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<em>Terry de la Mesa Allen Jr., </em>son of Major General Allen and grandson of an 1881 graduate of the Academy, was born at Fort Bliss, Texas, on 13 April 1929. He was killed in Vietnam while leading his battalion in battle on 17 October 1967. He is survived by his wife, Jean, three daughters, Consuelo, Alice, and Mary Frances, and mother, Mary Frances Robinson Allen.</div>
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Born and raised in the Army, Terry learned the rigors and joys of army life early. He took to the saddle at two years of age, while his father was stationed at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, and won first place in children’s riding class at Fort Riley, Kansas, when only six years old. His father, a superb horseman, taught his son polo, and soon made him a fine competitor. As a young man, Terry would later captain the polo team at the New Mexico Military Institute at Roswell, New Mexico.</div>
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After graduating from the Institute, he entered West Point. Never an academic standout, he nonetheless received his diploma in June 1952 and entered the Army as an infantryman. Upon completion of the basic miltary course and additional airborne and ranger training, he became a platoon leader in the 504th Airborne Infantry Regiment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Then in 1953, he joined the 5th Infantry Regiment in Korea. When the unit returned to Fort Lewis, Washington, he received command of a rifle company. This gave him the opportunity to show his keen understanding of the American soldier, and to prove, in competition with officers senior in rank to him, that he was the best commander in his battalion.</div>
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Upon graduation from the associate career course at Fort Benning, Georgia, in August 1957, he spent the next three years of his career as an aide for General Wyman, the Continental Army Command (CONARC) commander, and for Lieutenant General Hart, the United States Army Air Defense commander. Both recognized greatness in their young assistant and recommended his early attendance at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Terry became one of the first members of the Class of 1952 to attend this school.</div>
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After graduation in June 1961, he traveled to Europe where he served as a staff officer with the 8th Infantry Division; then in the Seventh Army, and the 1st Battalion, 70th Armor in the 24th Infantry Division.</div>
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Next to challenge Terry's talents was a joint staff assignment with the United States Strike Command at Tampa, Florida. Here he earned a reputation as an officer who could quickly separate the essential from the extraneous and served, on many occasions, as the command trouble shooter. </div>
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He arrived in Vietnam in February 1967 where he joined the 1st Infantry Division, the unit his father had once commanded. Although he had the highest respect for his famous and rather flamboyant father, Terry was never in awe of the old general and never tried to imitate him. A mother with family roots deep in Texas history, dating back to the Lone Star Republic, may have provided strong individual identity. Terry was a good listener to those who had something to say. He was quiet, observant, and when he wanted to be, extremely friendly. Yet in the manner of his father, he sometimes needed to charge ahead, on occasion he would use a heartfelt yell and a slap on the back as a means to influence those around him.</div>
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After a two-month tour as the operations officer for the 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry, he moved on to serve as the Deputy C3 for the Big Red One. Upon his promotion to lieutenant colonel, General Hay, the division commander, gave him command of the 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry. The men of the battalion came to know him, liked what they saw, and respected his abilities.</div>
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On 16 October 1967, Terry’s battalion conducted an air assault into a clearing south of Quan Loi to establish a base for an attack on the 274th Viet Cong Regiment, the best in the III Corps Tactical Zone. Realizing the dangers of a search through triple canopied jungle, Terry chose to go along with the two companies he had sent after the enemy. They were his responsibility. He wanted to be with them if they got into a fight.</div>
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The next morning, the Viet Cong struck. Confusion ensued. Grasping the seriousness of the situation, Terry took charge and courageously exposed himself to enemy fire to fill gaps in the line, to organize counterattacks, and to hurl the enemy back. Although mortally wounded, he calmly directed his men to the end. For his many valorous acts that day, he received the Distinguished Service Cross.</div>
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Our classmate Terry lived in the shadow of his father, but succeeded in being his own man.</div>
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<em>—A Classmate</em></div>
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