RICHARD LEW MORTON In his book, West Point Today, author Kendall Banning, the father of a cadet, writes of another father visiting West Point for his first time. Seeing his son in uniform and on parade, the father observes, "My son had caught the torch!"

Whether or not Richard `Dick" Lew Morton, congenially known as "Rigor," ever read the book, he was a son of West Point who caught the torch, becoming one of only 43 in his class promoted to general officer. His father, Lew Myyes Morton '23, commissioned Air Service, but later serving in Coast Artillery and Quartermaster Corps, took his family in the 1920s and 1930s to the Philippines' Corregidor Island, China, Hawaii, Panama, and posts in the States, where Dick developed his feel for and love of the Army, an early sense of patriotic military loyalty, and idealism. His father, retiring disabled in 1938, returned to his hometown of Ft. Wayne, IN, where Rigor finished his early education, graduating from South Side High School in 1943. He received South Side's distinguished alumnus award in 1999.

He graduated from Millards Preparatory School in 1944, attended the USMA preparatory school at Ft. Benning, and entered West Point with the Class of '48, almost immediately designated as the Class of '49. No star man, Rigor maintained academic proficiency, devoting himself to the more interesting pursuits of athletics-intramurals, gymnastics, and handball-and German Club. He also was known for his imaginatively creative humor, endlessly injecting wryness and absurdity into barracks life, and his humor remained a hallmark throughout his career.

All newly-commissioned Regular Army officers were ordered to The Ground General School branch-immaterial course at Ft. Riley KS, and then on to branch schools atChristmas. From the Infantry course at Ft. Benning and airborne training, Rigor headed for Far East Command. He and other classmates passed through Japan and were quickly assigned to divisions coiling into the Korean War's Pusan perimeter. As a platoon leader, company executive officer, and company commander, Rigor fought along the Naktong River near Taegu, participated in the breakout north to Seoul, and went on to meet the Chinese along the Chongchon River. Withdrawing south of Seoul under Chinese pressure, he was severely wounded 10 Feb 1951 during General Ridgways Operation Thunderbolt offensive. Hospitalized in Japan for four months with leg fractures, Rigor returned to the States in July with a Combat Infantryman Badge, Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, and three Purple Hearts. He and his sweetheart, Maryanne Muehlhof, married in her hometown of Pottsville, PA, on 14 Jul 1951.

Assigned to his basic branch, Transportation Corps, he completed the Transportation Advanced Course and remained on the school's staff and faculty before attending Heidelberg University in Germany for a master's degree in linguistics. Assigned to West Point as an associate professor, he taught German for three years. He attended the Canadian Staff College as a visiting student during 1959-61, returning to the Pentagon to join General Frank Besson in the Pentagon planning group organizing activation of Army Materiel Command. There he was the executive officer and assistant staff secretary. During 1964--65 he earned a master's in international relations at American University, became a doctoral candidate, and then attended the Army War College at Carlisle, PA, during 1965-66. Assigned to Korea, he commanded the 2d Infantry Divisioris Supply and Transport Battalion during 1966-67 before returning to the War College faculty in the Department of Strategy.

In Viet Nam in 1970, Rigor commanded the 8th Transportation Brigade, later serving as assistant chief of staff, Logistics, USARV He returned to his family in Carlisle and was appointed brigadier general ("frocked') and was then assigned to Allied Forces, Central Europe, headquartered in Holland. He was deputy chief of staffE Logistics, for two years and confirmed in his rank Returning from Europe, he was assigned as commander of the Eastern Area Military Traffic Management Command until retiring in August 1974. Four awards of the Legion of Merit and his combat decorations testify to the quality of his service. Dick pursued his chosen career with energy and dedication, a sense of purpose and organized deliberateness, and was properly rewarded.

Maryanne and he settled in Carlisle, PA. He consulted widely in his military specialties to Arthur D. Little, Ketron, and Mandex, in the fields of rail and highway networks in Saudi Arabia, NATO readiness training, and advanced logistical preparations in Europe. He occasionally substituted to teach German in Carlisle schools. He was the founding architect and officer of the Army War College foundation, directed toward supplementing AWC and alumni interests. He coached boys' basketball, as he had in Virginia and Holland, and was his sons' mentor. When it was possible, he pursued his athletic interests--especially handball-and fished when and where he found the time and place.

Their children exemplified Rigor's dedication to West Point and its principles, as well as his dedication to the Army, and Maryanne's loving support of them all. Son Richard '74, is an ophthalmologist in Virginia; Glenn '77, retired as a lieutenant colonel, Field Artillery, and teaches in Texas; and Geoffrey, a Penn State graduate, is a banker in Columbus, OH. There are five grandchildren.

Dick died suddenly and unexpectedly at home, apparently of cardiac arrest, as he was preparing for breakfast. He was found immediately by Maryanne, who bore up so well under the severity of the occurrence. Services were held at the Carlisle Barracks Chapel and at Ft. Myer, before interment in Arlington Cemetery near his parents. They would have been proud of his service and accomplishments, as are his family, classmates, West Point, the Army, and the nation.

"Well done! Be thou at peace."

Classmates David Bolte and George Hoffmaster

Personal Eulogy