John French Conklin

John French Conklin (April 20, 1891 – January 25, 1973) was an American brigadier general, who served most of his career in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. During the World War II, Conklin served as Chief Engineer, Third U.S. Army.

Early years

John French Conklin was born on April 20, 1891, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, as a son of Army Colonel, John Conklin and Rosalie French. He came from the family with a long military tradition, because his maternal grandfather was Union major general William H. French and also maternal uncle was major general John Clem. Young John followed his family tradition and upon completing of the high school in May 1911, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. and served as an instructor in the Department of Civil and Military Engineering at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1923–1924 and later as company commander with engineers units. During that period he reached the rank of major. Following his promotion, Conklin returned to West Point in 1931 and served as assistant professor in the Department of Natural and Experimental Philosophy mid-1934.

In July 1934, Conklin was appointed District Engineer, U.S. Engineers Office in Huntington, West Virginia, and remained in that capacity until he was attached to the 11th Engineer Regiment in July 1937. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on April 1, 1936, and assumed command of the regiment at the end of September 1937. Conklin was then transferred to Norfolk, Virginia, where he served as District Engineer, U.S. Engineers Office until June 1941. He is buried at United States Military Academy Post Cemetery with his first wife, Marguerite Heard Conklin (1893–1929). They were married in April 1917 at Fort Bliss, Texas. She was the daughter of Brigadier General John W. Heard. They had one adopted son, John Heard Conklin who died in 1971, and three grandchildren.

After his first wife's death, Conklin married Helen DeWitt Duff in 1931.