Roy J. Herte

West Point, 1951

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Jose Andres "Andy" Chacon on October 12, 2005:

Roy Jacob Herte Born January 22, 1929 - Died October 11, 2005 Roy Jacob Herte, Jr. was born in Utah, on 22 January, 1929, and was appointed to West Point from the United States Army, as a Qualified Alternate. Upon graduation, Roy followed in the footsteps of his father, USMA 1926, and went into the Infantry. After completing the Basic Infantry Course at Fort Benning, Georgia he reported to the 86th Infantry Regiment, 10th Division, Ft. Riley, Kansas, where he served from 1951 to 1952. He was then assigned to Korea, with the 223d Infantry, 40th Division, where he served until 1953. He was decorated with the Silver Star for gallantry in action, the Purple Heart for wounds in action against an enemy, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. On return to Stateside, he was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Regiment in Washington, DC and was a White House Aide during the Eisenhower Presidency, from 1953 to 1956. Roy then went to Fort Benning for the Advanced Infantry Course, during 1956-57 time frame. His next station was with the Sixth Army Training Command, Fort Ord, California, where he served until 1959. It was at Ft. Ord that Roy met Mary Ann Kellogg, a local school teacher. Roy then attended the Defense Language Institute, in Monterey, to study French. Upon completion of the French Course of instruction, Roy and Mary Ann were married. Roy's next assignment was with the 513th MI Group, Oberursel, West Germany. It was during this assignment that the Herte's daughter, Kelly Ann, was born. Returning to the States in 1962, Roy was assigned to the Second Infantry Division, Ft. Benning, GA. In 1962, a second daughter, Dianna Marie, joined the Herte household. Roy was selected to attend the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, which he completed in 1965. A son, RJH III, "reported for duty" in 1965. Roy then returned to West Point for three years duty, with the Physical Education Department of the Tactical Department. At school, six year old daughter, Kelly, when asked what her daddy did at West Point, answered, "He teaches the Cadets Recess." Roy was awarded the Commendation Medal for distinguished service on completion of this tour. Roy then went back to combat, once again, this time with the 199th Brigade, in the Republic of Vietnam. On completion of this tour, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of his duties, the Distinguished Flying Cross for distinguished heroism, while participating in aerial flight, and 7 Air Medals, for meritorious achievement. On return to the States, Roy was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC, where he served from 1969 to 1972. Roy's last military assignment was as Deputy Commandant of the Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California. Since his military retirement, as a Lieutenant Colonel, Roy and his wife, Mary Ann, made their home in Monterey, California. Roy took the position of the Superintendent of Public Works, with the City of Salinas, in 1974. He also found time to return to school and earn a Masters degree in Public Administration, from Golden Gate University, in 1978. In 1980, Roy was appointed Deputy City Manager and in 1988, was named City Manager of Salinas, Steinbeck's hometown, a position he held, until he retired, for a second time, in 1991. Roy & Mary continued their traveling ways. They visited their time share condo, in St. Martin, each April. Roy, swam regularly, he and Mary Ann belonged to a Country Club, at Pebble Beach, that has a nice pool. Roy & Mary Ann enjoyed their grand parenting duties, but, enjoyed getting off on their own, once in a while. The July 1991, Assembly noted, "On February 28th, Roy Herte hung up his "city manager suit" and retired. But the last "perk" of office for Roy and Mary Ann was a visit to Salinas' sister city, in Japan, Kushikino. The bad news: Roy's ego was deflated, because the "bar girls" in Tokyo no longer remembered him; the good news was that the police didn't remember him either!!! After retirement, Roy had no trouble trying to find out where to spend his time, Mary Ann kept him busy! Cullum 8017 is Roy J. Herte Class of 1926, Roy's father. Roy died of a heart attack on October 11, 2005.

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