Richard L. Irby collectionMS.0509

Richard L. Irby collectionMS.0509


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Virginia Military Institute Archives

VMI Archives
Preston Library
Lexington, VA 24450
Business Number: 540-464-7516
archives@vmi.edu
URL: http://www.vmi.edu/archives

Repository
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Identification
MS.0509
Title
Richard L. Irby collection 1939-1971
Quantity
10 cubic feet, 8 boxes, plus unboxed framed items and albums/scrapbooks
Creator
Irby, Richard L. (Richard Logan), 1918-2002
Location
Manuscripts stacks
Language
English .

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Use

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions

Preferred Citation

Richard L. Irby collection, 1939-1971. MS 0509. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Processing Information

This collection is open to research, but has been minimally processed. There is no detailed item/folder inventory. Contact the VMI Archives for assistance with a specific request related to this collection.


Biographical / Historical

Richard Logan Irby (1918-2002) had a distinguished career in the United States Army and subsequently served as the VMI's tenth Superintendent. A native of Blackstone, Virginia, Irby graduated from VMI in 1939 with a degree in civil engineering. He commissioned in the cavalry branch of the United States Army. He was a decorated veteran of three wars and twice the recipient of the Silver Star for gallantry in combat.

Following the completion of his military career, Irby served as Superintendent of VMI from 1971 to 1981. He retired from VMI in 1981, and continued to live in Lexington, Virginia until his death on March 6, 2002.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of correspondence and memoranda, military orders, printed material, photographs, scrapbooks, speeches, and other material primarily documenting the United States Army career (1939-1971) of Major General Richard L. Irby. The collection also includes information about the activities of of the 1st Cavalry Division during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Related Material

This collection is distinct from official VMI records that document Richard L. Irby's tenure as Superintendent.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Correspondence
  • Kentucky -- Fort Knox
  • Korean War (1950-1953)
  • Louisiana -- Fort Polk
  • Memorandums
  • Orders (military records)
  • Photographs
  • Scrapbooks
  • United States. -- Army. -- Cavalry Division, 1st
  • Vietnam War (1961-1975)
  • Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1939
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945—Campaigns—Burma

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Irby, Richard L. (Richard Logan), 1918-2002
  • Marshall, George C. (George Catlett), 1880-1959

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949.
  • China -- Military relations
  • Kentucky -- Fort Knox
  • Louisiana -- Fort Polk
  • United States -- Foreign relations -- China

Container List

Military career chronological file
1 cubic feet
1939-1971English.
Scope and Contents

This series consists of memoranda, correspondence, military orders, and other documents from Richard L. Irby's military career. The material begins with his commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant and ends with his retirement in 1971.

  • History of the Executive Headquarters, Peiping China
    1947 March 6English.
    Biographical / Historical

    The Executive Headquarters was established in Peiping (Peking), China on January 11, 1946 by order of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, as a tripartite organization of the Chinese Nationalist Government, the Chinese Communist Party, and the United States Government.

Photographs, slides, and albums, Korean War and Vietnam War
6 cubic feet
1942-1970English.
Scope and Contents

Photos, slides, and photograph albums from Richard L. Irby's military career. Topics include: Korean War (1st Cavalry Division, 5th Cavalry Regiment) Vietnam War (1st Cavalry Division) Fort Riley, Kansas (1942-1945) Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) camps (1949-1950) Tokyo and Chejudo, Japan (1950-1951) Hokkaido, Japan (1951-1952) Fort Hood, Texas (1950-1953) 3rd Armored Division (Frankfort, Germany, late 1950s) Fort Rucker, Alabama (1967) Fort Knox, Kentucky Fort Lewis Also included are official portraits and other images.

Notes, 1st Cavalry Division operations in Vietnam
1967-1969English.
Scope and Contents

Various statistics, reports, and chronologies of operational events. Notes are both hand written and typed.