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<em>George Henry McManus</em> was born in Lincoln Township, Iowa, December 23, 1867, the son of Thomas P. and Sarah McManus, and sixth generation descendant of John McManus, who came from Ireland, and settled in Indiana.</p>
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His father Thomas P. McManus served in the Illinois Volunteers during the Civil War for three years, was three times wounded and was finally discharged as a First Lieutenant. He was an admirer of General Grant, and attributed Grant’s success to his training at West Point. On this account he encouraged his son to take a competitive examination for congressional appointment. George won the appointment over forty-one competitors, and entered the Military Academy in June 1889.</p>
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He was very popular with his class, admired for his superior mind and well liked for his genial, friendly manner.</p>
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MILITARY HISTORY—Cadet at the U S.M.A., from June 15, 1889 to June 12, 1893, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to</p>
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(ADD. SECOND LIEUT. OF ARTILLERY, 5TH ARTILLERY, JUNE 12, 1893)</p>
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(SECOND LIEUT. OF ARTILLERY, 3D ARTILLERY, JUNE 30, 1893)</p>
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Served: At Fort McPherson, Ga., Sept. 30 to Nov. 15, 1893; Fort Barrancas, Fla., to Sept., 1896.—U. S. Artillery School, Fort Monroe, Va., to May 13, 1898 (Graduate, 1898)—Fort Point, Cal., to Aug. 20, 1898; Circle City, Alaska, to June 17, 1899; Fort Egbert, Alaska, to Aug. 4, 1899—(In command of Battery A, 3d Artillery, since June 4, 1898.)</p>
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(FIRST LIEUT. OF ARTILLERY, 3D ARTILLERY, MARCH 2, 1899)—Angel Island, San Francisco, Cal., to April, 1900; Fort Point, Cal., to July 29, 1900; China Relief Expedition, China, to Nov. 20, 1900; Binan, Laguna Province, P. I., to Sept. 4, 1901.</p>
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(CAPTAIN, ARTILLERY CORPS, JULY 1, 1901)</p>
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Commanding 104th Company, Coast Artillery, and Constructing Quartermaster, Fort Washington, Md., to Dec. 30, 1902.</p>
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(CAPTAIN, QUARTERMASTER’S DEPARTMENT, BY DETAIL, FROM DEC. 30, 1902 TO DEC. 29, 1906)—Constructing Quartermaster, Fort Washington, Md., to May 18, 1903; Constructing Quartermaster (rebuilding post), Fort Totten, N.Y., to Dec. 29, 1906; (to duty with the Coast Artillery Corps, Dec. 30, 1906); at Fort Totten, N.Y., to Sept. 1, 1907; Student Officer, School of Submarine Defense, Fort Totten, N.Y., to Aug. 1, 1908 (Graduate, 1908), Artillery Engineer, Coast Defenses of Boston, Mass., August. 1908, to April, 1910; commanding Coast Defenses of San Diego, Cal., June, 1910, to</p>
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(MAJOR, COAST ARTILLERY CORPS, JULY 1, 1910)</p>
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May, 1912; at San Francisco, Cal., in Inspector General’s Department, May 1912, to March, 1916; at Fort Worden, Wash., Fort Commander, June, 1916, to</p>
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(LIEUT.-COLONEL, COAST ARTILLERY CORPS, JULY 1, 1916)</p>
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(COLONEL. TEMPORARY, COAST ARTILLERY CORPS, AUG. 5, 1917)</p>
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October, 1917; at Hoboken, N. J., Troop Movement Officer, Port of Embarkation, November, 1917, to</p>
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(BRIGADIER-GENERAL, TEMPORARY, U.S.A., OCT. 1, 1918)</p>
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(COLONEL. COAST ARTILLERY CORPS, AUG. 22, 1919.)</p>
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Sept., 1919; at Army Base, Norfolk, Va., commanding Army Base and Port of Debarkation, Newport News, Va., Sept., 1919, to—</p>
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RETURNED TO GRADE OF COLONEL, OCT. 31, 1919.</p>
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Initial General Staff Corps list, 1920;</p>
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(DETAILED IN THE GENERAL STAFF CORPS. AUG. 25, 1920.)</p>
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Aug. 25, 1920; en route to Philippine Islands, Sept., 1920. to Dec., 1920; at Headquarters, Philippine Department, Manila, PI., Assistant Chief of Staff, Dec., 1920, to Nov., 1922; en-route to U.S. Nov., 1922, to Jan., 1923; at Atlanta, Ga., Headquarters, Fourth Corps Area, Chief of Staff, Jan., 1923, to</p>
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(RELIEVED FROM DETAIL, GENERAL STAFF CORPS. JULY 1, 1924.)</p>
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July 1, 1924; at Fort Eustis, Va., commanding post, Aug., 1924, to Aug., 1926.; (DETAILED IN THE GENERAL STAFF CORPS. SEPT. 1, 1926.) at Fort Amador, Canal Zone, Chief of Staff, P. C. Division, Sept., 1926, to Oct., 1927; at Quarry Heights, C. Z., Chief of Staff, P. C., Dept., Oct., 1927, to July, 1929.</p>
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(RELIEVED FROM DETAIL, GENERAL STAFF CORPS, JULY 24, 1929.) at Headquarters, First Corps Area, Boston, Mass., Executive for Organized Reserves, First Coast Artillery District and Commanding First Coast Artillery District, Dec. 1, 1929 to Dec. 31, 1931.</p>
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(BRIGADIER GENERAL. U.S.A., RETIRED, DECEMBER 31, 1931)</p>
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BY OPERATION OF LAW. Awarded</p>
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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL “For exceptionally meritorious and conspicuous service as Executive Officer and Troop Movement Officer, Port of Embarkation, Hoboken, N. J. Through his very able organization and administration of these important offices the transport of troops and supplies overseas was materially aided.”</p>
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Awarded</p>
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NAVY CROSS</p>
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“The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting to you the Navy Cross for distinguished service in the line of your profession in charge of troop movements at the Port of Embarkation, Hoboken, N.J. Your successful administration of troop movements and close co-operation with the Navy resulted in the rapid loading of troops at Hoboken and consequent quick turn-arounds made by troop transports, during the prosecution of the war against the Central Empires.”</p>
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As an example of how General McManus was looked upon by his subordinates the following is quoted from a letter to Colonel G. H. McManus from Colonel E. S. Turner:</p>
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“I first knew your father in 1907 when as a young recruit I reported to him when he commanded the 87th Company, Coast Artillery Corps, Fort Totten, New York. Later in the mid-twenties I served under him when he commanded Fort Eustis, Virginia. I was his Sergeant Major there.</p>
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“Thru the years I learned to love and respect him. Long before it appeared in the regulations he ruled and governed his command ‘with kindness, firmness and justice’. His forbearance was remarkable, for I have seen him calm and quiet under the most difficult conditions.</p>
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“During the years I had the good fortune to serve under him I tried to learn as much as I could of his principles and policies, and this knowledge helped me immeasurably in later years when I became a commanding officer. Frequently when problems would arise I would ask myself—how would Colonel McManus handle this?—and I seemed to always come up with the right answer.”</p>
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Services were held in the Chapel of the Presidio of San Francisco, August 30, 1954, and interment was in the Cemetery of the Presidio.</p>
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At the ceremony, the following hymn, composed by Lieutenant Colonel Arthur M. Edwards, was rendered by Corporal Robert Whitley:</p>
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“My Savior, my Savior, I come to Thee for all eternity;</p>
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Thy glories shine in this heart of mine for heavenly life above;</p>
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And Thy saving grace brings me face to face with love.”</p>
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General McManus’ survivors are his daughters: Mrs. H. W. McCarthy and Miss Mary Alice McManus; and two sons, Colonel G. H. McManus and Colonel T. K. McManus.</p>
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<em>—L. F. Kilbourne</em></p>
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