Allen Mitchell Burdett Jr. (25 August 1921 – 8 July 1980) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Early life

Burdett was born in Washington, D.C. on August 25, 1921 to Allen Sr. and Margaret Burdett. He also had a brother named Lucien. His ancestors fought in every American conflict since the Revolutionary War. His father, a highly respected military judge, became the Army's senior JAG colonel. As a Boy Scout at

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest perman ...

, Kansas, Burdett began his lifelong friendship with a future

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

(USMA) classmate, Arch Hamblen. Upon graduation from Western High School in Washington, DC, in 1939, he was appointed to the USMA by Senator Richard Russell Jr. of Georgia.

Education

* 1943: Bachelor of Science,

* 1951: Graduate Infantry School * 1953:

Command and General Staff College The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...

* 1955:

Armed Forces Staff College The Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC), located in Norfolk, Virginia, was established as the Armed Forces Staff College in 1946 and incorporated into the National Defense University in August 1981. It educates and acculturates joint and multinat ...

, Norfolk, Virginia * 1959: Army War College * 1965: Master's degree in International Affairs,

George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , presi ...

Military service

Dates of rank

* June 1, 1943:

Second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 1 ...

U.S. Army Register (1946)
/ref> * December 1, 1943:

First lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...

* November 6, 1944:

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

* August 7, 1946: Major * March 16, 1953: Lieutenant colonel * September 1, 1959:

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

* October 22, 1966:

Brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

* c. 1970:

Major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

* 1973:

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Assignments

* 1940 – 1943: Attended the

, graduated on June 1, 1943 * 1943 – 1947: Served in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

with the

Headquarters and Headquarters Company In United States Army units, a Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) is a company-sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. Considered one unit, a Headquarters and Headquarters Company is essentially two elements withi ...

, 255th Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division, commissioned ( ASN: O-26048), reached the rank of Major * 1947 – 1950: Assistant Professor, Military science and tactics,

Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

* 1950 – 1952: S3 and Battalion Executive Officer, 508th Airborne Regimental Combat Team * 1953 – 1954: Infantry Battalion Commander, Regimental Executive Officer, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division * 1954: G1 and G2, 7th Infantry Division * 1955 – 1958: Army Representative Office of the Commandant of the

United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and Un ...

* 1960 – 1962: Director of the Combat Devels and worked in the office of the deputy assistant commandant of the Army Aviation School * 1962 – 1965: Executive Officer to the

Assistant Secretary of the Army Assistant Secretary of the Army is a title used to describe various civilian officials in the United States Department of the Army. Present Assistant Secretaries of the Army At present, there are five offices bearing the title of Assistant Secret ...

* 1965 – 1966:

Commanding Officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latit ...

of the 11th Aviation Group, 1st Cavalry Division * 1966 – 1968: Military assistant in the Office of the Director of the Office of Defense, Research and Engineering * 1968 – 1969: Assistant Division Commander,

101st Airborne Division The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault operations. It can plan, coordinate, and execute multiple battalion-size air assault operat ...

* 1969 – 1970:

Commanding general The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

of the 1st Aviation Brigade * 1970: Director of

Army Aviation An army aviation unit is an aviation-related unit of a nation's army, sometimes described as an air corps. These units are generally separate from a nation's dedicated air force, and usually comprise helicopters and light support fixed-wing air ...

, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development,

Department of the Army The United States Department of the Army (DA) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the U.S. The Department of the Army is the federal government agency within which the United States Army (U.S.) is or ...

* 1970 – 1973: Commanding general of the

United States Army Aviation Center United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

and commandant of the United States Army Aviation School,

Fort Rucker Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located primarily in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training installation for U.S. Army Aviators an ...

, Alabama * 1973 – 1975: Commanding general of III Corps,

Fort Hood Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, it is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquar ...

, Texas * 1975 – 1978: Commanding general of the 5th United States Army,

Fort Sam Houston Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. "Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview), US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army. Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the U.S. Senator from Texas, U.S. Repres ...

, Texas * 1978: Retired from military service on June 30, 1978 with the rank of lieutenant general.

Personal life

On 19 April 1948, Burdett married Antoinette Salley in Asheville, North Carolina. Together they had four children (Allen III, Douglas, William, and Margaret). His daughter was killed in a car accident in 1984. His wife died on April 24, 2008.

After retirement

He continued his work with the Board of Directors of the United Services Automobile Association (USAA). He was a longtime member of the Army-Navy Town Club and the Army-Navy Country Club; as a member of the Falls Church Presbyterian Church, Falls Church, Virginia, he served as a deacon; as a member of the Covenant Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, he was a ruling elder. He was also a member of the Society of the Cincinnati.

Death

Burdett died of cancer on 8 July 1980 in San Antonio, Texas, following a two-month illness. He was buried in the

Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of San Antonio in Bexar County, Texas. Administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, it encompasses , and as of 2014, had over 144,000 interme ...

in San Antonio, Texas.https://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/NGLMap?ID=377538

Awards & decorations

Combat Infantryman Badge The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is a United States Army military decoration. The badge is awarded to infantrymen and Special Forces soldiers in the rank of colonel and below, who fought in active ground combat while assigned as members of ei ...

* United States Army Senior Aviator Badge * Senior Parachutist Badge *

Army Staff Identification Badge The United States Army Staff Identification Badge is a badge of the United States Army worn by personnel who serve at the Office of the Secretary of the Army and the Army Staff at Headquarters, Department of the Army ( HQDA) and its agencies. N ...

Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge The Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge is a military badge issued to members of the United States armed forces who are permanently assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and its subordinate offices, and in ...

Army Distinguished Service Medal The Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a military decoration of the United States Army that is presented to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious service to the government in a duty of great responsibility. Th ...

with bronze

oak leaf cluster An oak leaf cluster is a ribbon device to denote preceding decorations and awards consisting of a miniature bronze or silver twig of four oak leaves with three acorns on the stem. It is authorized by the United States Armed Forces for a speci ...

Silver Star Medal The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

with bronze oak leaf cluster *

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

with bronze oak leaf cluster * Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster *

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious a ...

with 2 oak leaf clusters *

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

with 24 oak leaf clusters *

Army Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

Air Force Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

National Order of Vietnam The National Order of Vietnam ( vi, Bảo Quốc Huân Chương) was a combined military-civilian decoration of South Vietnam and was considered the highest honor that could be bestowed upon an individual by the Republic of Vietnam government. ...

5th Class * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm * Vietnam Air Force Distinguished Service Order * Presidential Unit Citation *

Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or ...

with oak leaf cluster *

Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation The Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation () is a military unit award of the government of South Korea that may be presented to South Korean military units, and foreign military units for outstanding performance in defense of the Republic o ...

In 1980 he was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. The Lt. Gen. Allen M. Burdett Jr. Army Aviation Flight Safety Award was named in his honor in 1970. The National Boy Scout Court of Honor awarded him the Silver Beaver, one of scouting's highest awards. The San Antonio chapter of the American Red Cross honored him by establishing a volunteer award in his name.

References

External links

* https://www.westpointaog.org/memorial-article?id=933ff511-e51d-41e1-a6de-dfdf09e4cbec * https://www.vhpa.org/DAT/datB/G60336.HTM * https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Burdett%2c+Allen+Mitchell%2c+Jr. * https://www.fold3.com/page/628095309-allen-burdett-1921/facts * http://www.quad-a.org/Public/Awards/Awardees/BurdettAM.aspx * https://www.army.mil/article/87160/tradoc_cg_presents_award_participates_in_islc
Article title
* https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1980/07/18/gen-a-m-burdett-dies-saw-combat-in-3-wars/31e5309c-5962-4613-aa0d-6360b64f51f1/
''Primer of the Helicopter War'', by Charles Holley and Mike Sloniker (1997), page 95

''The War Managers'', by Douglas Kinnard (1979), page 184

''Historic Killeen: An Illustrated History'', by Gerald D. Skidmore (2010), page 38

''The Human Tradition in America Since 1945'', by David L. Anderson (2003), page 104

Army Aviation Leaders
* http://www.vietnamwar.net/FirstAviationBrigade.htm * https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/196260123/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Burdett, Allen M. Jr. 1921 births 1980 deaths United States Military Academy alumni Military personnel from Washington, D.C. United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni Joint Forces Staff College alumni United States Army War College alumni Elliott School of International Affairs alumni United States Army personnel of World War II American military personnel of the Korean War United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War American Senior Army Aviators Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Distinguished Service Order (Vietnam) Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Army generals Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) People from Falls Church, Virginia Military personnel from San Antonio Deaths from cancer in Texas Burials at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery