US Army Training Center - Yearbook (Fort Polk, LA)

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kk x DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY HEADQUARTERS US ARMY TRAINING CENTER, INFANTRY AND FORT POLK Fort Polk, Louisiana 71459 This book is for you. In making the difficult transformation from civilian to soldier you have written a chapter of the story it tells. It is an old story which hegan almost two centuries ago when our country trained its first soldiers to preserve the freedom and rights we enjoy today. I am sure that the spirit of dedication and hard work demon- strated in your first eight weeks of military service will he con- tinued in meeting and conquering the many challenges you will en- counter in your Army career. I am confident that you will serve your Country in a manner in which you and the nation will he proud. RICHARD li. IRIN' Brigadier General, KSA Commanding

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Brigadier General Richard 1,, Irby was born in Black- stone, Virginia, on 26 February 1918. He was graduated from the Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, and commissioned a second lieutenant of Cavalry in 1939. During VVorld War 11 General Irby served with the Northern Combat Area Command in Burma and later as Assistant G4 with the China Theater Headquarters. He returned to the L'nited States in 1947 and attended the Armor Officers Advanced Course at the Armor School, Fort Knox, Kentucky, and then served as an Assistant Professor of Military Science and Tactics at the Virginia Military Institute. In 1950 he again returned to the Far Fast where he served as a branch chief in G4, General Headquarters, Tokyo, japan, and as Battalion Commander, Ist Cavalry Division. 2d Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment in Korea. Returning to the Lnited States in 1952, he commanded the 13th Tank Battalion and Combat Command A, Ist Armored Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He attended Com- mand ancl General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan- sas, and after graduating in 195-1, he served for three years as an instructor at the college. In August 1957 he was assigned as Deputy and Chief of the Training Division, G3 Section, Seventh 1'nited States Army. The following year he connnanded Division Trains and later Combat Command A of the 3rd Armored Division. General Irby was a student at the Army VVar College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania in 1960. He was then assigned to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Op- erations, Department of the Army, where he served as Deputy and later as Chief of the Materiel Coordination RICHARD L. IRBY Brigadier General, U. S. Army Commanding General Division and Assistant Director, Organization and Train- ing Directorate. In 1963 he was assigned to the LS Dele- gation to the NATO Military Committee and Standing Group where he was a Planner and Assistant Chief of Staff, US Delegation. In july 1965 General Irby returned to Fort Knox again as Deputy Assistant Commandant and Director of Instruc- tion at the US Armor School, where he remained until Feb- ruary 1967. He assumed command of the Lnited States Army Training Center, Armor, Fort Knox, Kentucky, on 7 February 1967 and departed on 18 july 1967 for assign- ment to the 1st Cavalry Division tAirmobile1 in Vietnam where he served until February 1969 as the Division Com- mander or Assistant Division Commander. He reported to Fort Lewis, Washington, on 7 March 1969 as Deputy Commanding General and continued in that capacity until October 1969. On 15 October 1969 he assumed command of the United States Army Training Center, Infantry and Fort Polk, Louisiana. General Irby has been awarded the Distinguished Scr- vice Medal, the Silver Star twith Oak Leaf Clusterj, the Legion of Merit twith two Oak Leaf Clustersi, the Dis- tinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal twith V and two Oak Leaf Clustersj, the Air Medal twith V and 54 Oak Leaf Clustersl, the joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal twith two Oak Leaf Clustersl, the Combat Infantrymanls Badge, and the Army Aviatorls VVings. General Irby is married to the former Anile Short of Lawrenceville, Virginia. They have three children: Richard L. jr., Debra Anne, and William

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Iimil P. Iischenlmurg was horn in Macomlm County. Michigan, 26 Decemher I9I5. In I939 he was graduated with high honors from Alichigan State t'niversity, where he was cadet colonel of the ROTC, While attending AISI' Ile served in an Artillery unit of the Alichigan National Guard. After graduation and lmeing commissioned. he Cll- tered the Army' on a competitive 'tour of duty' and was selected for commission in the Regular Army' I july I940 as a second lieutenant. Infantry. Ifrom H140 until I9-I2 he served in various command and staff positions up to regimental level in the United States and Iceland. In I9-12. General Iischenhurg was assigned to the Ist Special Services Force, a commaiido-parachute type or- ganization composed of volunteers from Canada and the l'nited States. Ilis duty with this unit was as the S3 of the Iforcc. XYhiIe in the Force. he participated in the Aleutian campaign of 1943, then moved to the Mediterranean The- ater where he fought in Italy and Southern Ifrance until Oetoliei' I9-I-I. IIe was then assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, of the Ist Airlmorne Task Iforce, and later to a special planning mission with the French Army. In December 194-1, General Esehenlnurg was reassigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, GS, of the 45th Infantry Divi- sion, the famed Oklahoma National Guard Thunderliirds, XYhile with the Tlmnderhirds, he participated in the hreech- ing of the Siegfried Line, the crossing of the Rhine, and the capture of Nurnherg and Munich. IIe remained in the Army' of Occupation in Germany until late in I945. lfpon return to the United States. General Iisehenlmrg was assigned to the Civil Affairs Division of the Office of the Chief of Staff in XYashington until August I946. He then served as an instructor in the Tactical Section at The Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. EMIL P. ESCHENBURG Brigadier General, U. S. Army Deputy Commanding General In I949. after attending the Dale Carnegie Course, General ICSCI-ll'IlIJllI'j.I again assumed duties as an Assistant Chief of Staff, GS, this time with the 6th Infantry' Division at the I'ort Ord, California, Inlantry Iranung Center. IIe later conunanded the divisions 63rd Infantry Regiment. After attendance at the Armed Forces Staff College, he returned to eomliat in April I953 as Commanding Offi- cer of the 35th Infantry Itegiment in Korea and fought his regiment astride the Pamnunjom Corridor. I.ater he was again assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff, G3, this time with Headquarters, I Corps, north of Seoul. General Eschenlxurg returned to the States in 195-I and served for the next two years as Deputy Chief. Infantry' Branch, Career Management Division of the Adjutant Gen- erals Office in NYashington, D. C. I-Iarly in I956 he was selected for attendance at the National XA'ar College, Ifort McNair, Washington, D. C. Lpon graduation from the XX'ar College in july I95T, he was assigned to Ileadquarters, Third II. S. Army, at Ifort McI'herson, Georgia, where he served as Assistant Chief of Staff, GI, then Assistant Chief of Staff, GS. During this time he also attended the I3-week Advanced Management Course at Ilary ard t'niversity'. In july I96U, General Ifsehenlmrg returned to France, where he served as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, SHAPE, until Ifehruary I963. AYhiIe there he also attended the NATO Special Weapons Course at Oherammergau, Germany . Returning to the United States, he Imecame the Assist- ant Division Commander of the IOIst Airliorne Division at Fort Camphell, Kentucliy. and was promoted to the ranlt of Brigadier General S April I963. During this two- year assignment General Ifsehenlmrg also attended the Brooltings Institute for Advanced Studies in Virginia and graduated from the diyisionis jumpmaster school. After attendance at the Xlilitary' Assistance Institute and the Foreign Service Institute, General Iisehenlmrg was assigned as Chief. XIAAG. Ifthiopia in Xlay I965. Ile remained tllere until july 1967 when he was reassigned as the Assistant Division Commander of the Ist Infantry Division in Vietnam. In june I968, he liecame Deputy Commanding General, Capital Xlilitary Assistance Com- mand. the command that had the mission for the critical defense of Saigon and the nearlmy areas. General Iischenluurg has been awarded TT decorations hy the United States and two foreign nations, in addition to numerous campaign medals. IIe holds the nationis highest award for service, the Distinguished Service Medal. Xlore than a dozen of his citations have lmeen for personal hero- ism, including four awards of the nations third highest decoration for valor, the Silver Star. General Ifschenlmrg and his wife, Betty, have four children: Paulag Iimil P., jr., Iirichg and I.ise. IIe was assigned as Deputy Conunanding General of the l'. S. Army' Training Center. Infantry, and Ifort Polk. Fort Polk, Louisiana, 20 March I969.