Evening star., 1938-05-17
Army Engineer Appointed
by President Will Assume
Duties September 9.
BRIG. GEN. cox CHOSEN
NATIONAL GUARD HEAD
D. c. Attorney to Fill Vacancy
Left by stephan's Death-New
City Head Now in New York.

Engineer commissioner for the Dis
trict of Columbia. He succeeds Col.
Daniel I. Sultan, who in September
takes over new assignment with the
I'd Engineers at Fort Logan, Colo.
At the same time the President
appointed Brig. Gen. Albert Lyman
Cox, U. S. A., Reserve Corps. Wash
ington attorney, as commanding gen.
eral Of the District National Guard.
The assignment fills a vacancy that
has existed since the death of Mai.
Gen. Anton Stephan on April 10. 1884
Since that time, Col. John w. Oeh-
mann, commanding officer of the 12lst
Engineers, has handled the additional
duties Of head of the District Guard.
1t. Col. McCoach, who is 81, will
take over his new duties on September
Q, the White House announcement
said. A native of Philadelphia, Army
records give his present home as De-
troit.
Engineer for New York.
It was said at the White House that
Col. McCoach was chosen for this
assignment because of his superior rec
ord and the fact he is the senior
engineer available for the assignment.
Since 1886 he has been district en-
gineer for the Army in New York and
has been in charge of rivers and
harbors work
Previously he was assistant to the
Division Engineer of the Army on
the Lower Mississippi River and as
sistant to the president of the Lower
Mississippi Commisson, with head
quarters at Vicksburg. Miss.
Col, McCoach graduated from West
Point Military Academy in 1910 hav-
ing been plebe when Col. Sultan
was member of the first class. He
has had various assignments in engi-
neer work, including two assignments
here, one of which was In 1918-19
when he engaged in student work at
Washington Barracks.
On two different occasions he has
been detailed to engineer work at the
Panama Canal and from 1928 to 1882
he served as District engineer for the
Army at Detroit.
Col. Sultan today described his sue
cessor as an excellent engineer and a
very fitting appointment
Was on General Staff.
Col. McCoach is a graduate of the
Army Engineering School, the School
OF the Line, the General Staff School
and the Army War College. He is
on the General Staff Corps eligible
list and was a member of the Gen.
eral Staff from August, 1917, to Au-
gust, 1921.
Gen. Cox, who is 81, has made ma
tional defense a lifelong avocation.
One of the Oldest brigadiers in point of
service in the Army Officers Reserve
Corps, he received his first commission
for this rank in 1882.
A lawyer, with Offices in the Shore
ham Building, Gen. Cox said TODAY
the new post will have no effect on his
law practice or other interests here.
AS commander of the District
branch of the Military Order of the
World War, he joined President Roose-
welt and other military and civil au-
thorities in reviewing the recent Army
Day parade. sponsored by the order.
Was Football Star.
Gen. Cox, one-time all-Southern
end on the University of North Caro-
lima football team, came to Washing
ton five years ago from Raleigh, N. c.,
where he was born and had practiced
law for many years. He has held the
commission as brigadier general, as
signed to command of the 155th Field
Artillery Brigade of the Both Division.
Gen. Cox was born December l,
1888, the son of William Ruffln Cox
He was graduated from the State
University with an MA. degree in
1904. The late Dan McGugin, famous
Vanderbilt University football coach
some years ago, picked Gen. Cox as an
all-time all-Southern end.
In 1907 the general was graduated
from Harvard Law School and was ad-
mitted to the North Carolina bar.
He became judge on the State Su-
perior Court bench and also served
in the North Carolina General As
sembly.
Served Overseas.
His military career began with the
North Carolina National Guard. Dur
ing the Mexican border trouble of 1915
he commanded q company of infantry
stationed at Ell Paso, Tex. When the
United States declared war on Ger
many, Gen. Cox resigned his judgesh1p
and accepted command Of regiment
of field artillery which he trained and
commanded overseas.
Advancing rapidly, be became COL
onel In command of the 113th Reg
tment in the 55th Field Artillery Bril-
nade and on several occasions was in
command Of the brigade on the bat
tlefields Of France. He was awarded
the Distinguished Service Medal for
World War service.
To his new command he brings a
wide experience in National Guard
and Reserve Officer affairs. as we'll as
attendance at the Army War College
and the Army Industrial College.
His initial objective will be a new
armory to replace the present anti
ouated structure at Sixth street and
PENNSYLVANIA avenue NV.
Gen, Cox and his wife, the former
Miss Arabel Parker Nash OF Tarboro,
N. c., have five children. They are
1t. q. g. William r. Cox, U. S. NJ;
Albert L. Cox, jr., Of Washington.
now with Congressional 1ntelneence;
Mrs. Murray Borden, wife OF the
cashier Of the Post; Miss Annie
Cheshire Cox, who lives with her
parents, and . third daughter MISS
Frances Augusta Cox. student at 81
Marparet,s school. Tappahannock, Va