Elvin Ragnvald Heiberg III (March 2, 1932 – September 27, 2013) was a United States Army general who was
Chief of Engineers
The Chief of Engineers is a principal United States Army staff officer at The Pentagon. The Chief advises the Army on engineering matters, and serves as the Army's topographer and proponent for real estate and other related engineering programs. ...
between 1984 and 1988.
Biography
Born at
Schofield Barracks
Schofield Barracks is a United States Army installation and census-designated place (CDP) located in the City and County of Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Oahu, Hawaii, Hawaii. Schofield Barracks lies adj ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, Heiberg became a third-generation
West Pointer when he graduated fifth in the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
class of 1953. He later obtained three master's degrees; the first a Master of Science in
civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...
from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
in 1958, then two Master of Arts degrees from
George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, preside ...
, one in government in 1961 and one in administration. Heiberg graduated from the
Army 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 ...
in 1965 and the
Industrial College of the Armed Forces
The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (Eisenhower School), formerly known as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF), is a part of the National Defense University. It was renamed on September 6, 20 ...
in 1971.
Early in his military career Heiberg served as an operations officer of the 3d Brigade,
3d Infantry Division, in Germany, and taught in the Social Sciences Department at the Military Academy. In 1968-69 he commanded the divisional
4th Engineer Battalion in Vietnam and was awarded a
Silver Star
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 ...
. He then served as special assistant and executive assistant to the director, Office of Emergency Preparedness, under the Executive Office of the President.
Heiberg served for a year as executive to Secretary of the Army
Howard Callaway
Howard Hollis Callaway (April 2, 1927 – March 15, 2014) was an American businessman and politician. He served as a Republican member for the 3rd district of Georgia of the United States House of Representatives. He also served as the 11th Un ...
. He then headed the
' New Orleans District and in 1975-78 the Ohio River Division. He served as senior engineer on the staff of U.S. Army, Europe, in 1978-79. Heiberg was the USACE director of civil works in 1979-82 and then Deputy Chief of Engineers. After managing the army's Ballistic Missile Defense Program for a year, he became
Chief of Engineers
The Chief of Engineers is a principal United States Army staff officer at The Pentagon. The Chief advises the Army on engineering matters, and serves as the Army's topographer and proponent for real estate and other related engineering programs. ...
in 1984. Heiberg, the 46th Chief of Engineers, remains the youngest "Chief" of the Corps of Engineers since 1838, when Brigadier General Totten became the 11th "Chief Engineer" (then the title).
Heiberg retired as a
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 ...
(three stars) in June 1988.
As a civilian, Heiberg was chief executive officer of Rollins Field Services, Inc., under the Delaware firm Rollins Environmental Services, 1988-1990. He then moved to
J.A. Jones Construction
J.A. Jones Construction was a heavy construction company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Operating internationally since the 1950s, it merged with Germany's Philipp Holzmann AG in 1979. In 2003 the company ceased operations due to the ...
, a major engineering firm headquartered in Charlotte, NC. He headed J.A. Jones Construction Services from 1990–1993 and, in 1992 started J.A. Jones Environmental Services.
In 1993, Heiberg moved back to the Washington DC area and founded Heiberg Associates, Inc., which provides engineering and environmental consulting services to a variety of clients.
Heiberg was elected to the
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...
in 1995, and later became a founding member of the National Academy of Construction. Heiberg often provided volunteer services to the National Research Council, the research/study arm of the two National Academies (Science;Engineering). Starting in 2000, that work was primarily in reviewing draft reports before they are finalized.
Heiberg married Kathryn ("Kitty") Schrimpf (August 19, 1931 – December 25, 2015)
[ in Kansas in 1953, after graduating from the United States Military Academy. She accompanied Heiberg on most of his military assignments. They resided in the Washington DC area, where Heiberg Associates was headquartered, and where Mrs. Heiberg ran her own business in antiques, porcelain repair and custom framing ("Creative Concepts"). Among her many volunteer efforts, Mrs. Kitty Heiberg performed work within the Nixon White House and a great variety of Army and Army wives' community efforts. They had four grown children, all married, and several grandchildren. He died of cancer on September 27, 2013 in ]Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a County (United States), county in the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the Washington, D.C., District of Co ...
and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
on January 10, 2014. His wife was buried next to him on March 10, 2016.
Awards and decorations
Heiberg's military awards include;
*
Army Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
*
Silver Star
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 ...
*
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 two 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 ...
s,
*
Distinguished Flying Cross
*
Bronze Star
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
*
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 six 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 ...
s
*Army commendation one Oak leaf cluster
*National Defense service medal one Oak Leaf cluster
*Korean war service medal
*Vietnam service medal four bronze stars
*Army service Ribbon
*Army Overseas Service Ribbon Numeral one
*''Vietnam Technical Service Honors Medal First class''
*United Nations medal Korea
*Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with ''1960–'' Device
*
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown (french: Ordre de la Couronne, nl, Kroonorde) is a national order of the Kingdom of Belgium. The Order is one of Belgium's highest honors.
History
The Order was established on October 15, 1897 by King Leopold II
* ...
(Commander)
*
Order of Military Merit (Brazil)
The Order of Military Merit ( pt, Ordem do Mérito Militar) is an award of the Brazilian Army, established on 11 July 1934 by President of Brazil, President Getúlio Vargas. The order is presented in five grades and recognizes distinguished servic ...
(Grand Commander)
See also
References
''This article contains public domain
The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work
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text from''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heiberg, Elvin R., Iii
1932 births
2013 deaths
People from Honolulu County, Hawaii
United States Military Academy alumni
Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni
George Washington University alumni
United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy alumni
United States Army generals
United States Army Corps of Engineers Chiefs of Engineers
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
Recipients of the Order of Military Merit (Brazil)
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
Recipients of the Air Medal
Recipients of the Silver Star
Commanders of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering
People from Arlington County, Virginia
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery