Emmett C. Lee, Jr.

LEE, Col. Emmett C., Jr., USA (Ret.) of Tampa, Florida, passed away May 6, 2022 at 94 years of age. He is survived by his wife, Rowland Lee and nephew, Brooke McCutchen of Baton Rouge, LA. Emmett and Rowland were married for more than 71 years. He was born March 6, 1928, and grew up in Corsicana, Texas. Emmett entered West Point in 1946, immediately following the end of World War II, and he graduated in 1950 with an Army 2nd Lieutenant commission. Prior to graduation, Emmett’s selection for his desired branch of service was the Corps of Engineers. This was a branch highly sought after by many cadets, and fortunately for Emmett, he ranked high enough in his class to earn his selection. At the time of Emmett’s graduation, the nation was at peace, but just days later, the country was at war in Korea. For Emmett and many of his classmates, their orders were changed, and they were redirected to report to Camp Stoneman, near San Francisco. They were told if they had recently been married or purchased a car, to report without a wife or vehicle. For Emmett, this meant that his bride Rowland took possession of Emmett’s brand-new car while he reported as ordered, a newly married geo-bachelor. Following his assignment to Camp Stoneman, Emmett reported to Camp Drake in Japan, via Tacoma Washington, and Fairbanks and Shemya in Alaska. There, he was assigned to the 62nd Engineer Battalion, as a Baker Company Platoon Leader along with eight other West Point Classmates assigned to the same battalion. With only a few days training, Emmett boarded a ship in Yokohama Harbor and set sail for what he soon learned was the Inchon invasion. Days after landing in Inchon, he made a tremendous contribution by constructing a bridge across the Han River at Seoul, enabling allied forces to break out of the Pusan perimeter and head north in pursuit of the North Koreans. Upon his return to the U.S. a year later, Emmett was assigned to train officer candidates at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He then went on to complete multiple successful Engineer assignments, each with greater responsibility and impact, and he earned multiple significant awards and promotions. Highlights of his military career include: earning a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois; command of an Engineer Battalion in Vietnam; command of an Engineer Group in Germany, comprised of multiple battalions; and command of the Jacksonville Engineer District in Florida. Nearing retirement, he was personally requested by a Major General to delay retirement in order to assist the General as his new chief of staff. In this role, Emmett was instrumental in establishing a new engineer training center at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He retired two years later in 1978. During his military service, Emmett earned multiple awards, including a Bronze Star with V for Valor, three Legions of Merit, two Meritorious Service Medals, and four Air Medals. Following his long and distinguished military career, Mr. Lee continued his exemplary commitment to public service when he joined the Tampa Port Authority in 1978 as Deputy Port Director. He then served as Port Director from February 1980 to July 1990. Prior to coming to Tampa, Mr. Lee was the District Engineer at the Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His vast knowledge of the intricacies of federal dredging protocol was vital to the Port of Tampa in the 1980s as the Tampa Harbor main channel was being deepened to 43 feet. As Port Director, Mr. Lee spearheaded the development of the Port’s first cruise terminal on Hooker’s Point, which opened with much fanfare on November 16, 1982. He oversaw the development of significant new marine and landside infrastructure on Hooker’s Point in the 1980s to support expanding cargo activities. Under his leadership, the Tampa Port Authority acquired approximately twenty acres of land in the Channel District for use as a multi-purpose cruise, retail and entertainment area encompassing The Florida Aquarium, Cruise Terminal No. 2 and Sparkman Wharf areas, as well as over two hundred acres of land from Port Sutton, Inc. in the area known as Pendola Point and part of Port Sutton for industrial maritime development and operations. Although Mr. Lee did not technically fall into the era of the “Greatest Generation,” he embodied the finest traits of that generation. He was a man of tremendous integrity and honor, who always treated others with respect. He will be greatly missed. Services will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church Tampa, 906 S Orleans Ave., Tampa, Florida 33606, on Friday, June 17 at 11 am. Arrangements entrusted to Veterans Funeral Care.