David du Bose Gaillard
Encyclopedia
David du Bose Gaillard was a U.S. Army engineer instrumental in the construction of the Panama Canal
.
. Gaillard graduated from the United States Military Academy
at West Point in 1884. In 1907 he was placed in charge of construction of the central portion of the Canal, crossing the continental divide. He died of a brain tumor in 1913, months before the canal's completion. The Gaillard Cut
of the Panama Canal bears his name.
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
.
Biography
He was born in Manning, South CarolinaManning, South Carolina
Manning is a city in South Carolina and the county seat of Clarendon County in the Southeastern United States, located in the center of the county, just to the east of Interstate 95 and at the intersection of U.S. 301 and U.S. 521. The population was estimated to be 3,943 as of 2008, down 2% from...
. Gaillard graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point in 1884. In 1907 he was placed in charge of construction of the central portion of the Canal, crossing the continental divide. He died of a brain tumor in 1913, months before the canal's completion. The Gaillard Cut
Gaillard Cut
The Gaillard Cut, or Culebra Cut, is an artificial valley that cuts through the continental divide in Panama. The cut forms part of the Panama Canal, linking Lake Gatún, and thereby the Atlantic Ocean, to the Gulf of Panama and hence the Pacific Ocean...
of the Panama Canal bears his name.