Julian Larcombe Schley

Julian Larcombe Schley (February 23, 1880 – March 29, 1965) was a Chief of Engineers of the U.S. Army, who also served as Governor of the Panama Canal Zone.[1]

Julian Larcombe Schley
Julian Larcombe Schley circa 1940
6th Governor of the Panama Canal Zone
In office
1932–1936
Preceded byHarry Burgess
Succeeded byClarence Self Ridley
Chief of Engineers
In office
1937–1941
Preceded byEdward Murphy Markham
Succeeded byEugene Reybold
Personal details
Born(1880-02-23)February 23, 1880
Savannah, Georgia
DiedMarch 29, 1965(1965-03-29) (aged 85)
Walter Reed Hospital
Washington, D.C.
Resting placeArlington National Cemetery
Military service
Allegiance United States of America
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1903–1941, 1943–1945
Rank Major General
CommandsChief of Engineers
Army Engineer School
307th Engineers
Battles/warsWorld War I World War II
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal

Biography

Schley was born in Savannah, Georgia, on February 23, 1880. He attended the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, graduating in 1898.[2] Schley graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June 1903 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers.

He and classmate Douglas MacArthur had their first service with the 3d Battalion of Engineers in Compton from 1904 to 1905. Schley later served with engineer troops in the United States and Cuba; as an instructor at the Military Academy; as Assistant Engineer, Washington, D.C.; and as New Orleans District Engineer.

During World War I, he commanded the divisional 307th Engineers in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives and was Engineer, 5th Army Corps, during the last two weeks of the latter drive. He received a Distinguished Service Medal for his service during the war.

Schley was Director of Purchase, General Staff, and a member of the War Department Claims Board from 1919 to 1920. Schley later served four-year tours as Galveston District Engineer; Engineer of Maintenance, Panama Canal; and Governor of the Canal Zone. In the latter post, he was also military advisor to the Republic of Panama. Schley was Commandant of the Army Engineer School in 1936 – 1937. In October, 1937, Schley was named as Chief Engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.[lower-alpha 1] He retired on September 30, 1941.[4]

Schley was recalled to active wartime duty in 1943 as Director of Transportation, Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. He served until December 31, 1945, before retiring again.[5]

Schley died March 29, 1965, at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., aged 85.[6] He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery four days later.[7]

Notes
  1. At the time, he was traveling in Oklahoma, inspecting some of the Corps' dam-building projects in that state. Rather than interrupting his schedule for an immediate ceremony in Washington, he made a short hop to Oklahoma City, where Monroe Osborn, then Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, administered the oath of office to him, in lieu of the President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Schley then continued on his planned inspection tour.[3]

References
  1. "Julian Larcombe Schley". Panama Canal Authority.
  2. "Julian Larcombe Schley". Assembly. Vol. XXIV, no. 3. Fall 1965. p. 81. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  3. "Gen. Schley Sworn In." Chronicling America. Evening Star(Washington, D.C.) October 19, 1937. Accessed July 19, 2020.
  4. "Gen. Schley To Retire. Chief of Engineers Will End 42 Years in Army". New York Times. September 10, 1941.
  5. Biographical register of the officers and graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York since its establishment in 1802: Supplement, 1940–1950. Vol. IX. The Association of Graduates, U.S. Military Academy. December 1955. p. 86. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  6. "Gen. Schley Dies. Governed Canal. Former Panama Zone Chief Also Headed Engineers". New York Times. March 30, 1965.
  7. "Schley, Julian L". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved December 17, 2022.

This article contains public domain text from "Major General Julian Larcombe Schley". Portraits and Profiles of Chief Engineers. Archived from the original on March 6, 2005. Retrieved August 24, 2005.

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