| Major General Leslie R. Groves (August 17, 1896 – July 13, 1970), in charge of the Manhattan Project. He was photographed in his project headquarters on the 5th floor of the New War Department Building, now known as the Harry S Truman Building, in Washington, D.C. The Manhattan Engineer District (MED) was formally established by the Chief of Engineers, Major General Eugene Reybold (February 13, 1884 – November 21, 1961) on 16 August 1942. The name was chosen by Groves and MED’s district engineer, Colonel James C. Marshall (October 15, 1897 – July 19, 1977). Like other engineer districts, it was named after the city where its headquarters was located, at 270 Broadway. Unlike the others, it had no geographic boundaries, only a mission: to develop an atomic bomb. Marshall had the authority of a division engineer head and reported directly to Reybold. Although Reybold was satisfied with the progress being made, Vannevar Bush, (March 11, 1890 – June 28, 1974) Head of the United States Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD), was less so. He felt that aggressive leadership was required, and suggested the appointment of a prestigious officer as overall project director. United States Army Brigadier General Brehon B. Somervell (May 9, 1892 – 13 February 13, 1955), who had directed Groves to oversee the building of the Pentagon and was now Chief of Army Service Forces, recommended Groves. Somervell met Groves outside the hearing room where Groves had been testifying before a United States Congress committee on military housing and informed him that “The Secretary of War has selected you for a very important assignment, and the President [Franklin D. Roosevelt] has approved the selection…If you do the job right, it will win the war.” Groves could not hide his disappointment at not receiving a combat assignment: “Oh, that thing,” he replied. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1747.jpg |
| Image Size | 654.06 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2279 x 2934 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 1, 1942 |
| Location | |
| City | Washington |
| State or Province | District of Columbia |
| Country | United States |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-208-PU-83S(2) |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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