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The Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Association, Inc. "Preserving, Exhibiting, Interpreting and Teaching the History of the Manhattan Project" |
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The John C. Healey Collection
Manhattan Engineer District
Biography
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BIOGRAPHY JOHN CARLETON HEALEY (Colonel, USAF) Submitted by his daughter, Sharon Healey Bartholomew July 2003 John (Jack) Carleton Healey was born to Anthony Mark Healey and Louise Rita Ryan Healey on November 7, 1910, in London, Ontario, Canada, the youngest of four children. Anthony and Louise were U.S. citizens who lived in Battle Creek, MI; they were visiting relatives in Canada when he was born. Jack graduated from St. Philip’s Elementary School and Battle Creek Central High School (Class of 1931) in Battle Creek, MI. He enrolled in the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he majored in political science and psychology. He was the editor of the campus newspaper, a member of Michigamua, a campus honor society (president of Michigamua during his senior year), and was Cadet Major for the Reserve Officers Training Corps. He was commissioned a reserve second lieutenant in the U.S. Army upon graduation in 1935. For the next four years, Jack worked as a newspaper reporter for The Herald and Review in Decatur, IL, the Item-Tribune in New Orleans, LA, and the Enquirer & News in Battle Creek, MI. He was assistant city editor of the latter when ordered to active duty as mobilization began prior to America’s entry into World War II. He was assigned to the Construction Division of the Army Corps of Engineers with duty at Fort Custer, Michigan, the Illinois Ordnance Plant in Southern Illinois, and the Granite City Engineer Depot in Granite City, Illinois, during the construction or expansion of those facilities. He was then transferred to the Fairbanks, Alaska District of the Corps of Engineers, which office supervised the construction of that part of the Alaska Highway north of the Canadian border. Upon his return to the United States, he was assigned to the headquarters of the Manhattan Project in Washington, D.C., on the staff of General Leslie R. Groves, during the atomic bomb development program. He remained in the military atomic energy program for the next seven years, moving from the Manhattan Project after World War II to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project. During this period, he transferred from the Army to the Air Force, when the latter become autonomous, and was integrated into the Regular Air Force from the reserve. While assigned to the Manhattan Project, Colonel Healey had the following assignments: Assistant to the District Engineer Military Personnel Officer Personnel Staff Officer Intelligence Officer, 509th Composite Group, 20th Air Force (Marshall Islands) Administrative Officer Liaison Officer Assistant to the Director of Personnel Deputy Chief, Personnel & Administration Division Chief, Personnel & Administration Division Operation Sandstone – Bikini AtollAs liaison officer and assistant to the director of personnel for the Manhattan Project, Jack was responsible for coordinating and expediting all personnel activities of the District with Major General Leslie R. Groves, Chief of the Atomic Bomb Project, and with other War Department Headquarters, such as the Office, Chief of Engineers, the Military Personnel Division of ASF, the Adjutant General’s Office, as well as the National Headquarters Selective Service and the Department of Labor. On occasion, he also made presentations to members of the War Department General Staff. Liaison with these various offices was essential since the Manhattan District Project had no definite channel of command for all functions but was largely directed by the Secretary of War through Major General Leslie R. Groves. Personal contact with these various offices was necessary in the performance of the following functions: (a) procurement of specialized military and civilian personnel; (b) procurement and administration of officer personnel, including the interviewing of prospects and the requesting of War Department orders; (c) the appeal of deferment cases to the Presidential Appeal Board; (d) expediting and interpreting to District Headquarters the various directives issued by the War Department, Department of Labor, and Selective Service. In the performance of these duties, Jack was required to confer with high-ranking officials in the War Department and other government agencies in securing special authorities and exceptions to current regulations necessary because of the highly confidential nature of Manhattan District activities. Personnel employed either directly or indirectly by the Manhattan District were as follows: 80,000 scientific and industrial personnel, 648 officers, 4,500 enlisted personnel and 4,185 Civil Service employees. Jack was directly in charge of all personnel activities of the Washington Liaison Office, including the issuance of travel orders, the administration of civilian and military personnel and compliance with personnel directives peculiar to the Military District of Washington. He was responsible for the procurement of officer, enlisted and civilian personnel, skilled labor for contractors, deferment of essential civilian employees, labor relations and general administration of the District’s military personnel. Colonel Healey’s next assignment was as deputy for personnel and administration with the 4th Air Force at Hamilton Air Force Base, California, after which he was transferred to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, where he was vice commander of the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing, and the deputy commander and later commander of Kadena Air Base. Following completion of that tour of duty, he was assigned to the staff of the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, as the project officer, evaluation. Subsequent tours of duty were at McClellan Air Force Base, Sacramento, California (director of personnel and administration), and Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins, Georgia, where he was chief, personnel and administration office. Jack retired in 1968 and moved to Virginia Beach, VA. He enrolled in the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, where he earned a master’s degree and then worked in industrial education and training programs until retiring completely a few years later. He was a member of Old Donation Episcopal Church in Virginia Beach, VA; the Harbor Club in Norfolk, VA; Alpha Delta Phi fraternity; Michigamua, an honor society at the University of Michigan, and the alumni associations of the University of Michigan and the College of William and Mary. Jack loved old movies, music, football and golf. He particularly loved rooting for the University of Michigan’s football team, and he played golf well into his 80’s. Personal Information:Jack married Mary Lyons Gorton of Flint, MI in June 1941 in Bryan, Ohio. Two children: Sharon Healey Bartholomew (of Anaheim, CA) and Michael Gorton Healey (of Poquoson, VA). Mary died in May 1952 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He married Mary Boothe Francis Vandenberg of Virginia at Bolling AFB on March 7, 1953. Colonel Healey had eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He died on May 27, 1996, in Virginia Beach, VA, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Notes: 1. Healey is sometimes incorrectly shown as Healy in some records. Healey is correct. 2. Carleton is sometimes spelled Carelton. Carleton is correct. 3. Colonel Healey’s birth date was originally thought to be November 7, 1912. In 1942, all records were corrected to show his birth date as 1910. 1910 is correct. |
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