Alfred Starbird

Alfred Dodd Starbird (April 28, 1912 – July 28, 1983) was an American modern pentathlete, lieutenant general, and authority on nuclear weaponry. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, class of 1933, he was commissioned in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He was a member of the United States modern pentathlon team at the 1936 Summer Olympics, finishing seventh overall in a field of 42.

During World War II, Starbird served in the Operations Division of the War Department General Staff. He was an observer at landings at Oran and Normandy. In the latter part of the war in Europe, he commanded the 1135th Engineer Combat Group, which supported the assault crossing of the Rhine, and built bridges over the Danube.

From 1955 to 1961, Starbird was Director of Military Applications of the Atomic Energy Commission. He commanded Joint Task Force 8 in the conduct the Operation Dominic series of nuclear tests in 1962, was director of the Defense Communications Agency from 1962 to 1967, and director of the Sentinel program from 1967 to 1971.

After retiring from the Army in 1971, Starbird was director of the newly created Office of Test and Evaluation in the Department of Defense (DOD) from 1971 to 1975, and assistant administrator for National Security in the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) from 1975 to 1977. In 1977, ERDA became part of the new Department of Energy (DOE), and he became its acting secretary for Defense Programs. He retired in 1980.

Early life and education

Alfred Dodd Starbird was born in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on April 28, 1912, the son of Brigadier General Alfred A. Starbird and his wife, Ethel Dodd Starbird, the daughter of Brigadier General George A. Dodd. He had two sisters, Catharine (Kaye) and Ethel.

On July 1, 1929, Starbird entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Although one of the younger members of his class, He graduated 5th of 347 with the class of 1933, and, as was normal for high-ranking graduates, Although the United States team was placed first, he did not receive a gold medal, as medals were not awarded to modern pentathlon teams until 1952.

After attending the officers' course at the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, he returned to West Point as an instructor in Civil and Military Engineering on June 5, 1938. He married Evelyn Wallington at Fort Myer, Virginia, where her father was stationed, in June 1939. They had three children: Edward, Susan and Catharine.

On January 1, 1945, Starbird assumed command of the 1135th Engineer Combat Group. The 1135th Engineer Combat Group supported the XII Corps assault crossing of the Rhine River on March 22 and 23, 1945. For this operation 18 engineer units were attached to 1135th Engineer Combat Group, and Starbird had the services of 600 storm boats and 300 assault boats. The 1135th Engineer Combat Group built a pontoon bridge over the Danube River on May 4 and then a treadway bridge on May 6. Starbird was awarded the Legion of Merit, a second Bronze Star Medal He returned to the Operations Division on June 1, 1945.

Nuclear weapons On July 17, 1946, Starbird was posted to Hawaii as the deputy chief of staff of United States Army Pacific. He was then seconded to Joint Task Force 7, a special force formed for the Operation Sandstone nuclear tests at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific in 1948.

Starbird joined the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Paris when it was formed in 1951. He then returned to Washington, D.C., for a two-year tour in the Office of the Chief of Engineers. Edward married Margaret Leonard, the daughter of Starbird's 1936 modern pentathlon teammate Charles F. Leonard Jr. Their son, Starbird's grandson, Charles D. Starbird graduated with the class of 1990, and granddaughter Kate Starbird is a former professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the American Basketball League (ABL), and a faculty member at the University of Washington.