Herbert Michael Hart (1928-2015) was a former Director of Public Affairs for the United States Marine Corps and one of the country’s leading authorities on historic American forts.
Born in Saint L...voir plusHerbert Michael Hart (1928-2015) was a former Director of Public Affairs for the United States Marine Corps and one of the country’s leading authorities on historic American forts.
Born in Saint Louis, Missouri, on October 19, 1928, the son of Cpt. Herbert M. Hart, USNR, and Helen Quigley, he graduated from Northwestern University’s Naval ROTC in Evanston, Illinois. He was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism in 1951 and served in Korea, where he was twice wounded, as well as in the Middle East and in Vietnam. He was often assigned to duties with the Navy for a total of 17 years during his 31 years of active duty. His military awards included two Legions of Merit with combat “V,” the Meritorious Service Medal, five Air Medals, two Purple Hearts, the Army Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal with combat “V” and the Combat Action Ribbon.
Col. Hart was the author of five books: the “Old Forts” series and “Tour Guides to Old Western Forts.” He was an assistant editor of the Leatherneck, Marine magazine and frequent contributor to military publications. He was a co-founder, volunteer executive director and newsletter editor for the Council on America’s Military Past, a military history-historic preservation organization.
Col. Hart was married to Teresa Keating (1929-2002), a registered nurse who held a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing from Columbia University, and the couple had seven children: Bridget, Erin, Bret, Tracy, Megan, Michael and Patrick.
Col. Hart died of natural causes on August 3, 2015 in Frederick, Maryland, aged 86.voir moins