Daniel Gorman Sharp

West Point, 1951

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by J. A. "Andy" Chacon on March 22, 2011:

Daniel Gorman Sharp Born September 15, 1928-- Died March 18, 2011 Dan's branch choice was Infantry and shortly after graduation with other members of the class he attended his basic course and jump school. Troop duty with the 1st Inf, 6th Inf Division preceded a tour in Korea with the 223rd Inf, 40th Inf Div where he served as a platoon leader, battalion staff officer and rifle company commander. In July 1953 Dam joined the 82nd Abn Div serving as a staff officer and company commander in the 505th Abn Inf and as the OIC of the Division's Jumpmaster and Aerial Delivery School. In 1956 he attended the Inf Officer Advanced Course and was posted thereafter back to West Point as a company tactical officer. He was selected for the 1960-61 class at CGSC and then sent to a DA assignment with a duty station at Ft Richardson, AK. In April 1962 he became the senior aide to Lt. Gen. Mike Michaelis while the general commanded V Corps in Europe. Following his tour in Frankfurt he joined the 1st Brigade 8th Inf Div in Mainz, Germany serving as XO and CO of the 1st Bn, 505th Abn Inf until Dec, 1964. In the following year he attended AFSC in Norfolk, VA and then, in Washington, served in Infantry Branch, OPD, as an assignment officer and section chief. He assumed command of the 2nd Bn, 502Abn Inf in the 101st Abn Div in May 1968 in Vietnam and finished his tour there as XO to the Chief of Staff, USARV. He returned from Nan for an interim assignment with the SGS section of the Army Material Command before attending the Naval War College for the 196970 session. After attending a senior officer course of instruction he was qualified as a rotary wing aviator and returned to OPD as its XO. In 1972 he moved to Alaska as G-1, USARAL and then assumed command of the 172 Inf Bde stationed at Ft Richardson and Ft Wainwright. Command of Western Regional Recruiting Command followed in 1975-76 and his final assignment again returned him to West Point as Deputy Commandant of Cadets. He retired from AD in 1977. His awards were the CIB w/Star, Master Parachute Wings and the Army Aviation Badge; decorations include the Soldiers Medal, Bronze Star w/ V, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal w/V and the Legion of Merit. Settling in Idaho Dan became the Vice President and General Manager of a wholesale hardware distributor in Boise and later as Commissioner for the State's Pardon and Parole Commission. Dan and Marilyn Pearson were married in Boise, ID in February 1954. Their eldest son, a resident of Fairbanks, AK is an organizer for the International Laborers, their youngest in Cordova, AK is the senior Department of Fish and Game biologist/manager of the Prince William Sound and Copper River commercial fisheries. Their other boy lives in Albuquerque and is a research engineer in the University of New Mexico's Department of Psychology.

admin