Honored in 1996
Milton P. Barschdorf was born in Adams, Massachusetts, on September 22, 1912, and graduated from Adams High School in 1929. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He served 21 years in the Army Corps of Engineers from 1938 to 1959. As a Corps officer, he held many important assignments throughout the world, including the positions of Deputy Division Engineer of the Lower Mississippi River Division and District Engineer of the Vicksburg District.
In 1961, Colonel Barschdorf was appointed as the first Port Director of the Greenville – Washington County Port Commission in Mississippi, a position in which he served with distinction until his retirement in September 1982. As Port Director, Colonel Barschdorf provided outstanding leadership in promoting waterway transportation as a vital asset in the economic growth and development of the Greenville area, the Mississippi Delta and the State of Mississippi.
While Port Director, Colonel Barschdorf founded Inland Rivers Ports & Terminals, Inc., as an organization to promote the healthy growth of inland rivers, ports and terminals. The organization was established to develop and improve services to shippers; aid development of a more efficient intermodal national transportation system; and encourage additional foreign and domestic commerce to and from all rivers, ports and terminals. He was IRPT’s first chairman and granted the title of Chairman Emeritus.