Halsey Dunwoody was born March 21, 1881 in Washington. D.C., the son of Brigadier General Henry Harrison C. Dunwoody, Class of 1866, U.S.M.A., and Clara Mills Dunwoody. He received his early education in Washington, D.C. and graduated from George Washington University, where he was a member of Theta Delta Chi fraternity, before entering the Military Academy in June 1901. During his cadet days he was a good student and stood well in his class although he was engaged in many extra-curricular activities.

Upon graduation he was assigned to the Coast Artillery, where he saw service with a 12-inch mortar company, commanded a submarine mine company and became a member of the Coast Artillery Board. A few years later he was detailed to the Military Academy as an instructor in the Department of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, and he later became Assistant Professor and Director of that Department. After studying similar courses at leading technical schools, Halsey rewrote the course for his Department at West Point, and it was adopted by the Academic Board in June 1917, just before he was relieved at his own request to go to France with the Air Service.

In France, Halsey, as a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, Air Service, was Chief of Supply and Assistant Chief of Air Service, serving successively under Major Generals Benjamin D. Foulois, William Mitchell and Mason M. Patrick—Chiefs of the Air Service, AEF. Throughout World War I he was responsible for supply, production, transportation, and relations with the Allies on all business matters pertaining to the Air Service, and he obtained from the Allies every plane flown by American pilots. He was also the American Representative on the Inter-Allied Aviation Commission, and built Orly Field, which is now the great international airport for Paris, France. After the Armistice in November 1918 Halsey was made the Aviation Member of the Dawes Liquidation Commission, which liquidated all United States aviation contracts and obligations in England, France and Italy, amounting to approximately $200,000,000.

In 1919 Colonel Dunwoody was appointed by the President, upon recommendation of the Secretary of War, as the Army member of the Crowell Commission. This mission visited foreign countries, studied their postwar plants and recommended a National Defense policy which included unification of the Armed Services—only realized twenty-eight years later.

For his services in World War I he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the Commanding General, A.E.F., with the following citation:

“HALSEY DUNWOODY, Colonel, United States Army. For exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services. As chief of supply and assistant chief of Air Service, by his energy, tact, and executive ability, he built up an efficient supply service, capable of meeting the program for material, airplanes, motors and equipment. He established and maintained excellent relations with the allied military authorities. His service was marked by exceptional administrative ability, comprehensive service and whole-hearted devotion to his important tasks.”

Colonel Dunwoody was made an Officer of the Legion of Honor (France) and Commander of the Crown (Italy). He also received a special citation of Exceptional Service which was signed personally by General Pershing at Paris in 1919.

In October 1919 Colonel Dunwoody resigned from the Army to accept the management of the European office of the Finance and Trading Corporation. He lived in Paris, France, for eight years and while there met and married Doris A. Sleator, who survives him. He returned to the United States in 1925 to accept a position as Assistant to the President and General Sales Manager, Gardner Motor Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1928 Colonel Dunwoody accepted the office of Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the newly formed Universal Aviation Corporation. He organized this company and administered it and its seventeen subsidiaries until they were merged to form American Airlines. As Vice-President of American Airlines in charge of Transcontinental Operations, he established the first transcontinental Air Line in the United States in June 1929. Later he became Vice President and General Manager of the Bandbox Corporation in St. Louis, Missouri.

In World War II Halsey gave up a remunerative civilian position in 1942 to act as a consultant to the newly organized Transportation Corps. He remained with the Transportation Corps until his death and filled many important positions and assignments, including Deputy Chief, Supply; Chief, Suppy Planning Branch; Chief, Industrial Demobilization Unit; Chief, Post War Planning Unit; Chief, Renegotiation Contracts Branch; Chief, Industrial Mobilization Branch; and Assistant to the Comptroller, the position he held at the time of his death.

For his work with the Transportation Corps, he was awarded a commendation for Exceptional Civilian Service with the following citation:

“In recognition of his outstanding achievements in directing and coordinating re-deployment for all Divisions and Field Installations of the Transportation Corps. His initiative and sound judgment in drafting and putting into effect re-deployment and demobilizations resulting in the least possible disruption of the Nation’s normal traffic.”

Halsey thus has the unique distinction of having his services to his country and his ability recognized by the military award of the Distinguished Service Medal for World War I and the civilian Exceptional Civilian Service Medal for World War II.

With all his many and varied extensive activities in Europe and America his life was marked by an intense loyalty to his family and to his summer home, the Gables, at Sheldrake, New York, which has been in his family for four generations. He delighted in assembling his son, daughters and grandchildren there each summer, and it was there he suffered his last and fatal illness while surrounded by his family.

Halsey Dunwoody died Tuesday, September 2, 1952, in an Ithaca, New York, hospital. Funeral services were held in Sheldrake Chapel on September 5th and interment was in the Sheldrake Cemetery with his father and mother. He is survived by his widow; a son, Lieutenant Colonel Harold Dunwoody, Class of June 1943 U.S.M.A.; two daughters, Miss Doreen D. Young and Mrs. Elizabeth D. Munro; 10 grandchildren; and two sisters, Mrs. Esther Dunwoody Jacobs and Mrs. Ellen Dunwoody Nester.

—N. F. R.