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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jul '92
Albert Russell Ives, Jr. No. 16088 Class of 1946
Died 5 January 1986 in St. Cloud, Florida, aged 60 years. Interment:
Mausoleum of Light, Kissimmee, Florida
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Albert Russell Ives, Jr. was born 24 February
1925 at the Station Hospital, Fort Sill, Oklahoma. His place
of birth was dictated by the fact that his father was an artilleryman
assigned to Fort Sill at the time. For reasons unknown now, Albert
Ives became known to his family and friends as Babe. His father's
Army career took young Babe and his brother Robert (USMA '45)
to many parts of the world as they were growing up. Babe's father
was in the Philippines when the United States entered World War
II, so Babe ended up graduating from Norwalk High School in Norwalk,
Connecticut. Following family tradition and with his intense
patriotism, Babe was pleased to receive his appointment to West
Point. He joined the ranks of the Class of 1946 on the banks
of the Hudson on 1 July 1943.
With a brother one class ahead of him and having
grown up in the Army, plebe year came as no shock to Babe. Academics
were always a problem, especially math, but, with much hard work,
he managed to stay ahead of the game. Babe's father was taken
prisoner by the Japanese at Bataan in the Philippines, making
his cadet days more stressful than usual. One of his roommates,
Bill Baisley, recalled: "Babe was quiet, reserved, a 'mister
cool' and not a maker of 'waves.'" Another roommate remembered
that Babe's conscientious attention to detail made him one of
the elite who never became acquainted with the area. Babe kept
himself busy while at West Point. He participated in the Camera,
Golf and Ski Clubs. Graduation found Babe commissioned as a second
lieutenant in the Infantry.
Following completion of the Infantry Officer's Basic Course at
Fort Benning, Georgia, Babe's first duty assignment was in Korea
with the 7th Division. There he served as a company executive
officer and then platoon leader in the 17th Infantry. Still in
the 7th Division, Babe became a detachment commander in the 32nd
Infantry. From the Far East, Babe returned to Fort Benning to
become an instructor in the Weapons Department at the Infantry
School. A classmate and fellow instructor, Bob Phillips, recalled:
"Babe was a fine instructor and a good individual to work
with. He was always cheerful and helpful. Babe liked party times
and was fun to be with on those occasions." From Benning,
Babe went back to Korea to command C Company, 35th Infantry,
25th Division during the Korean War. He later became battalion
S-2, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry. Shortly thereafter, Babe became
an instructor in the Battalion's Sniper School. Babe received
the Bronze Star Medal for his service in the 25th Division.
Returning to Fort Benning to attend the Infantry
Officer Advanced Course, Babe went from Benning to Fort Riley,
Kansas in August of 1954. He served as a battalion S-3 in the
86th Infantry at Fort Riley and remained in the same position
when the regiment moved to Germany. Babe became company commander
of F Company in the 56th and then moved to the 10th Infantry
Division as assistant G-3, Plans. His next move was to become
assistant Secretary of the General Staff at Headquarters Seventh
Army. Returning from Germany, Babe became associate professor,
Military Science and Tactics, at the University of Mississippi.
In January 1963, Babe arrived in Vietnam to serve on the training
staff of the Military Assistance Advisory Group. Returning to
the States, Babe became an assistant inspector general at Fifth
Army Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. In 1966, Babe became
executive officer, Headquarters, Combat Developments Command
(CSG) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Babe returned to Vietnam in
1968 to become a project officer with the Army Concept Team,
Vietnam. He received an Oak Leaf Cluster to his Bronze Star Medal
for his service during that tour. Returning to the States, Babe
went back to Chicago as an assistant Inspector General at Fifth
Army. Babe retired from the Army in 1973 in the grade of lieutenant
colonel.
Retirement found Babe living in Los Angeles, California.
He first worked in the personnel office of the DAIWA Corporation.
After several years in the personnel business, Babe became a
customer relations specialist with Compu-Graphics Corporation.
In the early 1980s, Babe learned that he had a terminal illness,
so he moved back to his family home in Florida. A classmate and
good friend, Dick Bresnahan, recalled: "... He was always
happy always spoke lovingly about his children. When he last
moved to Florida, he knew his time was short, but I never sensed
over the phone that he was down. He always loved his golf games.
He loved the Army." Albert Russell Ives, Jr. died in St.
Cloud, Florida on 5 January 1986. His five children, Karen, Ramsey,
Albert R. III, Lauren and David, and his brother, Robert, survive
him.
Everyone liked Babe Ives. When asked what they
remembered about him, the unanimous response was: "Congenial,
had a great sense of humor." His brother remembered that
Babe was honorable--honest almost to a fault, patriotic and intellectually
sharp, He never lost the trait of being conscientious about details
that he displayed as a cadet. All who served with him remember
Babe Ives as a fine officer and a great Infantryman, Leaving
the Army as he did, Babe would be proud to be remembered this
way. But, above all, be would be proud to know that his family,
friends and classmates remember him as a true West Pointer. He
made Duty, Honor, Country a part of his life and his career.
Well Done, Babe; Be Thou At Peace!
'46 Memorial Article Project and His Family
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