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Class of 1879

Vol. III
p309 2763

(Born N. Y.)

Curtis McD. Townsend

(Ap'd N. Y.)

Born Brooklyn, NY.a

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1875, to June 12, 1879, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Add. Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers, June 13, 1879.

p310 Second Lieut., Corps of Engineers, June 30, 1879.

Served: with Battalion of Engineers at Willet's Point, N. Y., Sep. 30, 1879, to June 8, 1882; in charge of detachment of Engineer Troops at Yorktown, Va., Sep. 6 to Oct. 6, 1881; as Assistant to Lieut.‑Colonel Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class. Craighill, June 10, 1882, to Aug. 7, 1884, and to the Engineer Commissioner

(First Lieut., Corps of Engineers, June 15, 1882)

of the District of Columbia, Aug. 7, 1884, to June 10, 1886; with Battalion of Engineers and at the Engineer School of Application at Willet's Point, N. Y., June 20, 1886, and as Quartermaster of the Battalion and Post of Willet's Point, June 30, 1886, to Apr. 30, 1887; as Assistant to Major Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class. Lydecker, May 4, 1887, to Mar. 5, 1889; as Recorder of Board of Engineer Officers on Bridge across Eastern Branch of the Potomac River, D. C., June 6‑15, 1887, — and of Board on Plans for Construction of Locks at the Cascades, Columbia River, Or., Feb. 6 to Apr. 12, 1888; as Assistant to Colonel Indicates a West Point graduate and gives his Class. Wilson in connection with the Washington Aqueduct and increasing the water supply of the District of Columbia, Mar. 5 to July 17, 1889; and as Assistant to Lieut.‑Colonel Elliot, since July 17, 1889.

Captain, Corps of Engineers, Oct. 5, 1889.

Vol. IV
p307 [Supplement, Vol. IV: 1890‑1900]

Military History. — Served: In charge of 3d District, improving Mississippi River, to July, 1896. — In charge of river and harbor improvement, eastern shore of Lake Michigan, to May, 1898. — In charge of improvement of Mississippi River, from the mouth of Missouri to St. Paul; of Des Moines Rapids Canal, and of snag-boats and dredge-boats on Upper Mississippi to –––––

(Major, Corps of Engineers, Jan. 29, 1900)

Vol. V
p284 [Supplement, Vol. V: 1900‑1910]

Military History. — Served: In charge of improvement of Mississippi River, from the mouth of Missouri to St. Paul; of Des Moines Rapids Canal, and of snag-boats and dredge-boats on Upper Mississippi to April, 1903; in command of detachment of Engineer Troops en route to and in the Philippines, to Nov. 23, 1903; commanded 3d Battalion of Engineers, to February 13, 1904; Chief Engineer Officer, Division of the Philippines, to July 26, 1905; in charge of harbor improvements of the Port of Manila, May, 1903 to May, 1904; in charge of improvements of Ports of the Philippine Islands, May, 1904 to Aug., 1905; temporary duty in office of Chief of Engineers, to May, 1906; in charge of improvements of harbors on Lake Erie in the State of Ohio, to March, 1908; in charge of improvement of channel connecting the Great Lakes, of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal, and of harbors on Lake Huron, to –––––.

(Lieut.‑Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Jan. 11, 1907)

(Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Oct. 16, 1909)

Vol. VI
p263 [Supplement, Vol. VI: 1910‑1920]

(Curtis McDonald Townsend, Jr., Born March 22, 1856.)

Military History. —

Lieut.‑Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Jan. 11, 1907.

In charge of improvement of channel connecting the Great Lakes, of the Sault Sainte Marie Canal and of the harbors on Lake Huron, March, 1908, to

(Colonel, Corps of Engineers, Oct. 16, 1909)

Aug. 1, 1912; member of Mississippi River Commission, March 16, 1911; President of the Commission from Feb. 6, 1912, to June 1, 1917; Division Engineer, Western Division, Aug. 23, 1912, to June 1, 1917; in charge of improvement of Mississippi River from mouth of Ohio to mouth of Missouri, Aug. 1, 1912, to June 14, 1915; Inspector, 15th Lighthouse District, Aug. 1, 1912, to June 30, 1915; assigned to command and organization of 12th Engineers (Railway), May 5, 1917; arrived in France Aug. 18, 1917; with light railways behind British lines to March 13, 1918; in Paris, Engineer Purchasing Officer and member of General Purchasing Board, to Oct. 23, 1918; at St. Louis, Mo., President Mississippi River Commission and Division Engineer, Western Division, Dec. 6, 1918, to Feb. 15, 1920.

Colonel, U. S. A., Retired, Feb. 15, 1920
At His Own Request, After Over 44 Years' Service.

Vol. VII
p155 [Supplement, Vol. VII: 1920‑1930]

Military History: —

Colonel, U. S. A., Retired, Feb. 15, 1920
At His Own Request, After Over 44 Years' Service.

p156 Recalled to active service Jan. 1, 1924; at New Orleans District, District Engineer; relieved from active duty June 1, 1926; recalled to active duty July 14, 1926, Division Engineer, Gulf Division River and Harbor duties only; relieved from active duty Oct. 9, 1926. Author of "The Hydraulic Principles Governing River and Harbor Construction" and various papers on Hydraulics in Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Western Society of Engineers, Louisiana Engineering Society and the Military Engineer.

Vol. VIII
p56 [Supplement, Vol. VIII: 1930‑1940]

Military History: —

Col., Ret., Feb. 15, 1920.

Vol. IX
p42 [Supplement, Vol. IX: 1940‑1950]

Military History: —

Col Ret 15 Feb 20.

Died, May 26, 1941, at Ithaca, N. Y.: Aged 85.

Portrait and obituary at West Point Association of Graduates.º

Buried, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

Thayer's Note:

a Col. Townsend's birthplace is from the WPAOG memorial article.

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