John Philip Hogan

John Philip Hogan (December 6, 1881 – June 9, 1961) was an American civil engineer and an expert in water supply and hydroelectric projects. He was employed by the New York City Board of Water Supply from 1906 until 1920—interrupted by two years of military service during World War I—where he worked on the construction of the Catskill Aqueduct and dams associated with the water supply system. Hogan joined Parsons, Klapp, Brinckerhoff & Douglas in 1923 and continued working at the firm until his retirement in 1947, serving on the consulting board for the design of the Bonneville Dam and as the chief engineer of the 1939 New York World's Fair. Hogan was president of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1940.

Early life John Philip Hogan was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 6, 1881 to Denis John Hogan and Mary Agnes Hogan . His father was a lawyer.

Hogan was educated at the University School in Chicago and moved to Massachusetts to attend college from 1899 to 1904. Although he completed his coursework for a Bachelor of Arts (AB) degree at Harvard College in 1902, Hogan waited until the following year receive his degree with the rest of his class. He spent his last two years at college studying engineering at the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University, earning a Bachelor of Science (SB) degree in 1904.

Career

In 1904, Hogan began working as an assistant engineer in New York City for the Rapid Transit Commission on the construction of the first Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) subway. The following year, he became a resident engineer for the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) and was involved with extensions of elevated lines. During World War I, Hogan served in the United States Army in France from 1917 to 1919, where he attained the rank of lieutenant colonel and became the deputy chief of Topographic Sections for the American Expeditionary Forces. He received the Conspicuous Service Cross from the New York State, the Distinguished Service Medal from the United States Army, the Order of the Purple Heart and was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor of France.

After completing his military service, Hogan resumed working at the Board of Water Supply, where shortly thereafter he was appointed as the acting deputy chief engineer. Hogan helped to prepare a report for the United States Army Corps of Engineers that studied the potential of the Delaware River for hydroelectric power and water supply. (The report was part of a nationwide study known as the "308 Report".)

In 1937, Hogan was appointed as chief engineer of the 1939 New York World's Fair.

Hogan received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree at the commencement exercises of New York University in June 1940. After the destroyers-for-bases deal was made between the United States and the United Kingdom later that same year, Hogan designed air bases at Antigua, British Guiana, Trinidad, and Saint Lucia in the Caribbean as part of a joint partnership with the firm of Voorhees, Walker, Foley & Smith. He became an associate member and a member of ASCE in 1912 and 1915, respectively. He later served the as director (1921–1923), vice-president (1934–1935), and president (1940) of ASCE.