Richard Martin Connell – Brigadier General, United States Army

Richard M. Connell graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 1949. Following graduation, he was assigned to European Command (NTC) for 37 months. He then returned to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received his Master’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1955.

He attended the U.S. Command and General Staff college at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from 1959 to 1960. He served from 1956 to 1957 in Labrador, from 1960 to 1963 in England, and from 1966 to 1967 in Vietnam.

After his foreign service concluded, he attended the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, from 1967 to 1968; and the Army Management School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in 1968.

As a Colonel, Connell served as the Walla Walla District Engineer from 1970 to 1973, and was then assigned to the Continental Army at Fort Monroe, Virginia. In the fall of 1974, he was promoted to Brigadier General, and was assigned to South Pacific Division, San Francisco, California, as the Division Engineer. He is a Master Parachutist, and is Ranger qualified.

Richard Martin Connell Died peacefully at home November 29, 2008. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, September, 13, 1929, to Martin and Mary Connell.

He was a 35-year career military officer rising to the rank of Brigadier General. Dick graduated from West Point in 1949.

After retirement, Dick continued a 13-year consulting engineer career and retired as senior vice president of T.Y. Lin, Inc. in 1991. He was active at St. Clements Episcopal Church, Berkeley, numerous civil organizations, and his alma mater.

He was devoted to his wife Betsy; his children Rick and Bill; his daughters-in-law and three grandchildren. Service will be held at 2:00 PM, December 8, 2008, at St. Clements Church, 2837 Claremont Blvd, Berkeley. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Foundation, c/o Sutter VNA, 1900 Powell St, Ste 300, Emeryville, California 94608, or the charity of your choice.

General Connell will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in the Spring of 2009.

NOTE: Funeral services are now scheduled for 13 April 2009 at 1:00 P.M. at the Post Chapel At Fort Myer, Virginia, with interment to follow in Arlington National Cemetery.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard