Arthur Pleasant Sibold, Jr. – Captain, United States Navy

Arthur Pleasant Sibold Jr., 85, a retired Navy Captain who later worked for defense contractors, died of a stroke August 28, 2005, at the Westminster at Lake Ridge retirement community in Lake Ridge, where he lived.

Captain Sibold, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, graduated from the Naval Academy in 1942, a year early because of the accelerated classes during World War II. He was immediately sent to convoy patrol in the North Atlantic.

Later in the war, as gunnery officer of the destroyer USS Wainwright, he participated in the invasion of North Africa.

He also participated in anti-submarine patrols in the Atlantic and Mediterranean and in combat in Sicily, Palermo, Anzio and Salerno, all in Italy.

After the war, he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Subsequent assignments included the Charleston Naval Shipyard, special weapons at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque and the staff of the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor.

While serving at the Naval Underwater Sound Laboratory at Fort Trumbull in Connecticut, he designed and received a patent for the technology enabling submarines to deploy the “towed array.” The importance of this technology was vividly portrayed in the 1990 movie “The Hunt for Red October,” based on the novel by Tom Clancy. Captain Sibold retired from the Navy in 1968 while serving at the Naval Ship Systems Command in Washington.

Among his awards was the Navy Commendation Medal.

Captain Sibold worked for defense contractors SRC and RCA while designing the combat system for the Aegis weapons system. He retired a second time in 1981.

He enjoyed family, golf, woodworking and travel. As a Boy Scout leader, he developed a lifelong interest in promoting soil and water conservation.

Captain Sibold lived in Alexandria from 1963 until he moved in 1993 to Westminster at Lake Ridge. He was a member of St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Alexandria for 30 years and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Lake Ridge for 15 years. He was also a member of the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Elizabeth Porter Sibold of Lake Ridge; six children, Arthur Sibold III of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Brian Sibold of San Diego, Ann Gordon Sibold of Falls Church, Stuart Sibold of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Katherine Sibold of Alexandria and Lucy McCrillis of Arlington; a sister; 14 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

SIBOLD, ARTHUR P., JR., CAPT., USN (Ret.)

On Sunday, August 28, 2005. Beloved husband of Elizabeth P. Sibold; father of Arthur P. Sibold, III (Sherry), Brian B. Sibold (Goody), Ann Gordon Sibold (Robert Torla), Stuart W. Sibold (Donna), Katherine D. Sibold (James Worthington) and Lucy P. McCrillis (John); brother of Josephine W. Sibold. Also survived by 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial Mass will be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 12805 Valleywood Dr., Woodbridge, Virginia, on Friday, September 2, 2005 at 11 a.m. Military Service will be held at Old Post Chapel on Thursday, December 8, 2005 10:45 a.m. Interment Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, 291 Wood Rd., Annapolis, Maryland 21402.

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