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Stewart Oscar Elting was born in 1883 at Fort Grant, Arizona, where his father was on duty as a Lieutenant in the 3rd U.S. Cavalry. His earlier life was like that of an average Army boy whose father is stationed at various posts throughout the country. He was appointed to West Point in 1904 from Vermont, and while at the Academy played throughout his four years as forward on the Army basketball team.</p>
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Upon graduation, he went to Cuba as a 2nd Lt. in the 11th Cavalry and when the regiment returned to the States, he went with it to Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. In 1913 he entered the Mounted Service School at Fort Riley. The class graduated early and he was ordered back to his regiment, which was sent for police duty at the Colorado Fuel and Iron strike. “Wingy’s” foreign service, in addition to Cuba, included a tour in the Philippines with the 15th Cavalry at Fort McKinley, service in the Tank Corps in France where he commanded a brigade of tanks with the rank of Lt. Col. and four years from 1923 to 1927 as Assistant Military Attache at the American Embassy in London. However, after the war, he transferred to the Coast Artillery and was in command at Fort Crockett, Texas, and Fort Rodman, Mass. He was retired for physical disability in 1929 with the rank of Lt. Col.</p>
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During the last few years of his life, he struggled against falling health and after the United States began to arm, was heartsick that his physical condition prevented him from returning to active service. He died at his home in North Woodbury, Conn. on April 24, 1942 and was buried in Arlington with full military honors.</p>
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Colonel Elting’s life, like that of most army officers, was varied and colorful, due to interesting details which his professional career brought him, but he seemed to derive especial enjoyment from living. Wherever he was stationed, he could take advantage of the particular environment for recreation and pleasure during his spare time. In Georgia and Mississippi he took advantage of the excellent quail hunting, in Texas, deep-sea fishing and duck hunting, in England golf. After his retirement he derived much pleasure in the remodeling and restoration of two old houses, one in Winchester, Va., where he lived for nine years and later an old Revolutionary period house in Connecticut.</p>
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As a soldier, Colonel Elting had the reputation of being an exacting, but eminently fair commanding officer and he received many commendations from his superiors for his efficiency and conscientious work. When he left London, Ambassador Houghton wrote, “Your service here has been so exceptionally efficient, and you have shown so admirable an understanding of and sympathy with the people here, that you deserve a very definite word of commendation.”</p>
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His sense of honor and square dealing, which had been instilled into him at West Point remained one of his outstanding characteristics throughout his life. Right and wrong were always white and black to him; yet his generous nature was constantly seeking practical ways of helping those less fortunate than himself or easing the path of some quite obscure person who might be in difficulties. His keen and analytical mind, developed in late years by constant reading, ranged over a vast field and made him an unfailingly interesting companion. He delighted in an argument based on facts, and cared little on which side of the fence he was, provided his opponent was a worthy foe.</p>
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In 1913, Colonel Elting married Miss Ida Taft Eastman, of Littleton, N.H. He is survived by his widow, two sons and a daughter. One son, Stewart, is a student in the Penn. Veterinary School and a 2nd Lt. in the Medical Reserve Corps. The second son, Charles, is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School; his daughter, Anne, is now Mrs. Barrett Eldridge of Forest Hills, Long Island.</p>
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