James Bell Cress (28 December 1891 – 27 July 1967) was an engineer and United States Army Reserve major general.

During World War II, he supervised the restoration of ports, canals, railroads and bridges sabotaged by the retreating German forces after the Allied Invasion of Normandy.

After studying engineering at the University of Michigan for three years, he entered the Military Academy at West Point in March 1910.

[3] In August 1918, Cress received a temporary promotion to lieutenant colonel and served as an assistant to the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C. until October 1919.

Returned to his permanent rank of captain in December 1919, Cress resigned his Regular Army commission in March 1920.

[2] After accepting a position with the Dodge Brothers Company, Cress was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel in the Engineer Section, Officers Reserve Corps in May 1920.

Rail lines to the front were repaired, and then Cress supervised the construction of a new Wesel Railway Bridge across the Rhine River in only ten days at the beginning of April 1945.