|
| Robert
W. Douglass III |
| NO.
17658 • 20 Jun 1927 - 4 Mar 2002 |
| Died
1 November 1999 in Sierra Vista, AZ
Died in Huntsville, AL
Interment: West Point Post Cemetery, West Point NY |
Robert “Bob” Wilkins Dougass III was born to LT and Mrs. Robert
W Douglass, Jr., at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC.
Because Bob’s father was assigned to the Panama Canal Zone,
his mother took a boat to Washington, DC, so that her son would
be eligible, by being born in the United States, to one day become
president, if he so desired.
Bob attended the Florida Military Academy before receiving an
appointment and entering West Point in 1946. He continued his family’s
Academy tradition, both from his father's and mothers sides of the
family. As a cadet, he was a member of the Portuguese and camera
clubs and worked on the Howitzer. His classmates would always remember
Bob as helping them with their studies.
After graduation, Bob’s duties included: assistant S-2 (intelligence
and survey) on the battalion staff, assistant S-4 (logistics) on
the Corps Artillery staff, commander of a 90 millimeter gun battery
in an air defense artillery battalion at the Atomic Energy Commissions
Savannah River Defense Area, artillery survey and intelligence duties
for an armored field
artillery battalion, assistant S-3 (operations and training) for
a 280 mm gun battalion in Korea, preliminary planning for artillery
problem programming, instructor at the artillery and missile school
at Ft. Sill, planning movement and fire support requirements for
artillery battalions, and assignment as assistant S-3 (war plans)
at V Corps Artillery in Darmstadt, Germany. While in Korea, Bob
coordinated with Army and Corps staffs regarding the employment
of nuclear capable artillery units. He received the highest rating
obtainable at Ft. Sill for performance as an instructor after he
initiated and completed development of the first Corps level problem
involving operations in a nuclear environment.
After leaving the Army for a civilian career, Bob spent 18 months
in New York, where he attended Nassau Community College, New York
University, and Adelphi University to pursue a master's in mathematics.
He then moved his family to Huntsville, AL, where he worked for
the Boeing Company as a reliability and safety engineer on the Saturn
V program, receiving the NASA Apollo Achievement Award for his achievements.
Several years later, he received a master’s in education and
taught science and mathematics to junior high school students. Bob
was a project manager for Planning Research Corporation for Space
Shuttle orbiter and Spacelab programs and received several commendations
for his work. He co authored NASA TM C-64799, A Guide
For Performing System Safety Analysis, published by the Marshall
Space Flight Center in January 1974. Bob retired from Teledyne Brown
Engineering in July 1991, where he had been in charge of all Goddard
Space Flight Center programs.
Bob was deeply involved in Huntsville Little Theater for more
than 25 years. He did everything from hamming it up onstage to working
backstage to the administration of the theater group. He played
Harley Hudson in his first play, Advise and Consent, in 1968. Other
plays in which he acted included: Becket, Charlie’s Aunt,
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; 1776, and others.
His favorite role was that of the lead, Joe Benjamin, in God’s
Favorite. His backstage experience included set construction, sound,
electrical, stage manager, technical director, fighting, and set
design for more than 20 productions.
Bob explored his Scottish roots avidly. He spent years working
up his genealogy and tracing it back to Scotland. He was very active
in the Scottish games both in Huntsville and at Grandfather Mountain
in North Carolina. He took his family on a three week "getting
to our roots” trip to Scotland in August 1997, during which
everyone had a marvelous time.
Bob loved all college sports and was an avid fan of the University
of Alabama Huntsville hockey team. He had season tickets for almost
20 years and traveled with the team to at least one set of away
games every year. After he retired, he attended many of the team’s
practices and helped with all their fundraising events. To perpetuate
Bob’s memory, his
family provides the Robert W Douglass III Memorial Hockey Scholarship
to a senior hockey player every year.
One highlight in Bob’s life was walking in the Long Gray
Line at his 50th reunion at West Point in 2000. Even though he had
already had one stroke, he walked proudly with his head held high
throughout the festivities. Bob also lived to celebrate his 50th
wedding anniversary, although he was very ill at the time.
At his memorial service, Bob’s life was celebrated by describing
his feelings about the Academy’s motto, "Duty, Honor,
Country," in this way: Duty to the teachings of his alma mater;
Honor to his heritage and ancestors from Scotland; and Country the
United States of America, which he served with great love and devotion.
His uniforms from these three loves were proudly displayed at this
memorial service, in which his whole family participated. The music
included "Highland Cathedral," the West Point 'Alma Mater,"
"The Corps," "The Lord's Prayer' recording by son
Robert, "Flowers of the Forest," and 'Amazing Grace,"
of which several were played on the bagpipes. His favorite song,
"Stars and Stripes Forever," ended the memorial service.
Bob will be forever missed by his loving family and his many friends
and classmates. His wife, Ginny; son Robert IV; daughter Susie;
and two grandchildren survive him.
- Lovingly submitted by Ginny and Susie Douglass
|
USMA 1950