Maxwell Victor Jonah

Maxwell V. Jonah (Max) age 99 of Sarasota FL, passed away from natural causes on October 14, 2023. He was born on May 30, 1924 in Newton, Massachusetts to Amasa V and Francis E Jonah. He attended Newton schools through High school, graduating in June 1942.

Max enlisted in the Army on October 20, 1942, attended OCS and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant on April 28, 1943. He was with the 48th combat engineers until August 1944, serving in Oklahoma, Louisiana, North Africa and Italy. While serving in Italy, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. He was awarded two Silver Stars for his actions during the battle for Monte Casino. Following his tour in Italy, he rotated back to the United States into an army engineer training center at Fort Lewis, Washington as a company commander until July 1945. He then went to Okinawa from August 1945 to March 1946 as company commander of a transportation corps harbor unit (intended as a transition assignment into an engineer amphibious unit anticipated to be part of the invasion of Japan). However, the war ended and he returned to the United States for relief from active duty.

From April, 1946 until August, 1951, he became involved in a mix of civilian construction work, civil engineering studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and as a company commander in a combat army engineer company of the Massachusetts National Guard. This mix of activities was interrupted by the Korean War. He returned to active duty in the U.S. Army in August, 1951 about a year short of completing his civil engineering studies at Northeastern University. After assignments as Company Commander and ROTC Instructor, at various sites in the US, he obtained his BS in Civil Engineering from Northeastern in 1955 and was promoted to Captain.

Max’s military assignments included service in Tokyo, Japan where he was the first civil engineer for the 3,000 man, Pacific-Ocean-wide, US Army Security Agency, Pacific, leading to Congressional authority and appropriations for $35 million State Department funding. During the summer of 1958 his headquarters was moved to Hawaii until 1959 where he was awarded the Army’s Commendation Award medal. He obtained his MS degree in Geodetic science from the Ohio State University June 1961 and was promoted to Major.

In Korea August, 1961 - August, 1962 he served as the Assistant Chief of the Construction Division of the Army Engineer District, Far East. Using his geodetic background, he promoted a photogrammetric solution for plotting mountain top missile and micro wave communication sites adding plot accuracy of the line maps with stereo cartographic photography which provided three-dimensional viewing of the terrain. After obtaining his PhD in Geodetic science at Ohio State, he was assigned to Fort Belvoir, Virginia July 1964 - June 1966 as Deputy Director of the Army’s 300 employee Mapping, Charting & Geodesy (MC&G) R&D Labs. Where he was promoted to Lt. Colonel

In Heidelberg, Germany July 1966 - March, 1968. He was Commander of the Topographic Battalion where he directed geodetic surveys (missile &artillery support); cartography and lithography production, map storage and distribution (depots throughout Europe). He managed on behalf of the American Commander of U.S. forces in Europe the maps, charts and geodetic control exchange programs involving 14 NATO countries. (introducing van-mounted automated data processing to this effort)

In Saigon, Vietnam April, 1968 - April, 1969 he was Senior Mapping, Charting & Geodesy (MC&G) staff officer at Military Assistance Command Headquarters. Where he coordinated efforts of three U.S. Air Force mapping photo & geodetic capable RC-130 aircraft, one U.S. Navy 300’ coastal survey ship and about 400 U.S. and Australian topo troops. He authored a report leading to a photogrammetric based system used initially by the Lance missile, later by Navy aircraft carrier target control centers and by Army conventional artillery for determining accurate target locations. He was awarded the Army’s Legion of Merit medal.

At the Pentagon May, 1969 - July, 1972 at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) he served as Chief of the Department of Geodesy, in the new Defense Mapping Agency where he coordinated $22 million per year MC&G R&D programs of Army, Navy and Air Force. He contributed to project assignments for aerial mapping photo acquisition, sea and land gravity sensing, bathymetric and coastal hydrographic surveys, magnetic sensing plus various satellite and surface electronic and optically instrumented geodetic surveys and their data reduction. During this time, he received his second Army Legion of Merit Medal and was promoted to Full Colonel.

After retirement, Max went to work for Bechtel, the prime contractor for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. After Bechtel was closed out as the prime contractor, Max was hired by the WMATA and worked for them until he retired from WMATA on November 1, 1993.

Max and Helen moved to Sarasota in September 1993. Since that time Max was heavily involved with the Serenoa Community Association. Max was also very involved with the Sarasota Military Officers Association monthly newsletter. His efforts resulted in the Sarasota Breeze being awarded National MOAA’s “Best Newsletter” throughout the entire organization for 2004, 2005, & 2006.

Max was also very engaged with the reunion activities of his World War II Engineer group. A seasoned traveler, he and Helen toured extensively during his retirement visiting, among other locations, Russia; Hungary; Italy; Germany; The UK and Scotland; The Canadian Maritimes; Alaska; multiple Mississippi cruises; California and a Columbia River Cruise.

Max was a great lover of music of all genre and was known for frequently braking out in song. As a boy, his mother instilled in him a great love for the Opera. She frequently took him to performance at the Boston Opera House. While in Sarasota, Max became a season member of the Sarasota Opera and attended many performances staged by them. His favorite Opera was La Traviata.

Max was predeceased by his father and mother and his son William “Bill” R. Jonah, daughter in law Patricia M. Jonah; sister-in-law Charlotte Drury and her husband Curt; sister Pearl Stark and her husband Onnie; sister Franny Munnerlyn.

Surviving family members include his wife of 79 years, Helen J. Jonah; his son Craig M. Jonah; his son David K. Jonah and his wife Janet; daughter Marion E Lieb and her husband Joe; his grandchildren Jason M. Jonah and his wife Erica; Jeannie H. Beck & her husband William “Bill”; Alex Jonah and his wife Whitney; Natalie Jonah; Derek Eisemann and his wife Holly; Brett Eisemann; Lora Noren and her husband Hunter; Laura Finnerin and her husband Jeff; and Alan Jonah; along with 8 nieces and nephews: 5 great grandchildren and 4 grandnieces and 4 grandnephews.

He will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at Robert Toale & Sons Funeral Home at Palms Memorial Park, 170 Honore Ave., Sarasota, FL where the family will receive friends from 10:00 am to service time.

Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Tidewell Hospice of Sarasota in Maxwell’s memory.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmsrobartsfuneralhome.com for the Jonah family.