Donald S. Cuffe – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army

CUFFE, DONALD S. (Age 82)

Of Cape Coral, Florida, Arlington, Virginia and Detroit Michigan, died in Cape Coral, Florida, on February 13, 2003, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in Detroit Michigan, on April 30, 1920, to Donald and Kathryn Cuffe, the middle of three children. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 59 years, Marjorie; his son, Ronald and his wife, Robin and their son, Matthew (McLean, Virginia); his sister, Dorothy and her daughter, Christina and her husband Ronald, and their daughter, Lynn; his deceased brother Harold’s children, Kathryn, Harold and Kenneth and their families.

Don attended Mackenzie High School in Detroit (1938) and Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., BA (1956). He served in the United States Army during WWII, 1942 to 1946, 6th Armored Cavalry Reconaissance Squadron (mechnized), and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. He earned three battle stars, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and a Presidential Unit Citation. During the Korean War, he was staff officer, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Army General Staff. He retired from the Army Reserve as Lieutenant Colonel in April, 1980.

A civilian at the Department of Defense for 34 years, he served as Director, International Logistics, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 1961 to 1981, serving under seven different Secretaries. The recipient of numerous commendations and awards, including DOD Civilian Meritorious Service Award, he developed a Department of Defense NATO Logistic Master Planning System, and initiated actions to improve NATO logistic readiness, under the Long Term Defense Program.

He retired to Cape Coral, Florida, in 1980 and worked as an international consultant, and as a volunteer to the SBA’s SCORE, assisting the start-up of small businesses.

Memberships: Master Mason; The American Legion; Society of Logistics Engineers; American Defense Preparedness Association; Armed Forces Management Association; Faculty, Army Logistic Management Center; The Retired Officers Association; Army-Navy C.C.

He was a warm, compassionate, passionate, funny, thoughtful, creative, hard driving, caring, religious, resourceful individual who made friends of all who met him. He stayed active his entire life, believing that to do so would keep him young in mind and body. He will be sorely missed by his wife, son, family and friends.

Military Honors and interment will be at Arlington National Memorial Cemetery on Monday, June 16, 2003, at 3 p.m.

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