Born at Boatner, Louisiana, November 24, 1884, Sanderford Jarman lived there with his father, James Sanderford Jarman, and mother, nee Emma Amanda Tullos, until he was five, when the family moved to West Monroe, Louisiana. There he attended grade and high school and like most boys of that place and time, spent much of his leisure fishing and hunting.
In 1901 he won a scholarship from Ouchita Parish which permitted him to enter the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College at Baton Rouge. As a Land Grant college, all able-bodied students were required to take military instruction and when, at the end of his junior year, he was offered an appointment to West Point by Congressman Ransdell of Louisiana, he accepted the appointment.
After graduation on February 14, 1908, he was assigned to the Coast Artillery and went to Fort Morgan, Alabama, as his first station.
During the next seven years Sandy had many varied assignments and stations including three years at West Point as an instructor in Math under “P” Echols. Also during these years he was stationed at Fort Andrews. Massachusetts; was PMS&T at Louisiana State University and A&M College at Baton Rouge, Louisiana; at Fort Monroe as a company commander at the First Officers Training Camp and in 1918, Division Ordnance Officer, 29th Division, at Camp McClellan, Alabama.
His World War I service was varied and outstanding. Going to France early in 1918 as a member of the Advance Party of the 29th Division, he attended the Army School of the Line at Langres and became an Assistant G-3, 5th Army Corps, and later with the Railway Artillery Reserve and at Headquarters 2nd Army with the Army Railway Artillery. Participating in both the St. Mihiel Offensive and the Meuse-Argonne Operations he was awarded his first D.S.M. for services during the war.
Returning to the United States late in 1918 he served as Assistant to the Chief of Coast Artillery until 1922.
Service Schools, either as a student or instructor, came along in quick succession: Centre d’Eludes Tactique d’Artillerie at Metz, France; Instructor at the Coast Artillery School, Fort Monroe, Virginia; Student at the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and finally the Army War College, Washington, D.C., in 1933.
In between times he commanded the 3rd Bn., 59th C.A.C. at Corregidor, P. I., and in 1931 was Assistant to the Superintendent, U.S.M.A., in Charge of Land Purchase.
After the War College he served on the General Staff in the GI Section. While on this duty he was largely responsible for the preparation and passage of the Selective Service Act that was effective during World War II. His next assignment, as commander of the 64th Coast Artillery and Anti-aircraft Defenses of Honolulu and Pearl Harbor in 1938, brought his superior ability as an organizer, tactician and leader to the notice of the War Department and in 1939 he was appointed a Brigadier General, the first general officer of 1908.
The next two years brought added responsibilities and problems as Commanding General, Panama Coast Artillery Command. That he accomplished his mission in an exceptional manner is attested by the award of an Oak Leaf Cluster to his D.S.M. His efficient reorganization and rehabilitation of the harbor defense and anti-aircraft artillery defense of the Panama Canal was considered by many as responsible for diverting the initial attack of World War II from the Panama Canal by the Japanese.
On his return to the States in August 1941 he commanded the Anti-aircraft Training Center at Camp Stewart, Georgia, and immediately after Pearl Harbor was placed in charge of organizing and commanding the Anti-aircraft Artillery of the Eastern Defense Command with Headquarters in New York City. For his work at Camp Stewart and with the Eastern Defense Command he was awarded the Legion of Merit and the Army Commendation Ribbon.
In April 1944 he was ordered to the Pacific where he served as Commanding General, Army Garrison Forces, United States Army Forces Central Pacific Area and United States Army Forces. Pacific Ocean Area to May 1945. From June to August 1945 he commanded the Western Pacific Base Command, United States Army Forces, Middle Pacific, which consisted of the Islands of Tinian, Guam, Saipan, Auguar, Ulithea, Iwo Jima and Pellilieu.
During his time in the Pacific he developed Saipan as a B-29 base for bombing Japan. During a phase of the fighting on Saipan he commanded the 27th Infantry Division with distinction.
Again, his services were so outstanding that he was awarded a second oak leaf cluster to his D.S.M., as well as the Navy Distinguished Service Medal on the recommendation of Admiral Nimitz. Returning home in August of 1945, he was retired on February 28, 1946.
On retirement, the Jarmans established their home in Pensacola, Florida, where Sandy became Pensacola’s City Council Representative in Washington. Shortly after the Jarmans came to Pensacola, the Alabama Pulp and Paper Company commenced construction of a new pulp and paper mill at Cantonment and Sandy resigned his position with the City and County to become Executive Vice President of this paper company. Incidentally, he built the paper mill. When this company merged with the St. Regis Paper Company, Sandy continued his association with St. Regis and moved to Washington where he established his home and office. He continued as the Washington representative and consultant for the St. Regis Paper Company until his death in Boston.
In Alabama he met and married Dorothy Donald of Mobile, Alabama. From this marriage two daughters were born, Katherine Lea, at Fort Hamilton, New York, in 1911, and Dorothy Schuyler at West Point, New York, in 1912.
