Return to Pointer View home page December 9,  2005

Former Superintendent dies

Story by Eric S. Bartelt
Assistant Editor

Retired Gen. Donald Vivian Bennett, 47th Superintendent of West Point, died Nov. 28 in Asheville, N.C. He was 90.

Bennett, a 1940 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, served in the military until 1974 when he retired as the commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific Command.

He earned the Distinguished Service Cross and two Purple Hearts for his service during World War II.

As a lieutenant colonel commanding the 62nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion, Bennett landed on Omaha Beach with the second wave on D-Day June 6, 1944.

His unit faced tremendous machine gun fire which inflicted 50 percent casualties before they reached relative safety at the base of the cliff adjoining the beach. By disregarding his own safety under heavy enemy fire throughout the day, he contributed immeasurably to the establishment of the beachhead by the Allied Forces.

Bennett recounted his WWII experience in his memoir, Honor Untarnished, as he explained the sense of honor that was instilled in him by the Cadet’s Prayer and the way it sustained him during the war.

Born in Lakeside, Ohio, on May 9, 1915, Bennett’s military service led him back to West Point where he served as superintendent of the academy from Jan. 1966 to June 1968.

After his time as superintendent, Bennett served as commanding general of U.S. VII Corps (1968-1969), director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (1969-1972), the Commander in Chief, United Nations Command, Korea (1972-1973) and then finished his career at USARPAC.

Bennett was pre-deceased by his wife, Elizabeth and son, Peter. He is survived by his daughter, Marylyn.

Services will be held here next week.