Rush B. Lincoln Jr.

Rush Blodget Lincoln Jr.
Born	Template:Birth date Fort Thomas, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	August 15, 2002(2002-08-15) (aged 91)
Occupation(s)	United States Army major general, general manager of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Years active	1932–1965 (military), 1965–1967 (MBTA)
Known for	Chief of Transportation of the U.S. Army; General Manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Rush Blodget Lincoln Jr. (December 2, 1910 – August 15, 2002) was a distinguished American major general in the United States Army. Following his military retirement, he held the position of general manager at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority between 1965 and 1967.

Early life

Born on December 2, 1910, in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, Lincoln hailed from a family with a strong military heritage. His father, Rush B. Lincoln Sr., also served as a major general in the U.S. Army. His grandfather, James Rush Lincoln, was a veteran of both the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War and contributed to troop training at Iowa State College during World War I. Additionally, his sister, J. Virginia Lincoln, was noted for her work as a physicist.

Lincoln spent part of his youth in Washington D.C., where he completed his education at Western High School and Schad's School.

Early years

Graduating at the top of his class from the United States Military Academy in 1932, Lincoln received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers on June 10 of that year. By 1935, he had earned an M.S. degree in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, working alongside Frank S. Besson Jr. and others under the guidance of Glennon Gilboy. He advanced to first lieutenant on September 22, 1935, and by 1942 had attained the rank of lieutenant colonel.

World War II

On September 13, 1944, Lincoln was elevated to colonel. Throughout World War II, he took part in seven pivotal conferences involving world leaders and combined chiefs of staff—these included meetings held in Washington, the two Quebec Conferences, Cairo, Tehran, Malta, and Yalta. His service also extended to assignments with the Joint Staff Planning and Army Forces Western Pacific in Manila. In the concluding phase of the war, he acted as chief of transportation within the Pacific Theatre.

Post-war

Following World War II, Lincoln remained stationed in Manila for an additional year before enrolling in the first graduating class of the Joint Forces Staff College in 1947. Subsequently, he took on the role of Assistant Commandant at the Transportation School. After completing studies at the National War College in 1950, he became special assistant to General Frank A. Heilman, then Army Chief of Transportation. On January 5, 1951, Lincoln officially transferred to the Transportation Corps. Later that year in April, he joined the Logistics Division at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, concentrating on boosting NATO’s military preparedness and emergency response capabilities. Promoted to brigadier general on October 2, 1954, he assumed command of Fort Eustis that December. His promotion to major general followed in July 1956; by August 1958 he was serving as Deputy Chief of Transportation at HQDA. In March 1962, Lincoln was appointed Chief of Transportation and then named commanding general of the Defense Traffic Management Service in July 1963.

Awards and Honors

Lincoln was awarded the Legion of Merit accompanied by two Oak leaf clusters, as well as the Distinguished Service Medal.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

In 1965, Lincoln opted not to accept a promotion to Lieutenant General, choosing instead to take on the role of general manager at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). He formally retired from military service on January 31, 1965, and commenced his position at the MBTA the following day. His appointment was endorsed by General James McCormack, chairman of the MBTA board and a former West Point classmate.

During his tenure, Lincoln encountered difficulties with politically appointed officials who showed little allegiance to him. He openly reproached deputy general managers Edward F. McLaughlin Jr. and Michael J. Powell for circumventing his leadership by engaging directly with the board.

By 1967, the MBTA was facing an annual shortfall surpassing $32 million, which intensified calls for Lincoln’s resignation. He ultimately resigned in September 1967, attributing his departure to a "lack of understanding" and inadequate recognition of the necessary time required to effectively manage the authority.

Later Years and Passing

Following his military retirement, Lincoln resided in Wellesley, Massachusetts until he passed away on August 15, 2002. He was laid to rest beside his second wife, Dorothy Rita (Smith) Oxford, at West Point Cemetery on August 27, 2002.

Note

1. On February 15, 1965, the Defense Traffic Management Service was replaced by the Military Traffic Management and Terminal Service as a principal Army command. John J. Lane became its inaugural commander.