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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly May '96
Richard Gordon Beckner No.15396 Class of 1946
Died 5 November 1993 in Arlington, Virginia, aged 69 years. Interment:
West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York. |
Richard Gordon Beckner was born on 23 May 1924
in Centerville, Iowa, where he lived until entering Iowa State
University in 1942. The following year he received his appointment
and joined the Corps as a member of the Class of 1946.
His strong educational background permitted him
to master the academics at West Point with ease and at the same
time, allowed him to continue his high school interest in playing
the drums as a member of the Cadet Orchestra.
Upon graduation in June 1946, he received his commission
in Armor and, on 18 July 1946, he married Donna Ann Bressman,
whom he had met at Iowa State. Following completion of the basic
course in 1947, Dick was assigned to the 25th Squadron of the
US Constabulary in Straubing, Germany, along the Czechoslovakian
border.
Dick completed the advanced course in 1952 and
was assigned as a graphics instructor in the Department of Military
Topography and Graphics at West Point from 1952 to 1955. Dick
had excelled in mechanical drawing both in high school and at
West Point.
Learning that the Army had adopted a plan known
as "Operation Gyroscope," to train and deploy units
on a rotation basis to Germany, Dick volunteered to join the
3d Armored Division which was reactivated at Fort Knox in 1955.
There he trained a tank company of the 32d Armor and deployed
with it to Friedberg, Germany. Later he became the G-3 Training
Officer, first with the 3d Armored Division and later with V
Corps both in Frankfurt.
His assignment to the Command and General Staff
College in 1959 was followed by three years on the faculty as
an instructor in armor operations. He next studied Arabic and
was sent to Saudi Arabia for a tour as G-3 Advisor to the Saudi
Arabian Ministry of Defense and Aviation. In 1965 he joined the
2d Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas, where he successively
served as Executive Officer, Division Support Command, G-3 of
the '"Hell on Wheels" Division and later, Commanding
Officer, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor.
While attending the National War College in 1967-68,
he also completed requirements for his master's degree in International
Affairs from George Washington University.
He commanded the 1st Cavalry Division Support Command
in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970.
His subsequent assignments were in the logistics
career field, starting as Assistant and later Chief of the Far
East Pacific Branch, ODSLOG. He was promoted to Brigadier General
on 1 April 1973, but his brilliant career was cut short by a
heart attack which forced his early retirement in June 1975.
He was serving as Deputy Director of Logistics, Office of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time.
Following his retirement, Dick accepted a position
as Account Executive with Merrill Lynch. Although a newcomer,
he soon was assigned the task of organizing a newly opened office.
One of his new associates, a longtime account executive reported
that Dick was the "most organized" person he had ever
known.
After 10 years with Merrill Lynch and being named
Vice President, Dick again retired to pursue his dream of traveling
to "exotic" places. Indeed, he and Donna did travel
extensively--from Alaska to Australia and many points in between.
On one of their voyages, his congenial personality having been
noted by the crew, Dick was asked to act as Santa Claus for the
cruise. He and Donna were excellent bridge partners and often
helped organize duplicate bridge tournaments for their traveling
companions.
At home, Dick applied the same intensity to cultivating
and caring for his lawn, trees, shrubs and roses that he had
to his various military and civilian jobs.
He continued his voracious reading habit, started
during his days at Centerville High School, and had the unique
capacity to seemingly recall every word he had ever read.
Unfortunately, in the years following his retirement
from Merrill Lynch, Dick was confronted by a series of health
problems. While seemingly in good health in 1990, Dick insisted
on having a chest X-ray in the course of his annual physical
exam. It revealed lung cancer, and he underwent surgery. Medical
tests at Johns Hopkins in May 1993 showed that the lung cancer
had recurred. Then, in July, Dick suffered a stroke that left
him blind and paralyzed on his left side.
Dick underwent extensive physical therapy and struggled
valiantly with Donna's help to regain the use of his left arm
and leg, but the loss of his sight and ability to read was devastating
to his morale. Nevertheless, he was a model of courage. He never
quit or gave up hope that, somehow or other, he would lick his
afflictions. The combination of adverse medical factors, however,
proved too great; Dick succumbed to lung cancer on 5 November
1993.
In retrospect, it can truly be said that Dick exemplified
the best attributes of a West Pointer. He was animated by high
ideals and loyal to his convictions. He was a man of great honor
and a loyal and trustworthy friend.
Well done, Dick! Be thou at peace.
The above was written with the help of Dick's wife
and his sister
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