George Washington Goethals - Biography

Engineer and soldier, born in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He trained at West Point (1880), and worked with the Corps of Engineers on various harbour, canal, and river projects. In 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt gave him full responsibility for every aspect of constructing the Panama Canal. Facing immense engineering and personnel problems (he supervised some 30 000 workers), he completed the job six months ahead of schedule in 1914. He remained as governor of the Canal Zone until 1916, when he retired from the army. He was recalled the next year to serve as quartermaster-general of the US Army. Retiring again in 1919, he headed an engineering firm until his death from cancer.

George Washington Goethals [Go-tuhles] (29 June 1858 - 21 January 1928) was a United States Army officer and civil engineer, best known for his supervision of construction and the opening of the Panama Canal. The Goethals Bridge between New York City and Elizabeth, New Jersey is named in his honor.

Biography

Goethals was born in Brooklyn, New York. He studied at the College of the City of New York before attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, from which he graduated in 1880. That same year he was appointed second lieutenant in the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

During the Spanish-American War he was lieutenant colonel and chief of engineers of United States Volunteers.

Colonel Goethals received unstinted praise from visiting engineers and from the technical press of the entire civilized world.

He resigned from the post of Governor of the Canal Zone in 1916 and was made chairman of the board of inquiry in regard to the Adamson eight-hour law. His positions thereafter were: State engineer of New Jersey in 1917, manager of the Emergency Fleet Corporation (briefly), acting quartermaster of the United States Army, and a member of the War Industries Board (1918).

In World War II the United States liberty ship SS G.