Watkins, John Brownson

John Brownson Watkins was born June 20, 1899 in Kankakee, IL. He entered the University of Chicago in1916 but left to be a volunteer ambulance driver in France in 1917. When American troops arrived in Europe, Watkins joined the Army. Between 1917 and 1919, he wrote letters to his parents in Kankakee, IL, as well as to other family members. Some of the letters were excerpted for local papers, and were written with this in mind.

Upon returning to the States, Watkins completed his bachelor's degree in political economy in 1921. He went on to receive both a Master's degree (in 1924) and PhD (in 1929) from the University of Chicago's School of Commerce and Administration. His thesis dealt with transportation issues, and his expertise in this area provided cover in future military intelligence work.

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