Posted by Jerry L Ball on February 10, 2019:

I served under Col. Monahan in the early to mid 70s at USA STRATCOM (later USACC) Taiwan. He was the most decent and honorable commanding officer I ever knew. A PFC and later SP4 (under him), I was the lowest-ranking person in Headquarters, but he treated me extremely well and with respect - but then he treated everyone so. No tyrant, he was a quiet and effective leader who did not seek personal credit at the expense of others. He was also personally disciplined and temperate, qualities very rare at that time. A man of great cultural refinement, he did not despise the Chinese, but immersed himself in their culture as much as his busy schedule allowed, something that the "local nationals" greatly appreciated. Indeed, he was admired and even loved by them. A lover of Western opera, he took considerable interest in Chinese opera and developed a taste for it, something quite difficult for most Westerners to do. A keen photographer, he took pride in his acquisition of a vintage Leica camera. I hope his photography has survived to be appreciated by his family. I easily rank him among the ten best men I have ever known - and first among those in the military.

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