Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-07
Army Engineer at st. Louis
Selected for Assignment
to New Board.
CHANGE WAS FORECAST
IN REORGANIZATION PLAN
Appointee's Service Includes Pc.
Rod in France, for Which
He Was Cited.

Maj. John G. Gotwals, Corps of En-
gineers, has been assigned as Engineer
Commissioner of the District of CO.
lumbia to relieve Col. William B. Ladue,
who will return to active duty in the
Engineer Corps of the Army.
Maj. Gotwals is at present District
engineer of the Army at st. Louis, Mo,
and has been directed by the chief of
Engineers to take up his new duties as
District Engineer Commissioner July
81 next.
The orders effecting this change of
Engineer Commissioners did not state
what assignments of duty will be given
to Col Ladue.
Change Was Forecast.
The assignment of new Engineer
Commissioner at this time was not I'M
expected, as the White House indicated
at the time of the appointment of Gen.
Crosby and DR.. Reichelderfer to sue
coed Commissioners Dougherty and
Taliaferro that an entire new Board of
Commissioners would be appointed. j
MAJ. Gotwals was born in Penrsyl-
vania November 4, 1882. He is not A
graduate of West Point. but entered
the Engineer Corps of the Army as a
probational second lieutenant in 1918
The new Engineer Commissioner was
graduated from the Pennsylvania State
College with the degree of bachelor of
science In civil engineering in 1906. He
received civil engineers degree the
Following year. He practiced his pro-
tesSion from then on until he entered
the Army four years later. His first
assignment was with the I'd Bat
talon of Engineers, with which or
ganization he served in Fort Leaven-
worth. KanS., and in Texas. He was
assigned to duty in the Washington
Barracks in this city in 1915, while he
renamed two years. While here he
was student at the Engineer School
In the Summer of 1917 he was as
signed to the LIST Engineers and went
to France.
Service in, France.
While with the Engineer Corps in
France Maj. Gotwals had the follow.
ing duties: Commanding searchliRllt
depot. A. F.; in charge Of search
ngnt section, Office chief engineer, A.
2. F.. commanding officer 46th
engineers under Gen. McKinstery, war
Parls; member of the enemy war ma
terial board, Office of the chief engi-
neer, I'd Army assistant to sec
ton engineer, advanced section. s o s
ana section engineer, base section No.
2, Bordeaux.
Maj. GotWals returned to the United
States December, a1919,- and was as
signed as department engineer, the
eastern Department in which capacity
he served until March, 1920. A month
iater ne was assigned to duty as presi-
oent OF the Board of Road Commits
loners OF Alaska and in addition to
peng prestoent was also secretary and
discussing officer of the board, engineer
ofncer. assistant district engineer of the
Juneau alaskan district and reported
10 the Secretary of Interior for duty
with the Government Railroad and
Territory of Alaska.
upon his relief from duty in Alaska,
MAJ. GotwalS was assigned to duty in
1924 as district engineer OF the ST.
Louis district, which duty he has held
unelL tine present date Mai. Gotwals'
promotions are recorded as follows: First
lieutenant in February, 1914; captain
IN July, 1916 and major in July, 1929
Duflng the war he was temporary
major from 1877 until 1918, when he
"'@S "ShAPoAallAy 6lfeIl Lne rank OF
lieutenant colonel For exceptionalIv
meritorous and distinguished service in
France. Maj. Gotwals was awarded the
distinguished Service Medal, the cita-
zion IN this case reading:
John G. Gotwals, major. then Ijeu-
tenant colonel, Corps of Engineers.
U. s. A., for exceptional meritorious
and DISTINGUISHED service AS chief
searchllght officer A. E. F., he rendered
conspicuous service in a position of great
responsibility and in a field which was
practically new to our service. BY his
unlimited energy, marked inventive fac
uities, ana high technical skill, to-
gether with his ever present willingness
TO cooperate with our allies he or
gained and directed with great success
an exceedingly advanced technical serv-
ice Tor the night protection of troop
concentrations, communications, supply
ana manufacture establishments in rear
areas, thereby contributing materially
tiOnarV Forces