Background
Earl James Atkisson was born in Broken Bow, Nebraska, but his family moved to Fresno County, California and he graduated from high school in Fowler.
Earl James Atkisson was born in Broken Bow, Nebraska, but his family moved to Fresno County, California and he graduated from high school in Fowler.
He graduated seventh in his class in 1908, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. Atkisson served two years at Fort Leavenworth, followed by six at the Army"s Engineering school at Washington Barracks, less one year he spent earning his Mechanical Engineering degree at Cornell University, which he received in 1911.
He was appointed to the United States Military Academy in 1904. While there, he was promoted to first lieutenant. He was next assigned as a captain to be superintendent of the Gatun Locks of the Panama Canal, where he was serving when broke out.
In July 1917, Atkisson was made a major in the National Army, and placed in command of the 30th Engineers, which became the 1st Gas Regiment.
This regiment arrived in France on March 10, 1918 and eventually participated in the Aisne-Marne, Saint Mihel, and Meuse-Argonne operations. In May 1918 he was made commandant of the Gas Service Experimental Field and Gas Defense School at Hanlon Field near Chaumont, France.
Beginning in January 1919, having risen to the rank of colonel, he served in various capacities with the Army of Occupation. Returning to the United States in September 1919, Atkisson returned to his Regular Army rank of major, and transferred to the fledgling Chemical Warfare Service.
In 1920, he became commander of Edgewood Arsenal, the Chemical Warfare Service"s large manufacturing establishment near Baltimore, Maryland, for three years.
He then served as Assistant Military Attaché at the American embassy in London from 1923 to 1925. He then served as the Chemical Officer for the Ninth Corps Area at the Presidio of San Francisco, until his retirement for disability in March 1926. He was given his rank of colonel by Acting of Congress in June 1930.
Upon retirement, Atkisson returned to Sanger, where he managed his father"s department store company until his death in September 1941.
He is buried in the Sanger Cemetery. Christopher Alexander McCowan who lives in Fowler, Ca played Earl J. Atkisson in "A Manitoba Comes To Fowler" by the Cornerstone Theater Company which is based in Los Los Angeles
The play took place in Fowler, California from August 11–13, 2011.