Richard Joseph Tallman
Brigadier General, U.S. Army

Richard Joseph Tallman was born on 28 March 1925 in Honesdale, Wayne County, PA. He graduated from Honesdale High School in 1943.

Shortly after graduation from high school he was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to the European Theater of Operations. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge as a machine gunner and later earned a field commission. In 1945 he received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, graduated with the Class of 1949, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the U.S. Army.

As a First Lieutenant, Tallman saw action during the Korean War in 1951-52 with the 3rd Infantry Division. He later served as a Tactical Officer and Military History Teacher and as Assistant Commandant of Cadets at West Point.

Tallman served three tours of duty in Vietnam during the war. He served as Senior Advisor to the Army of Republic of Vietnam's (ARVN) 22nd Infantry Division. In 1968, then-Lieutenant Colonel Tallman commanded 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment. On 18 June 1971, then-Colonel Tallman became Commander, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. On 1 July 1972 he was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed as Deputy Commander of Third [Military] Regional Assistance Command (TRAC) which was responsible for overseeing all U.S. military advisors throughout the 3rd Military Region.

On 9 July 1972, Brigadier General Tallman and his aides had just landed at An Lộc to observe ARVN counter-offensive operations at the conclusion of the Battle of An Lộc when they were hit by North Vietnamese artillery fire. Three members of the group were killed instantly, while BG Tallman and two others were wounded. The wounded men were evacuated to the 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon where BG Tallman died of his wounds that day.

Brigadier General Tallman was the last of eleven general and flag officers to die in Vietnam - six in action, three in aircraft accidents, and two by illness.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Silver Star Medal
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Korean Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge with 2 Stars (Third Award)
Parachutist Badge

Honors

● The Brigadier General Richard J. Tallman Memorial Bridge in Honesdale, PA, is named in his honor.
● The name Richard J Tallman is located on Panel 01W Line 055 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Family

Tallman married Evelyn Phillips in 1949 and they had seven children together. One son, Joseph P. Tallman, graduated from the USMA on 6 June, 1973. He was the First Captain of the Corps of Cadets during the 1972-1973 Academic year and graduated as a "Star Man" (top 5% of his class) as the 37th man in General Order of Merit (GOM) of 944 cadets (Cullum # 31085).

Burial

Brigadier General Richard Joseph Tallman is buried at the United States Military Academy Post Cemetery in West Point, NY, in Section XVIII, Site 21.