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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Sep '95
Robert Joseph Malley No.15373 Class of 1946
Died 1 October 1994 in Fairfax, Virginia, aged 71 years. Interment:
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
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Bob was born 17 July 1923 in Nashwauk, Minnesota.
He graduated from Nashwauk High School as an honor student and
then graduated from Hibbing Junior College in 1943, having studied
aeronautical engineering. He joined the Class of 1946 at West
Point on 1 July 1943.
Bob always said his life as a cadet was typical.
His classmates disagree: his cadet life, as well as the remainder
of his life, was exceptional. His intellect surfaced early, and
he graduated 86 in a class of 875. He was respected in E-2 Company
for his academic coaching of his less gifted classmates. Companymate
and longtime friend Dick Bresnahan, who wrote Bob's Howitzer
bio, recalled: "Bob was the kind of cadet who always had
time to help his classmates. He pulled me through West Point
along with several others. I recall thanking him at graduation
and telling him that he had earned half my diploma. Bob graduated
a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers.
After basic schooling, Bob, along with seven other
Engineer classmates, insisted on attending the Airborne Course
against Branch objections. For this, all eight new Engineer lieutenants
were assigned to the Post Hostilities Mapping Program in the
Far East. Bob's assignment was to Korea, first commanding a l68
foot freighter trying to find topographical markers set by the
Japanese in 1927 on the islands around Korea. He then commanded
a train based survey party roaming the Korean rail system. In
1948, Bob moved to Leyte, Philippine Islands. He was reassigned
to the 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion in Japan in late 1948
and rotated back to Camp Campbell. Kentucky, in 1950 where he
commanded an Engineer company with the 11th Airborne Division.
Later in 1950, Bob was selected for advanced schooling at the
University of Minnesota. The outbreak of the Korean War interrupted
his schooling and Bob moved to command a company in the 307th
Airborne Engineer Battalion, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In 1952,
he returned to Minnesota to receive his master's in Civil Engineering.
Following the Engineer Advanced Course, Bob returned to Korea
as a Construction Engineer where he supervised construction of
seven hospitals, including the 400 bed Maryknoll Hospital. His
next assignment was as physics instructor at West Point. While
there, he married Betty Gregg at the Catholic Chapel on 10 August
1957. The Malleys traveled next to Europe where Bob was assigned
to SHAPE. July 1963 found Bob commanding the 127th Engineer Battalion
of the newly formed 11th Air Assault Division. His battalion,
newly designated the 8th Engineer Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry
Division, deployed to Vietnam in 1965. Next came the Army War
College and then the Pentagon as Chief, Force Programs. From
Washington, the Malleys moved to Los Angeles where Bob was District
Engineer. Bob returned to Vietnam in 1969 as Commander, Task
Force Americal whose mission was to manage and protect the redeployment
of the remaining forces of the division from Chu Lai. Returning
to the States in 1973, Bob headed the Systems Program Office
for the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army. He then became
the first Project Manager for Production Base Modernization and
Expansion at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. The Malleys returned
to the Pentagon in 1976 where Bob became Director, Combat Support
Systems, DCSRDA. In 1978 Bob retired from the Army as a major
general.
Bob joined Chamberlin Manufacturing as Vice President,
International Operations in charge of the Washington office.
He organized ventures with other US companies for the sale of
ammunition and technology to foreign customers. In 1991 Bob retired
from Chamberlin and became Vice President, Marketing, for Nuclear
Metals, Inc.
Bob died after a stroke on 1 October 1994. He is
survived by his wife Betty; three sons, Robert Jr., '81; Gregg
USNA '86; and Kenny: two daughters, Lee and Kelly; three brothers;
Alan, John and Eugene; and a sister, Terese.
When news of Bob Malley's death filtered around
the country, his friends and classmates were in shock. Previous
plans and commitments were changed so they could travel to Arlington
National Cemetery to pay their respects to a friend, a classmate,
a consummate soldier, a true son of West Point. When they arrived
at the Fort Myer Chapel for Bob's funeral, they heard General
(Ret) Edward C. Meyer, former Chief of Staff of the Army, deliver
the eulogy. Excerpts from his remarks say much about Bob: "He
received the Wheeler Award as the outstanding Engineer officer
of the year in 1965. He brought to each of his assignments innovative,
future looking solutions to difficult challenges. He was personally
patient and therefore patient with others. As a staff officer
at SHAPE, the Pentagon and elsewhere, he brought total honesty
and an unparalleled grasp of detail. As a commander, he brought
mission and concern for subordinates into harmony. He succeeded
because of his intellect: but more importantly, because he was
a compassionate, caring commander."
Fellow Airborne Engineer classmate Pat Pendergrass
reported: "Bob's funeral was a perfect blend of military
pomp and ceremony. West Point songs and warm personal participation
by a host of family and friends. Their consensus description
of Bob: 'A true gentleman, a truly gentle man; a true friend;
a caring friend; a dedicated, innovative officer; a strong but
compassionate leader who with steady gaze and quiet comments
could bring out the best in everyone.' Bud Sterling (another
Airborne Engineer classmate) perhaps summarized it best. When
he learned of Bob's death. he said, 'I feel like a piece of me
is missing.' Like so many of us, he then bought a ticket to Washington
and paid his respects."
The Class of 1946 is proud to join his family and
friends to declare: "Well Done, Bob, Be Thou At Peace!"
'46 Memorial Article Project and his wife, Betty
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