Richard Robert Wyrough

He was born in Trenton, New Jersey on June 15, 1927 to Hugh and Ann Wyrough. His beloved older sister, Eleanor, predeceased him.

At the end of World War II, Dick received an appointment to the United States Military Academy and graduated in 1950. His first duty assignment was with the 3rd US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) in Washington, DC. While in Washington, Dick also served as a White House Military Social Aide.

In 1952, he went to Korea where he served as the company commander of a heavy mortar company. Upon his return he attended Georgetown University and obtained an MA in History. At Georgetown he met his wife history. At Georgetown he met his wife, Frances (Franci) Moran Smith, the first woman to graduate from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service. They married in 1955 and moved to West Point where Dick as a professor of US Diplomatic History.

With a growing family in tow, Dick and Franci moved to Germany in 1959. There, Dick variously served as an infantry officer assigned to an armor division, battalion commander, and, eventually, as senior aide to the 7th US Army Commander. While in Germany, the Berlin Wall was constructed and, during those tense times, the family kept rations in a car, needing to be ready to evacuate on a moment’s notice.

Upon returning home from Europe, Dick had posts on Governor’s Island in New York and at the General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. He was then assigned to the Pentagon, initially where he worked for Cyrus Vance and with Joseph Califano, and, ultimately, working in the Office of the Army Chief of Staff with General Creighton Abrams, a man whom Dick considered to be one of the Army’s finest officers.

Afterwards Dick attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he studied public policy and resource management and, at the same time, secured an MS in Business Administration from George Washington University.

In 1967, Dick went to Vietnam where he served with distinction. During his three tours there, Dick commanded an Army base near the Cambodian border; led the effort to convert the Vietnamese National Military Academy at Dalat from a two-year technical school to a four-year academic college; and after graduating the first four-year class, led a brigade, Task Force South.

Finding security to be lax when he arrived in Dalat, his first endeavor was to put a security contingency plan in place. Two weeks later, Dalat was hit during the Tet offensive. The plan was implemented and after 10 days of fighting, the Viet Cong were driven out of the city.

He returned home in 1970. Dick retired from the US Army in 1974, his last assignment being the Dean of Administration – designate of the Industrial College. In the same year Dick joined the US State Department.

At State, Dick initially provided advice and support to Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker, whom Dick had met in Vietnam, in the ongoing Panama Canal treaty negotiations. He later served on the 5 man delegation whose efforts culminated in the signing of the Panama Treaties of 1977. Dick then served as Director, Office of Panama Affairs until his retirement in 1991. his performance in that position is best exemplified by an evaluation report of his efforts after General Noriega led a coup in Panama and ousted Panama’s president:

Attempted military coup, US sanctions, failed negotiations, domestic political controversy, international diplomatic intervention, threats to the large US community in Panama – all these issues and more created a highly complex situation, and the Office of Panama Affairs suddenly found itself at the center of considerable controversy, dealing with Washington’s preeminent foreign policy issue for the first half of 1988. In this context, Dick Wyrough, as the Department’s leading Panama expert, successfully guided the Office during an extremely demanding and difficult time of crisis.

In recognition of his military service, Dick was awarded the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters and the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, among other medals. At the State Department he was twice presented with the Department’s Superior Honor Award.

In retirement, Dick and Franci moved from Southern Maryland to downtown Frederick, Maryland, where they lived for the next 25 years with Franci’s two sisters and a brother-in-law in “the big house,” hosting many festive family events and memorable gatherings.

Dick was an avid chess and croquet player, a world traveler, and a connoisseur of fine things. He was an active member of the Metropolitan Club of Washington, D.C. He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, three sons, eight grandchildren, and a multitude of in-laws, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews, and great grand-nieces and nephews.

Memorial services are to be private. Internment will be at the USMA, West Point, NY at later date.

In consideration of his great faith and love of the U.S. Army, in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, PO Box 4469, Washington, DC 20017. See https://donate.milarch.org/page/82467/donate/1