 HISTORY
OF THE
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SACRAMENTO DISTRICT
1929-1973
By
Joseph J. Hagwood, Jr.
Just
across the Charles River from Boston, there was a pleasant green
mount called
Breed's Hill. Just to the west was Bunker
Hill. For some obscure reason, historians have recorded the battle
that took place on Breed's Hill as the "Battle of Bunker Hill".
On the night of June 16, 1775, only thirty-six hours since Washington
was elected commander-in-chief of the patriot army, a group of farmer-soldiers
crept along
the dusty roads from Cambridge, and under cover of darkness encamped
on Breed's Hill. Directed by Major General Richard Gridley, Chief of
Engineers, they swarmed about under the cold stars, sweating, and whispering
orders. Through the long night they toiled, putting up a redoubt of fresh
earth and sod against a rail fence, and fortifying it with stones. By
first light, the parapet was as high as a man's chin. With the light
came the Redcoats, commanded by General Howe. Being a pleasant summer's
day,
the residents of Boston climbed to the tops
of their houses to watch the novel and interesting scene unfolding
across the river. Some brought food and wine. They felt as if they
were going to the theater; nobody was really serious; nobody was going
to die; the whole thing was just so much play-acting. Never in recorded
history were spectators able to observe a battle at such close range.
The British, wanting to make a noble, straightforward frontal attack,
and to demonstrate the uselessness of the entrenchments, rolled their
drums and advanced toward the breast-works in "long straight lines
like rows of geraniums."
When the British
were within fifteen yards of the entrenchments, heads and rifles
suddenly appeared
over the parapet, and there was a quick
burst of fire and smoke. Scorching volleys of slag and horseshoe nails
tore open the red-coated bellies. The British soldiers went down "like
milkweeds before a scythe". They retreated in glassy-eyed horror.
General Howe tried to pull his men together. He told them, "I
shall not desire any one of you to advance one step beyond where I
am at the head of your line." Brave but stupid, he lead them into
the jaws of death again. Once again they were torn to shreds by the
patriots' muskets.
By then the farmers were all but out of ammunition. If they had retreated
they might have saved themselves for another day. They didn't. Some
left-- the majority stayed and died in the third and final charge of
the day. Half- dressed farm boys and old men hurled themselves against
a sea of bayonets only to die with British rifleballs crashing through
their brains. When the smoke cleared, more than a thousand soldiers
of the King were laid out on the soft green grass, with blood oozing
from their torn, lifeless bodies. In this first terrible contest, the
Americans killed the enemy at the rate of three to one.
That's how they
began--The Corps of Engineers--conceived in haste and baptized by
fire. Just
a day before the battle, the Continental
Congress passed a resolution providing for a Chief Engineer of the
Grand Army. However, the resolution was not precisely worded, and some
confusion resulted. To put things right, the Congress enacted a more
detailed resolution on
March 11, 1779. In part it read, "Resolved,
that the engineers in the service of the United States shall be formed
in a corps and styled the 'Corps of Engineers', and shall take rank
and enjoy the same rights, honors, and privileges with the other troops
of the Continental establishment."
Down through the years, the Corps has taken part in every military
action of the United States, from Breed's Hill to Cam Ranh Bay. In
addition, it has continually contributed to the growth of our nation
through its civil works programs. Corps of Engineers' officers have
surveyed land, cut roads through the wilderness, laid out railroads,
protected early settlers, improved rivers and harbors, designed and
constructed flood-control works, built hydroelectric dams, erected
public buildings and managed National park areas. It's been a long
proud history, spanning two centuries. The men and women of the Sacramento
District have contributed greatly to the organization's accomplishments
and are justifiably proud of their excellent work.
When one visits the modern office complex now housing the Sacramento
District offices, it's difficult to visualize those quieter, simpler
days; when instead of a thousand employees, the Sacramento District
employed only a handful of men and occupied a small room in a local
hotel. The first "District office,'' established in the City of Sacramento,
comprised a few hundred square feet in the Clunie Hotel located at
8th and K Streets. That was more than half a century ago. This small
sub-office of the San Francisco District was home to the survey parties,
snag boat crews and other "River Rats" who made the early
attempts to improve navigation on the Sacramento River.
After utilizing
space in the Clunie Hotel for about a decade, the "District
Office'' was moved across the street to the Nicolaus Building around
1924. By this time Owen Stanley had made many contributions to navigation
and flood control in the Central Valley, and Henry Rich was celebrating
his 14th year with the Corps of Engineers.
In 1927, operations were moved up-town a few blocks to the Plaza Building
on 10th Street. Then, two years later, the first official District
Office of the newly established Sacramento District was set up in the
California Fruit Building at 4th and J streets. The relatively few
offices housed in the Fruit Building served as headquarters from 1929
through the first half of the Great Depression.
The larger staff
needed to prepare the flood control studies, plan the debris dams
and complete
the expanded work load of the Depression
years, required additional working space. So, in 1935, the District
Office was moved to the Old Post Office building at 9th and I Streets.
During the latter part of the thirties, the District continued to grow,
primarily because of the added work force needed to complete the famous "308" studies.
The responsibilities
of war-time construction meant yet another move for District personnel.
New office space was secured in the Wright
Building in December, 1941. The Sacramento District was headquartered
there until its most recent move, in 1961, to the Federal Building
and U.S. Courthouse located at 650 Capitol Mall. In addition to those
buildings that have been "home" to the District Office, many
other buildings have accommodated various divisions and branches of
the main office. The Sacramento Signal Depot, the McClatchy Building,
the Brinley Building, the Scampini Building, Bryte Yard and various
other sites throughout the Sacramento area have been utilized to house
elements of the District.
For many years,
the unofficial District Office was "Frank Fat's",
a downtown restaurant. Used often as a place for social gatherings
of Corps people, it was also the place where knotty problems were solved.
Many seasoned veterans recall the days when small groups of men would
go down the back stairs of the Wright Building, through the back door
of "Frank Fat's," past the pots and pans in the kitchen,
and settle down over a "mild libation" to hammer out, informally,
that which didn't lend itself to polite discussion.
Not only the times and places, but the men and women directing the
District in years past, have set the mood, established the climate
and defined the procedures of a given era. Prior to the official establishment
of the District in 1929, men like Owen Stanley, and Division Engineers
in San Francisco such as Jackson and Grant set the pace and directed
the activities of the Corps of Engineers in the Central Valley. Since
that time however, the Sacramento District has been directed by a wide
variety of competent, local personalities: Henry Rich, a diamond in
the rough, could always be counted upon when the going got tough; Henderson
McGee, known as the professor, who somehow managed, in a calm and quiet
way, to bring order to a chaotic situation; Amalio Gomez, O. Haven
Hart and Frank Kochis, professional engineers who could cut through
the bureaucratic clutter and got the job done.
The miliary leadership
of the District has always been brilliant. Besides being capable
officers,
they often displayed the warmer, human
sides of their natures. During the war years, Colonel R.C. Hunter was
known as a man who could accomplish any mission, "no matter what".
On the other hand he is remembered as being an extremely fair man,
well liked by the civilian employees. Colonel Lester F. Rhodes is remembered
as being an excellent bridge player. He was followed by Colonel Joseph
Gorlinski, often called the "Count" because of his truly
aristocractic manners. Colonel Alvin D. Wilder, it may be recalled,
was a natural poet and song writer, who gave the District the beautiful
ballad entitled "Frankie, Frankie Kochis, King of the Two Top
Floors". (Sung to the tune of Davy Crockett.) Many District employees
remembered Colonel Robert Mathe as being a loud singer and a terrible
guitar player, with the ability to make friends easily. Colonel Crawford
Young is said to have been a born fighter, a good man to have on your
team. It was felt that he acquired his excellent characteristics while
playing football at West Point. He was a blocking back, which allowed
his teammates to score. He is also remembered as a pretty fair golfer.
The Sacramento District has been extremely fortunate in having been
served by exemplary leaderships, both military and civilian. But it
must be remembered that the District functions and accomplishes its
missions through cooperation and teamwork. The excellent reputation
gained and held by the Sacramento District is the result of many people
in small elements of the organizational structure who put their total
effort into their work. It is a team enterprise from start to finish.
The preparation of the history of the Sacramento District was made
possible by this same kind of team spirit. General George B. Fink,
South Pacific Division Engineer, Colonel Frederick G. Rockwell, District
Engineer, and Colonel James C. Donovan, immediate past District Engineer,
have demonstrated complete cooperation in this project. Many civilian
employees, presently employed or retired, have also given freely of
their time and energy to insure the successful completion of the history.
Listed in alphabetical order, they are as follows:
District Employees:
Don Adams, Roan Aicklen, Laura Asay, Helen Bennett, Carl Greenstein,
Pat Guthrie, Lynn Henson, Les Houde, Wanda Hunt, Oscar Johnson, Marv
Le Fohn, John Mathews, Lee Mull, Mildred Oulicky, G.W. (Bud) Probasco,
George Rivera, Jack Ross, Bob Simmons and George Weddell.
Retired Employees:
Ray Barsdale, Jim Coombs, Claude A.J. English, Amalio Gomez, Clyde
Gorman, O. Haven Hart, Sam Kahiona, Frank Kochis, Henderson McGee,
Robert Morley, Marion Morton, Henry Rich and Ronald Thompson.
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