Starry Obituary - K Troop - 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

K Troop 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

The Blackhorse In Vietnam 1966 - 1972

hosted by Bob Hersey

General Donn A. Starry

Friday, Aug. 26, 2011
Canton

BORN	May 31, 1925
DIED	August 26, 2011

CALLING HOURS
Wednesday, August 31, 2011: 5-8 PM at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church

SERVICES
11:00 AM on Thursday, September 1, 2011
at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church

Retired U. S. Army 4-Star General Donn A Starry went to be with the Lord on 26 August 2011. General Starry graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1948, after having enlisted in the Army in 1943. His early career included command a staff assignments in Germany, Korea and Vietnam. He commanded the 1st Battalion 32d Armor in Germany, and in 1969 commanded the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam and Cambodia. He also attended the Army Command & General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the Army War College.

In 1971 he became the Director of Force Management on the Army Staff. In 1973 he became Commanding General US Army Armor Center, followed by assignment in Germany as Commander of V Corps 1976-77 . As Commanding General of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command from 1977 to 1981 he is credited with formulating AirLand Battle doctrine, which prepared the Army for war fighting in the 1980s-90s and early 21st Century. He concluded his career as Commander-in-Chief U.S. Readiness Command (1981-83) retiring in 1983.

General Starry is the author of numerous articles in military professional journals. He has written or edited several books and most recently he was the subject of a book, entitled "PRESS ON", containing selected papers from his career. His awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with "V" device, the Soldier's Medal, the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters.

Upon retirement from the Army, Starry joined Ford Aerospace, serving first as Vice President and General Manager of Ford's Space Missions Group, and later as Executive Vice President of Ford Aerospace and Special Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer of BDM International. He served as a member of the Board of Maxwell Laboratories from 1988 to 1993, and from 1996 to 1998 was Chairman of the Board as the company became Maxwell Technologies. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Universal Voltronics in Brookfield, Connecticut. In 1991 he became a Senior Fellow on the faculty of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School at the Joint Forces Staff College.

General Starry served as Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Calvary Memorial Foundation; as a member of the Washington Institute of Foreign Affairs; and as a member of the board of the Eisenhower Foundation in Abilene, KS.

General Starry came to Stark County in 2010 with his wife and Canton native Karen Deitrick Starry. He is survived by his loving wife Karen (Cookie), his sister Sara, (John) Rogers, four children Mike (Bonne), Paul (Emily), Melissa Starry, and Melanie (Kendall) Mohler and seven grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the General Donn A Starry Memorial Fund in care of The HALO Foundation, 501.c.3 - 115 E Market St. Akron, Ohio 44308.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 11:00 AM at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church with Fr. Don King as Celebrant. Friends may call Wednesday, August 31, 2011 from 5-8 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church. (Corner of Fulton and Whipple Roads NW)