Oren E. Hurlbut – Lieutenant General, United States Army

From a contemporary press report

Oren E. Hurlbut, 88, an Army Lieutenant General who retired in 1970 as the senior Army representative on the Defense Department Joint Logistics Review Board in Washington, died after a stroke January 2, 2000 at his home in Arlington, Virginia.

General Hurlbut was a native of Brookfield, Missouri, and a 1933 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, he was an aviation ordnance officer at Hickam Field in Hawaii. After a brief stint as assistant commandant of the Army Ordnance School at Aberdeen, he served in the Pacific for the remainder of the war.

He later held various commands before serving as chief for unit training and readiness for the Continental Army Command during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During the Vietnam War, he served as chief of logistics for the U.S. Army Pacific Command, supporting all Army forces in Vietnam.

His military decorations included the Bronze Star and three Distinguished Service Medals.

In retirement he served as chairman of the Board of the National Association for the Uniformed Services and as a board trustee of the West Point Association of Graduates. He was a member of Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church in Washington.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Polly Hurlbut of Arlington; four children, Susan Speare of Woodbridge, Sallie Moritz of Tequesta, Fla., Dr. Sandra Earle of Shorewood, Wis., and Stephen Hurlbut of McLean; and eight grandchildren.

Hurlbut, Oren Eugene, 

Born 4 December 1911, Died 2 January 2000
US Army, Lieutenant General,
Res: Arlington, Virginia
Section 11, Grave 680 NS
Buried  12 January 2000

HURLBUT, OREN E. (Age 88)
Lieutenant General, United States Army (Ret.)

On Sunday, January 2, 2000, of Arlington, VA, beloved husband of 63  years of Pauline B. Hurlbut; loving father of Susan H. Speare of Woodbridge, VA, Sallie H. Moritz of Tequesta, FL, Dr. Sandra H. Earle of Shorewood, WI and Stephen B. Hurlbut of McLean, VA; father-in-law of Ed Speare, Peter Earle and Gail Hurlbut; grandfather of eight. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, January 12, 11 a.m., at the Fort Myer Old Post Chapel. Interment with full military honors, Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave., NW Washington, DC 20016 or the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, 1400 Eye St., NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005.

Lieutenant General Oren E. Hurlbut distinguished himself while assigned as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Headquarters, USCONARC. General Hurlbut made major contributions in the coordination and execution of the plans for employment of the U.S. Army Atlantic Forces in the Cuban crisis in making marked
improvements in logistics operations through more efficient use of automatic data processing equipment and in the development of many programs which resulted in substantial savings to the U.S. Government. As Assistant Chief of Staff, G4, Headquarters, U.S. Army, Pacific, he identified a number of areas where changes offered improved support of U.S. Army Forces deployed in the Pacific as well as more timely response to the force requirements in active operations in Southeast Asia. He effected far-reaching changes to the logistical support system, which greatly enhanced the effectiveness of our fighting forces. His brilliant planning and direction effected the installation of computers and the standard supply system in Vietnam, the establishment of teams of highly qualified technicians, and other major innovations which were incorporated in an efficient and orderly manner while maintaining the operation of the huge U.S. Army, Pacific, logistical system. As a member of the Joint LogisticsReview Board, General Hurlbut contributed to a broad and exhaustive board evaluation of the worldwide logistics support to combat forces during the Vietnam era. Additionally, he reviewed, in depth, the comprehensive area of
transporting the vast resources of the implements of war and personal necessities to Armed Forces overseas to determine the impact on the readiness posture of these forces. General Hurlbut’s long experience in logistics, extensive knowledge of supply systems of Military Services, foreign and domestic, and deft managerial skill
materially enhanced the combat readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces.

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