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Lieutenant General Harold C."Sam" Donnelly, US Air Force (retired), age 92, passed away on August 24, 2002. He was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, and spent his early years in Auburn, New York. In 1927 he enlisted in the 108th infantry, New York National Guard, as a private. He took competitive examinations for an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, first from New York State and then from the country at large. He won an appointment to be a cadet at West Point and entered the Military Academy on July 1, 1929. He graduated in 1933 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Coast Artillery. During his first assignment at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, while at a party aboard a British battle cruiser, he met and later married Dorothy"Dottie" Bishop, daughter of then Colonel and Mrs. Percy Poe Bishop. While on his subsequent assignment to Panama, Sam and Dottie had two daughters, Peggy and Judy. In 1936 the Donnelly's were assigned to the Philippines where Sam served as aide-de-camp to now Major General P.P. Bishop. They spent a year on Corregidor and another in Manila with the Philippine Infantry Division. In 1941 he attended the Army Command & General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and in 1943 went to the Army Navy Staff College in Washington, D.C. He was assigned in 1944 to the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater where he served under General"Vinegar Joe" Stillwell in New Delhi, India, and in Chungking, China; and later was assigned to the staff of Admiral Louis MountBatten, Supreme Commander, Southeast Asia Command. In 1946 he was designated as Chief of Staff and in the capacity he had staff responsibility for the deactivation and closeout of the China-Burman-India Theater. Upon his return from India he was assigned to the Pentagon in the Plans Directorate of the Army General Staff. In 1947 Sam, then a colonel transferred to the Air Force and became the executive officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force. Following his graduation from the Air War College in 1948 he was assigned to the Office of the Assistant for Atomic Energy, HQ, U.S. Air Force, and later was named as the military executive to the Under Secretary of the Air Force. In 1951 he became the Chief of Staff for the Armed Forces Special Weapons Program. In 1953 Sam was promoted to Brigadier general and joined the Supreme Allied Headquarters (SHAPE) in Paris, France, as the Chief, Plans and Policy Branch, SHAPE. He returned to the United States in 1957 and was assigned as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs, Headquarters, U. S. Air Force. After his promotion to major general in 1960 he came to Albuquerque as the Commander, Field Command, Defense Atomic Support Agency, at Sandia Base (now Kirtland AFB East) with the responsibility for atomic testing and the maintenance of the national nuclear weapons stockpile sites. Sam departed Field Command in 1963 and returned to Washington, D.C., where he was assigned as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development, HQ, U.S. Air Force. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in January 1964 and became the Director, Defense Atomic Support Agency, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. After 35 years of distinguished military service he retired from the Air Force in July, 1968; his decorations include two Distinguished Service medals, three Legions of Merit, two Commendation Medals, Philippine Government Defense Medal, Defense Atomic Support agency Distinguished Service Medal, Order of the British Empire (Officer Class), and the French Legion of Honor. Sam and Dottie returned to Albuquerque to establish their home and he became the Manager of the Albuquerque Operations Office, Atomic Energy Commission, where he supervised 1,200 AEC employees and 27,800 civilian contractor personnel in the nuclear weapons development and production complexes. In 1973 he received a Presidential Commendation for his distinguished contributions to the development, production, and quality assurance to the nation's nuclear weapons. Also that year he was given the New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award for his vigorous encouragement of better communications and understanding among government agencies and for his community activities. And in 1974 he received the AEC's Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding contributions to the nation's atomic energy programs, the highest award the AEC can bestow on its employees. Sam retired from the Atomic Energy Commission in May 1975, and continued his civilian career by becoming a consultant in nuclear science, organization, and management with the Science and Engineering Associates in Albuquerque. His contributions to the Albuquerque community are legion: President of the United Way for two terms and served on its board for several years, first President of the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation and continued for a number of terms on the hospital's board; was a member of the board of the Albuquerque National Bank and through several subsequent changes in the Bank's name; was a longtime active member of the Great Southwest Council, Boy Scouts of America, and was the leader in many of its fund drive-campaigns. Sam was one of the early members of the board of the Albuquerque Academy and was active for 15 years during the phenomenal growth of the school, and remained as an honorary trustee, member of the Board of Directors, new Mexico Symphony Orchestra; member on the New Mexico Council on Crime and Delinquency, membership and designated a Living Legend of the Albuquerque Rotary Club, and a member of the Albuquerque Country Club. Sam and Dottie enjoyed international traveling and had the opportunity to visit many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. In 1998 he attended the 65th Reunion of his 1933 Class at the United States Military Academy and was looking forward to the 70th. He is survived by his wife, Dottie, Albuquerque; two daughters, Peggy, wife of Colonel Peter J. Hino, Albuquerque, and Judy, wife of Colonel Warren A. Samuel Samouce, Austin, Texas; four grandchildren, Dr. Peter D. Hino, Dallas, Texas, Michael Samouce and Kimberly Mineo, Austin, Texas, Robert Samouce, Naples, Florida; and nine great-grandchildren. The family would like to offer a special heartfelt thanks to Pauline Acoya who was an exceptional longtime friend and helper for over 30 years, and to the care givers, Yvonne Acoya, Carla Hazle, Marilyn McIlroy, and Caroline Fahy, who all provided the utmost tender care, and also the staffs of New Heart and Vista Care. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made in his name to the Association of Graduates, U.S. Military Academy, 698 Mills Road, West Point, N.Y. 10996-1607, or to a charity of choice. A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, August 29, 2002 at 10:00 a.m. in Kirtland Chapel, Kirtland Air Force Base, enter Wyoming Gate; tell guards you are going to Gen Donnelly Memorial Services at Kirtland Chapel. He will be taken back to Arlington National Cemetery for final burial and Funeral Mass in Ft. Meyer Chapel, Thursday, September 5, 2002. Strong-Thorne Mortuary 1100 Coal Ave has been entrusted to Sam's care.
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