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The Year 1932 was not the best of times to graduate from high school. Too many found dreams of a college education shattered by the Great Depression. Many never escaped; <em>Dennis Ladislaus Barton “Bart”</em> did. An insatiable reader, one day his eyes lit on an item indicating that Army personnel could compete annually for appointments to West Point.</p>
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Bart thought, “That’s for me,” and, in total ignorance of the odds, he confidently “report­ed for duty” to the nearest recruiting sergeant, who kindly waived a two-pound minimum weight deficiency, assuring Bart that the Army would take care of that small matter. Thus, in September 1933, dressed in a World War I, itchy, choke-collar wool uniform, with itchy, wool wrap leggings, and an ill-fitting issue hat, Bart began his long, interesting, unique, and totally satisfying Army career.</p>
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After completing a radio operator’s course at Ft. Monmouth, NJ, Bart was assigned to the Army’s net control station, WAR, in Washington, DC, as a high-speed radio op­erator. This assignment set the course for the rest of his military career and provided an op­portunity to attend West Point's preparatory school (then at Ft. Monroe, VA). Completing the course did not directly result in an ap­pointment, but it did allow him to compete successfully for a senatorial appointment. Thus, in June of 1936, he was invited “to enter the U.S. Military Academy.”</p>
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Upon graduation in 1940, with a desire for service less sedentary than communications, he was commissioned in the Cavalry with assignment to Custer’s 7th Cavalry Regiment. He happily reported to his regimental com­mander, who appointed him regimental communications officer. Two years later, having watched his classmates transfer from horseback to mechanized units (in which he had no interest whatever), he managed to work his way back to the Signal Corps. Thus, he found himself deploying with the 122nd SRI Company on 2 Nov 1942, for the inva­sion of North Africa.</p>
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Upon arrival, Bart was transferred to the 849th SIS and designated Communications Security Officer for the Allied Forces Headquarters. In this capacity, he orga­nized and commanded the Allied Forces Monitoring Service. His extensive commu­nications background made him well aware of the difficulties experienced by the U.S. Ground Forces radio operators trying to use the awkward “Combined” link sign system. When asked by superiors if he could ease the situation, he proceeded to write, publish, and distribute S.I. No. 59, a modification of the system for use by the “U.S. Ground Forces in the North African Theater.” He visited all units in Theater, instructing command­ers, staffs, and communication personnel in security and procedures. With a Fifth Army representative, he conceived what became the Fifth Army’s SIAM (Signal Intelligence and Monitoring) Companies that served with forward echelons to good advantage.</p>
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After arriving in Rome with the 849th SIS, Bart asked to join the invasion of Southern France in 1944, and was assigned to Headquarters, Sixth Army Group, as Signal Intelligence Officer. After VE Day, he was as­signed to Headquarters, Command Control Council in Berlin, Germany. In September 1945, being an Regular Army officer, he was offered a 30-day R&R to CONUS in lieu of rotation, with the “understanding” that he would return to Berlin. Upon arrival at Ft. Dix, NJ, however, he was offered the option of remaining in the States, transferred back to Signal Corps, and was assigned to the Army Security Agency.</p>
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In 1950, Bart received his MS degree in Electronics Engineering from Ohio State University. In 1951, he was assigned to the Department of Defense Physical Security Equipment Agency as a Communications Research Specialist. In 1953, he became an Army Security Agency Career Specialist and was assigned to ASA, Arlington Hall Station, as Chief of the Engineering Branch of G-4. In 1955, he departed for HQ, ASA Pacific.</p>
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Upon return to CONUS in 1958, COL Barton became executive officer and then deputy commander of the USASA Operations Center, Ft. Huachuca, AZ. In August 1959, he transferred to the Joint Staff, where he served three years in J-2 Technical Intelligence and was the Joint Staff representative on the Scientific Intelligence Committee of the U.S. Intelligence Board. Upon estab­lishment of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Bart became a member of their Scientific and Technical Division.</p>
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COL Barton departed CONUS on 11 Aug 1963 for Turkey to assume command of TUSLOG Detachment 27. Three years later, he returned to CONUS and was assigned to the U.S. Army Element of the National Security Agency. He retired on 31 Oct 1968.</p>
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On 2 Mar 1946, Bart married the former Maryann Leitner. They had two sons, Clyde and Gene, both of whom established success­ful careers in the field of computers. Clyde entered the field directly from the University of Florida, while Gene ’72 retired from the Army, also as a colonel, before establishing his own firm.</p>
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After retirement, Bart and Maryann moved to San Antonio, Texas, where he started a new career as a mathematics in­structor, secondary and college levels. Twelve years later, Bart retired from teaching, ready to enjoy those vaunted Golden Years with his Maryann. That same year she was diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease, however, and Bart spent the next 13 years caring for her at home and painfully watching her slowly slip away. Maryann died in 1994, and Bart carried her ashes to West Point.</p>
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The following year, Bart married Susan Moore, a very dear friend, and felt ever so grateful that he now had been given a second chance at happiness for whatever remained of those Golden Years. They ended all too soon, on 25 Jul 2007, when Bart received final orders to join the other side of the Long Gray Line. Susan carried his ashes to West Point, where, surrounded by family, he was laid to rest.</p>
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Bart is survived by his beloved wife Susan; his sons, Clyde and Gene; a brother Charles; two sisters, Irene and Olga; five grandchildren; and Susan’s three grown children.</p>
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—<em>Self-authored with Gene C. Barton ’72, son</em></p>
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