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Namesake
George Washington Goethals was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1858. Goethals first attended the College of the City of New York, before he went to the United States Military Academy in 1880. Goethals served as a second lieutenant with the corps of engineers until 1885. Stationed in the northwest, he caught the attention of commanding General William Tecumseh Sherman, who believed Goethals to be "The finest young officer on this coast." The general thought so highly of the young Goethals that he predicted a brilliant future for him. During the next two years, Goethals taught civil and military engineering at West Point. In 1888, General Thomas L. Casey, chief of engineers, appointed Goethals to work on the Muscle Shoals project. Goethals immediately started two shifts and personally directed the graveyard shift. On November 10, 1890 the Muscle Shoals Canal was open to traffic when a steamboat passed from St. Louis to Chattanooga. Soon after the completion of the Muscle Shoals Canal project, Goethals, promoted to captain, took command of the special engineer district at Florence. In charge of the newly completed canal in the Shoals, Goethals also spearheaded the design of another 8- mile canal around the Colbert shoals. In addition, Goethals also designed locks for the new canals. Abandoning the original lock plans, Goethals designed the new locks with 13- feet-deep lifts and two other locks with 26- feet -deep lifts. These locks were designed for extremely low water.
In 1898, Goethals served as lieutenant Colonel and chief of engineers for the first Army Corps during the Spanish-American War. From the years 1903 to 1907 Goethals was assigned to the General Staff of the United States Army. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Goethals to be the chief engineer of the Panama Canal in 1907. Goethals had full responsibility for constructing the canal and administering the Panama Zone. Goethals was very adept in handling personnel problems, along with his tremendous engineering skills. These two attributes contributed greatly to the completion of the Panama Canal in 1914. He also served as the governor of the Panama Canal Zone from 1914 to 1916. In 1919 Goethals retired from the army. Goethals then set up a private engineering consulting firm. The firm set up by Goethals handled projects like the inner basin of New Orleans and Colombian Basin Irrigation project. He also served as chief consulting engineer for the Port of New York Authority. Goethals was bestowed many honors and was called upon by state and national government as an engineer advisor.
Photo from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
Bill Gonyo |
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The memorial to George W. Goethals at Miraflores locks, Panama. Taken in November 2014, just after the 100th anniversary of the
canal opening in 1914. |
Photo by Gerhard Muller-Debus |
USAT George W. Goethals
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USAT George W. Goethals at Boston Navy Yard in October, 1944.
Boston Public Library, courtesy Leslie Jones Collection |
Mike Green |
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USAT George W. Goethals onboard newspaper, Number 5, 7 Sep. 1946, In-bound Voyage. From the estate of a Red Cross Nurse on her
way home to New Jersey after the war. |
Tommy Trampp |
USNS George W. Goethals (T-AP-182)
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USNS George W. Goethals (T-AP-182) under way, date and location unknown.
US Navy photo. |
Bill Valashinas |
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USNS George W. Goethals (T-AP-182) under way, date and location unknown.
US Navy photo. |
William Zarkas, Retired MSC Boatswain
President, MSC Retiree Association |
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USNS George W. Goethals (T-AP-182) under way, circa 1952, location unknown.
US Navy photo. |
Robert Hurst |
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USNS George W. Goethals (T-AP-182) under way, circa 1950s, location unknown.
US Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 96578 |
US Naval History and Heritage Command |
