2006
Charles M. Trammell Jr., 93, a lawyer and a former Defense Department official, died Feb. 9 of congestive heart failure at
Collington Episcopal Life Care Community in Mitchellville.
Mr. Trammell was born in Lakeland, Fla., and moved to Washington as a boy. He graduated from the old Western High School
in 1929 and attended Emory University in Atlanta before graduating from George Washington University in 1933.
He graduated from GWU's law school in 1937 and received an advanced law degree from the school the following year.
Mr. Trammell began his career as a partner in his father's law firm in 1937. During World War II, he served in the Army in North
Africa, France and Germany and received the Bronze Star for developing personnel security methods. He later was on active duty
in the Korean War and served in the Army Reserve until 1972.
In 1946, he joined the federal government as a trial lawyer for the Internal Revenue Service. He later spent several years as
assistant general counsel of the Army and was general counsel for the St. Lawrence Seaway during its construction in the late
1950s.
He was special assistant to the Army chief of research and development before joining the office of the deputy assistant
secretary of defense in 1964. From 1968 until his retirement in 1973, Mr. Trammell was director of security plans and programs
in the office of the secretary of defense.
After his retirement from federal service, he returned to the law firm of Trammell, Rand and Nathan, where he worked on
international petroleum cases for a few years.
Mr. Trammell owned more than 30 sailboats during his life and won many trophies for racing small boats between 15 and 20
feet in length. He was a member of the West River Sailing Club in Galesville, the Sycamore Island Canoe Club in Montgomery
County and the Solomon's Island Model Boat Club. He continued to sail into his eighties.
He lived in the District and in Bethesda before moving to Mitchellville about 15 years ago. At the Collington retirement
community, Mr. Trammell helped lead efforts to upgrade a lake, where sailing races now are held.
Survivors include his wife of 70 years, Patricia Dent Trammell of Mitchellville; a son, Charles M. Trammell III of Bethesda; a
sister; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.