Jan. 10, 1956: Georgia National Guard Responds to Water Crisis

By Maj. William Carraway

Historian, Georgia Army National Guard

 

Georgia National Guard Soldiers of the Columbus-based 560th Engineer Battalion begin filtering water from a temporary holding tank before
pumping the water to the Loganville Reservoir. Georgia National Guard Archives.

From 2020 to present day, the Georgia National Guard has assisted Civil Authorities with the coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the National Guard has a long history of providing support to civil authorities in times of crisis.

In January 1956, following prolonged drought conditions the wells that supplied drinking water to Loganville, Ga. dried up. The city reservoir had less than 3,000 gallons available.[1] Faced with an immediate health crisis, Governor Marvin Griffin activated personnel of the Georgia National Guard to set up an emergency water system to supply the city.

Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers of the Atlanta-based 201st Ordnance Company load up pipe in response to a water crisis in Loganville.
Georgia National Guard Archives.

Departing Columbus at 5:00 a.m. under the leadership of Lt. Edward Reed, the engineers of the 560^th Engineer Battalion travelled by military convoy to Loganville. Within five hours of arriving at the emergency water collection point, the Guardsmen dammed a stream, set up four 3,000-gallon filter tanks and set up six water pumps. Personnel from Atlanta’s 201^st Ordnance Company installed nearly one mile of four-inch aluminum piping. At 4:00 p.m. the Guardsman were pumping water to supply the city reservoir at a rate of 6,000 gallons per hour to the relief of Mayor Clifford Cowsert of Loganville. By Thursday, the Guard-installed system had pumped nearly 54,000 gallons of water to supply the city’s water needs.[2]

 

Loganville Mayor Clifford Cowsert, Left, and Maj. Gen. George Hearn, Georgia’s Adjutant General,
 observe as Georgia National Guard Soldiers of the 560th Engineer Battalion
prepare to pump water from a stream to a temporary holding tank. Georgia National Guard Archives.

Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers of the Atlanta-based 201st Ordnance Company load up pipe in response to a water crisis in Loganville.

Loganville Mayor Clifford Cowsert, Left, and Maj. Gen. George Hearn, Georgia’s Adjutant General, observe as Georgia National Guard Soldiers of the 560^th Engineer Battalion prepare to begin pumping water from a stream to a temporary holding tank.

 

Georgia National Guard Soldiers of the Columbus-based 560^th Engineer Battalion begin filtering water from a temporary holding tank before pumping the water to the Loganville Reservoir.

 

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[1] “Guard Called in Loganville Water Crisis.” The Atlanta Constitution. January 12, 1956, 8.

[2] “NG Engineers, Ordnance Co Avert Water Shortage in Loganville. The Georgia Guardsman. Jan, Feb 1956, 2-3.