Ronald “Mike” Shuler – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army

Combat Infantryman’s Badge

From a contemporary press report

Ronald M. “Mike” Shuler, 54, a retired soldier who spent three years as an enlisted man and 23 years as an officer before retiring in 1993 as a lieutenant colonel, died April 3, 1999 at his home in Fairfax, Virginia,  after a heart attack.

Colonel Shuler enlisted in the Army for the first time upon graduating from high school in his native Pittsburgh in 1962. After his discharge, he received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and his Army commission through its ROTC program. He later received a master’s degree in business administration from Boston University.

He was an infantry officer with the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C., and with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam, in 1970-71. He drew a mention in Newsweek for his refusal to obey orders to withdraw his unit from a heated engagement with the enemy, according to his daughter Kimberly M. Weaver, of Fairfax, who added that the men who served under him were his greatest source of pride and concern.

Later Army assignments included tours in Europe and at the Pentagon.

Colonel Shuler’s military decorations included three Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

His daughter recalled that among Col. Shuler’s favorite experiences was his ealization of a dream to hunt bear and Dall sheep in Alaska and that he saved and planned for many years for the hunting expedition. It came true while he was stationed in Alaska, and when he finally came face to face with a beautiful Dall sheep, he was unable to shoot it, and instead laid down his rifle and finished the adventure with a camera.

In addition to his daughter, survivors include his second-grade sweetheart and wife of 32 years, Jacqueline E. Shuler, and two other children, John M. and Mariah C. Shuler, all of Fairfax; two sisters; and two brothers.

SHULER, RONALD M., LTC, USA (Ret.)

On March 27, 1999, at Fair Oaks Hospital, RONALD M. SHULER, LTC, USA (Ret.), beloved husband of Jacqueline; loving father of Kimberly M. Weaver, John M. Shuler and Mariah C. Shuler; devoted brother of Bernard and Joseph Shuler, Jacqueline Anderson and Jeanne Gormley. Interment with full military honors will be on Wednesday, April 7, 1999 at 11 a.m. Arlington National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may take the form of a donation to the National Right to Life Foundation.

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