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    HomeAbout UsBiographiesDisplay      Engage On
        
        Major General JAMES BRYAN NEWMAN JR.James Bryan Newman, Jr., was born at Talladega, Alabama, July 10, 1896. He was graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and commissioned a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in June 12, 1918. That same date he was promoted to the permanent rank of first lieutenant and the temporary rank of captain.
His first assignment was at Camp Humphreys, Virginia, where he served until September, 1918. At that time he joined the Third Engineers at Corozal, Canal Zone.
He returned to the United States two years later to enter Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Boston and was graduated in August, 1921, with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He then was assigned to the United States Engineer Office at Louisville, Kentucky, as assistant to the district engineer.
In February, 1923, he became a professor of military science and tactics at the University of Illinois at Champaign. In September, 1924, he entered the Engineer School at Fort Humphreys, Virginia, from which he was graduated the following June. He remained at Fort Humphreys as post adjutant and recruiting officer until July, 1927, when he joined the 13th Engineers at that station. A year later he became a professor of military science and tactics at the University of Iowa.
In July, 1931, he became assistant to the district engineer at Memphis, Tennessee, and also was placed in charge of the Supply and Repair Depot at Memphis. From August, 1933, to September, 1934, he served as chief of the Operations Division of the Memphis Engineer District. In October, 1934, he returned to Fort Humphreys as special assistant to the commanding officer. He then remained at that station for duty with the 13th Engineers until September, 1935, when he became military assistant to the district engineer at Camp Roosevelt, Ocala, Florida. In August, 1936, he became district engineer at Ocala, and the following September was named military assistant to the district engineer at New Orleans, Louisiana.
He joined the Third Engineers at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, in May, 1937. From July, 1938, to March, 1939, he served as assistant engineer for the Hawaiian Department at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
Returning to the United States in April, 1939, he was appointed military assistant to the district engineer at Washington, D.C. During this assignment he was in charge of design and construction at the Washington National Airport at Gravelly Point, Virginia. He enrolled in the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in September, 1939, and was graduated the following February. He then joined the 18th Engineers, with which he served successively at Fort Devens, Massachusetts; Fort Benning, Georgia, and Dry Prong, Louisiana.
He returned to Washington, D.C., in June, 1940, to resume his duties as military assistant to the district engineer and supervise the construction of Washington National Airport. He was assigned to the Chief of Engineers at Washington, D.C., in October, 1940, and the following July was designated district engineer at Wright Field, Ohio.
In October, 1941, he was assigned to the Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff at Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C., and appointed chief of the Buildings and Grounds Division.
He joined the Eighth Air Force in Europe in November, 1943, and two months later was named engineer for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron of the Ninth Air Force. In March, 1944, he assumed command of the IX Engineer Command in the European theater.
The IX Engineer Command was charged initially with all construction for the Ninth Air Force on the European continent. Its first unit arrived in Normandy on D-Day, and completed an emergency landing field before dark that afternoon. Its build-up continued as rapidly as the tactical situation would permit and as airfield sites were secured. By the end of August, 20 new fields were operational. As our armies advanced, the Engineer Command continued to construct airfields so that air operations could be conducted from fields close behind the front lines.
In September, 1944, additional units were provided the Command, and its responsibilities increased. Eventually, it was charged with all construction for all Air Forces operating in conjunction with American and French ground forces. At peak strength, the Command numbered about 23,000 officers and men and employed some 5,000 civilians and 4,000 POW’s. It constructed, repaired, and maintained a total of 273 airfields and performed all necessary engineer services for all American and French air units.
In July, 1945, having returned to the United States, he was made Air Engineer in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Material and Services at Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C. In December of that year he became Engineer of the South Atlantic Engineer Division at Atlanta, Georgia.
On September 6, 1946, he went on terminal leave, to be retired at his own request on October 31, 1946, with the rank of colonel.
Two years later he was recalled to active duty with the rank of brigadier general by Secretary of the Air Force W. Stuart Symington, and named Special Assistant to the commandant of the Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
In March, 1949, he was appointed Director of Installations in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Material at Air Force headquarters. He became Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Material in May, 1950, and later that month was admitted to the Detachment of Patients at the Army Medical Center at Washington, D.C.**PROMOTIONS**
Cadet, U.S. Military Academy, July 1, 1915; Second Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers, June 12, 1918; First Lieutenant, June 12, 1918; Captain (temporary), June 12, 1918, to March 31, 1919; Captain, January 31, 1920; discharged as Captain and appointed First Lieutenant, November 18, 1922; Captain, June 1, 1933; Major, March 1, 1940; Lieutenant Colonel, A.U.S., June 12, 1941; Colonel, A.U.S., February 1, 1942; Lieutenant Colonel, July 4, 1942; Brigadier General, A.U.S., September 17, 1943; terminated Brigadier General, A.U.S., October 30, 1946; retired in the grade of Colonel, October 31, 1946; Brigadier General, June 29, 1948; recalled to active duty, October 1, 1948; Major General (temporary), September 10, 1949.**DECORATIONS**
Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Commander of the Luxembourg Order of Adolphe of Nassau, Luxembourg Croix de Guerre.
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