number important construction projects including sacramento deep water ship channel pine flat lake river projects retired army brigadier general december retirement awarded gold medal society american military engineers served president maintained wartime friendships wife entertained australian general sir home los_angeles died november
Dwight Johns