News Story Archive

Portrait of Gen. Leslie Groves Donated to Los Alamos Historical Society

Albuquerque District Public Affairs
Published April 8, 2013
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., -- Participants at Gen. Groves’ portrait dedication ceremony left to right: Mike Wheeler, vice president, Los Alamos Historical Society; Nancy Bartlit, WWII historian; Heather McClenahan, executive director, Los Alamos Historical Society; Geoff Rodgers, Los Alamos County City Council Chair; Lt. Col. Antoinette Gant, commander, Albuquerque district; Charles McMillan, director, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Alan Carr, historian, Los Alamos National Laboratory.

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., -- Participants at Gen. Groves’ portrait dedication ceremony left to right: Mike Wheeler, vice president, Los Alamos Historical Society; Nancy Bartlit, WWII historian; Heather McClenahan, executive director, Los Alamos Historical Society; Geoff Rodgers, Los Alamos County City Council Chair; Lt. Col. Antoinette Gant, commander, Albuquerque district; Charles McMillan, director, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Alan Carr, historian, Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Lt. Col. Antoinette Gant, commander, Albuquerque District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, had the honor of speaking at the portrait dedication ceremony of Gen. Leslie Groves at Los Alamos National Laboratory on April 5, 2013. While Groves worked for the Corps of Engineers’ Manhattan Engineer District during the 1940s and 50s, he was in charge of building the Pentagon.  He then was put in charge of the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos, one of the most important and life-changing events in history.

The family of Groves donated his official military portrait to Los Alamos Historical Society as part of the celebration of the laboratory’s 70th anniversary.    

“In an astoundingly short period of time, Gen. Groves created the places where the world’s best minds would solve our most pressing national security problems,” said Charles McMillan, current director of the laboratory.  “This work still continues today,” he said.

“Both the Corps and Los Alamos were fortunate to have had Maj. Gen. Groves’ drive, expertise, and experience. I have read that the same personality traits that make great generals are the same traits which make great project managers,” said Gant. “These traits include excellent leadership skills and the ability to reach objectives or complete projects, or overcoming obstacles, by thinking outside the box. Gen. Groves overwhelmingly possessed all of these traits.  As both a military officer and a project manager, Gen. Groves set the standard in both areas of military and project management accomplishments,” she said.