James Creel Marshall | |
---|---|
Born |
Plattsburg, Missouri |
15 October 1897
Died | 19 July 1977 Syracuse, New York |
(aged 79)
Place of burial | West Point Cemetery |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/branch | United States Army |
Years of service | 1918–1947 |
Rank | Brigadier General |
Service number | 0–9316 |
Commands held | Binghampton District Syracuse District Manhattan District Boston Port of Embarkation |
Battles/wars | |
Awards |
Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Army Commendation Medal |
Brigadier General James Creel Marshall (15 October 1897 – 19 July 1977) was a United States Army Corps of Engineers officer who was initially in charge of the Manhattan Project to build an atomic bomb during World War II.
A member of the June 1918 class of the United States Military Academy at West Point that graduated early due to World War I, Marshall saw service on the Mexican border. Between the wars he worked on engineering projects in the United States and the Panama Canal Zone. In January 1942, shortly after the United States entered World War II, he became District Engineer of the Syracuse District, and oversaw the construction of the Rome Air Depot.
In June 1942, Marshall was placed in charge of the Manhattan Project, then known as the Laboratory Development of Substitute Materials. Although superseded as head of the project by Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves, Jr., in September, he was Manhattan District engineer from 13 August 1942 to 13 August 1943. In November 1943 he became Assistant Chief of Staff (G-4) of the United States Army Services of Supply (USASOS) in the Southwest Pacific Area, serving in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines.
Marshall left the Army in 1947, and moved to Riverside, Connecticut, where he worked for M. W. Kellogg. He later joined Koppers, building a coal loading facility in Turkey, and worked on mining projects in Africa. He was Commissioner of Highways in Minnesota from 1961 to 1965.