John F. Magnotti – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army

From a contemporary press report:

Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel John F. Magnotti, 79, a procurement expert who became a tenured professor at American University, died October 6, 2003, at Maryland Shock Trauma Center of injuries sustained in a September 4, 2003, automobile accident in Shady Side.

Colonel Magnotti was born in Pittsburgh and was known as an accomplished violinist when he graduated from high school. He entered Carnegie Institute of Technology to study electrical engineering and played bagpipes in the kiltie band. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served in London, where he transmitted D-Day communications to and from the battlefield.

While in England, he won a congressional appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, graduating with a degree in engineering and as president of his senior class. He was assigned to several stateside bases, West Germany, Korea and Vietnam before returning to work in the Pentagon.

Among his decorations were the Legion of Merit, which he received for his leadership throughout his career, and the Bronze Star for his performance in Vietnam.

Colonel Magnotti retired from the Army in 1968 after earning a degree in government and politics from the University of Maryland. He joined Planning Research Corp. in McLean. In 1973, he received a doctoral degree in public administration from American University.

He worked for Ronald Reagan’s campaign in 1975 and 1976, then joined BDM Corp. in McLean as administrative vice president.

In 1981, he joined the faculty of the Kogod College of Business Administration at American University, where he was director of the Procurement Management program. He founded the Procurement Round Table, a volunteer organization, in 1984. He retired from the university in 1994.

Colonel Magnotti was president of the West Shady Side Civic Association. He was a member of the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society and the Galesville Heritage Society and a former member of the Chesapeake Yacht Club.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Therese S. Magnotti of Shady Side; two daughters, Susan Elizabeth Magnotti of Hamilton and Mary Katherine Magnotti of Shady Side; and a brother, Ralph A. Magnotti of Marathon, Florida.

MAGNOTTI, JOHN FRANCIS, Ph.D. “Jack”
Lt. Col., USA (Ret.)

On October 6, 2003 of Shady Side, Maryland. Beloved husband of Therese S. “T.C.” Magnotti; devoted father of Susan Elizabeth Magnotti, Hamilton, Virginia, and Mary Katherine Magnotti, Shady Side, Maryland; brother of Ralph A. Magnotti, Marathon, Florida.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2003 at Fort Myer Chapel. Burial will immediately follow in Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested to the Shoch Trauma Center Multitrauma Unit, c/o Tracey Heath, R.N., BSN, 22 South Greene St., Baltimore, MD 21201 in memory of John Magnotti.

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