Ret.
Ret. Col. Leon Yourtee
d. September 16, 2007
Ret. Col. Leon R. Yourtee, 92, died peacefully Sunday, September 16, 2007 at his home, Greystone Farm, Brownsville, MD.
Col. Yourtee's U.S. Army commissioned service covered 30 years.
Col. Yourtee was born in 1915 in Hagerstown, MD, the son of the late Justice Leon and Olive (Ahalt) Yourtee. He attended the old Surrey School in Hagerstown. He was a 1933 graduate of Hagerstown High School. After high school, he worked one year on federally funded road projects in Washington County, MD.
In 1934, he entered the University of Maryland where he was commissioned a 2nd Lt., U.S. Army and graduated in 1939 with a BS degree in CE While at Maryland he continued his interest in dramatics and was twice elected president of the Footlight Club. His achievements in the Mens League, ROTC and Footlight Club led to his selection to the honorary fraternities of Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership) and Alpha Psi Omega (dramatics).
After graduation, Col. Yourtee departed for the Panama Canal Zone where he met his wife, Claudia R. Bragin, and was married at the Catholic chapel in old Corozal Canal Zone. He was called to active duty with the Corps of Engineers U.S. Army at the inception of World War II. His duty involved construction of base facilities in the Canal Zone and outlying air support bases in Central and South America. He progressed in those duties from Project Engineer (Lieutenant) to Executive Officer (Major) for the Panama Engineer District.
Later Col. Yourtee was assigned to the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, VA. He prepared and taught the Advanced Officers Course in construction of roads, railroads and airfields. He was selected for integration in the Regular Army.
After Fort Belvoir he was assigned for duty at Harvard University in 1948 where he obtained his MBA degree. This training resulted in his assignment to the Comptroller of the Army at the Pentagon. His duties then involved staff monitoring of the Army Critical Problems Report with emphasis on the Korean War and daily upkeep of the Army wide data for display in the Army Situation Room. During this time Col. Yourtee attended sessions on the air deployment and explosion of nuclear weapons in Nevada.
In 1952, Col. Yourtee, with a group of staff officers, accompanied Gen. Maxwell Taylor to the Far East. His duty involved extensive staff coverage of the Korean conflict with emphasis on logistical support, Korean training practices and North Korean and Chinese Prisoner of War security. He returned to the United States after going to Japan and various locations in the Far East. While in Taiwan, Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek gave him a necktie.
Following graduation from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, he was assigned to the Far East as Comptroller of the Engineer Supply Center in Japan. During this time he was a founder of dependent Little League Baseball in Japan.
Col. Yourtee returned to the United States and was assigned to the Army Logistic Management Center at Fort Lee, VA. There he was an instructor in the maintenance management of army equipment and prepared and taught adult education courses to both civilian and military personnel. During this tour his interest in youth activities was reflected as president of the first Fort Lee Pony League Baseball League and active support of the Virginia Catholic High School Basketball League.
In 1960, he was selected to command the 91st Battalion at Fort Belvoir, VA. The battalion peacetime mission was support of instruction at the Engineer School. At the conclusion of the assignment, Col. Yourtee was promoted to the rank of full Colonel. He remained at Fort Belvoir in successive assignments as Assistant Chief of Staff (Personnel and Administration) and Comptroller for the Engineer Center. During this duty his interest in youth activities was reflected in his role as president of the Centers Dad's Club.
In 1963, Col. Yourtee returned to Korea where he served as Deputy and Assistant Chief of Staff G-1 for the Eighth United States Army, Korea. He remembered this tour because of the international alert that followed the assassination of President Kennedy as well as increase problems brought by the growing strength of Korean unions. Also, he had the sad duty of heading a team that retrieved the bodies of several army aviators who crashed on a mountain in eastern Korea.
Col. Yourtee's final assignment was as Chief of Personnel Administration for the Chief of the United States Army Engineers. He had staff responsibility for all military and civilian personnel worldwide for the Chief of Army Engineers. Personnel and engineer support of the Vietnam conflict was of primary consideration at this time. This duty was most trying because his son, then Captain Leon R. Yourtee, III, served three tours of duty in Vietnam.
Col. Yourtee was retired in 1968 by Gen. William Cassidy, Chief of Engineers. His full family was present at the ceremony at which he received a final award of Legion of Merit.
After retirement from the military, Col. Yourtee entered the 3M Design group, a professional association of Engineers and Architects in Washington, DC He was an engineer consultant to federally funded agencies in distressed rural areas and major cities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. His duties involved engineer advice on the planning and construction of medical centers and facilities. He completed this employment in 1974 then returned to his family home, Greystone, in Brownsville, MD.
Upon returning to Brownsville, Col. Yourtee spent his time in remodeling and improving the Yourtee homestead which has been in the Boteler-Yourtee family since the mid 1700's.
Col. Yourtee was a lifelong member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Church in Hagerstown and since early childhood has been a member of St. Luke's Chapel at Brownsville, where he recently completed an active tour on the advisory board.
He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (national), the Retired Officers Association and Society of American Military Engineers.; a member of Clopper-Michael American Legion Post 10, Boonsboro, MD and National Society of Professional Engineers; and was a Registered Profession Engineer (Canal Zone). Col. Yourtee was active in the University of Maryland Alumni Association where he was a life member.
His wife of 66 years, Claudia Bragin Yourtee, passed away earlier this year. He is survived by a son, Michael W. Yourtee of Brownsville; a daughter, Ann Lynne Selnick and husband Paul of Ellicott, City, MD; a sister, Elizabeth Anderson of Thurmont, MD; three grandsons, Lt. Justin M. Yourtee of College Park, MD, Jesse M. Selnick and wife Audrey of New York, NY and Aron D. Selnick of Santa Monica, CA; several nieces and nephews.
His sister, Manzella Ann Yourtee, and his son, Col. Leon R. Yourtee, III predeceased him.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, September 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bast Funeral Home in Boonsboro. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, September 27 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, in Brownsville, outdoor near the meditation area. Rev. Charles R. Holder will officiate.
In a gravesite adjoining his beloved wife, Claudia and his son, Col. Leon Yourtee, interment, with full military honors, will be Tuesday, November 20, 2007 in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 2150 Boteler Road, Brownsville, MD 21715.
Col. Yourtee's U.S. Army commissioned service covered 30 years.
Col. Yourtee was born in 1915 in Hagerstown, MD, the son of the late Justice Leon and Olive (Ahalt) Yourtee. He attended the old Surrey School in Hagerstown. He was a 1933 graduate of Hagerstown High School. After high school, he worked one year on federally funded road projects in Washington County, MD.
In 1934, he entered the University of Maryland where he was commissioned a 2nd Lt., U.S. Army and graduated in 1939 with a BS degree in CE While at Maryland he continued his interest in dramatics and was twice elected president of the Footlight Club. His achievements in the Mens League, ROTC and Footlight Club led to his selection to the honorary fraternities of Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership) and Alpha Psi Omega (dramatics).
After graduation, Col. Yourtee departed for the Panama Canal Zone where he met his wife, Claudia R. Bragin, and was married at the Catholic chapel in old Corozal Canal Zone. He was called to active duty with the Corps of Engineers U.S. Army at the inception of World War II. His duty involved construction of base facilities in the Canal Zone and outlying air support bases in Central and South America. He progressed in those duties from Project Engineer (Lieutenant) to Executive Officer (Major) for the Panama Engineer District.
Later Col. Yourtee was assigned to the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, VA. He prepared and taught the Advanced Officers Course in construction of roads, railroads and airfields. He was selected for integration in the Regular Army.
After Fort Belvoir he was assigned for duty at Harvard University in 1948 where he obtained his MBA degree. This training resulted in his assignment to the Comptroller of the Army at the Pentagon. His duties then involved staff monitoring of the Army Critical Problems Report with emphasis on the Korean War and daily upkeep of the Army wide data for display in the Army Situation Room. During this time Col. Yourtee attended sessions on the air deployment and explosion of nuclear weapons in Nevada.
In 1952, Col. Yourtee, with a group of staff officers, accompanied Gen. Maxwell Taylor to the Far East. His duty involved extensive staff coverage of the Korean conflict with emphasis on logistical support, Korean training practices and North Korean and Chinese Prisoner of War security. He returned to the United States after going to Japan and various locations in the Far East. While in Taiwan, Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek gave him a necktie.
Following graduation from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS, he was assigned to the Far East as Comptroller of the Engineer Supply Center in Japan. During this time he was a founder of dependent Little League Baseball in Japan.
Col. Yourtee returned to the United States and was assigned to the Army Logistic Management Center at Fort Lee, VA. There he was an instructor in the maintenance management of army equipment and prepared and taught adult education courses to both civilian and military personnel. During this tour his interest in youth activities was reflected as president of the first Fort Lee Pony League Baseball League and active support of the Virginia Catholic High School Basketball League.
In 1960, he was selected to command the 91st Battalion at Fort Belvoir, VA. The battalion peacetime mission was support of instruction at the Engineer School. At the conclusion of the assignment, Col. Yourtee was promoted to the rank of full Colonel. He remained at Fort Belvoir in successive assignments as Assistant Chief of Staff (Personnel and Administration) and Comptroller for the Engineer Center. During this duty his interest in youth activities was reflected in his role as president of the Centers Dad's Club.
In 1963, Col. Yourtee returned to Korea where he served as Deputy and Assistant Chief of Staff G-1 for the Eighth United States Army, Korea. He remembered this tour because of the international alert that followed the assassination of President Kennedy as well as increase problems brought by the growing strength of Korean unions. Also, he had the sad duty of heading a team that retrieved the bodies of several army aviators who crashed on a mountain in eastern Korea.
Col. Yourtee's final assignment was as Chief of Personnel Administration for the Chief of the United States Army Engineers. He had staff responsibility for all military and civilian personnel worldwide for the Chief of Army Engineers. Personnel and engineer support of the Vietnam conflict was of primary consideration at this time. This duty was most trying because his son, then Captain Leon R. Yourtee, III, served three tours of duty in Vietnam.
Col. Yourtee was retired in 1968 by Gen. William Cassidy, Chief of Engineers. His full family was present at the ceremony at which he received a final award of Legion of Merit.
After retirement from the military, Col. Yourtee entered the 3M Design group, a professional association of Engineers and Architects in Washington, DC He was an engineer consultant to federally funded agencies in distressed rural areas and major cities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. His duties involved engineer advice on the planning and construction of medical centers and facilities. He completed this employment in 1974 then returned to his family home, Greystone, in Brownsville, MD.
Upon returning to Brownsville, Col. Yourtee spent his time in remodeling and improving the Yourtee homestead which has been in the Boteler-Yourtee family since the mid 1700's.
Col. Yourtee was a lifelong member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Church in Hagerstown and since early childhood has been a member of St. Luke's Chapel at Brownsville, where he recently completed an active tour on the advisory board.
He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (national), the Retired Officers Association and Society of American Military Engineers.; a member of Clopper-Michael American Legion Post 10, Boonsboro, MD and National Society of Professional Engineers; and was a Registered Profession Engineer (Canal Zone). Col. Yourtee was active in the University of Maryland Alumni Association where he was a life member.
His wife of 66 years, Claudia Bragin Yourtee, passed away earlier this year. He is survived by a son, Michael W. Yourtee of Brownsville; a daughter, Ann Lynne Selnick and husband Paul of Ellicott, City, MD; a sister, Elizabeth Anderson of Thurmont, MD; three grandsons, Lt. Justin M. Yourtee of College Park, MD, Jesse M. Selnick and wife Audrey of New York, NY and Aron D. Selnick of Santa Monica, CA; several nieces and nephews.
His sister, Manzella Ann Yourtee, and his son, Col. Leon R. Yourtee, III predeceased him.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, September 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bast Funeral Home in Boonsboro. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, September 27 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, in Brownsville, outdoor near the meditation area. Rev. Charles R. Holder will officiate.
In a gravesite adjoining his beloved wife, Claudia and his son, Col. Leon Yourtee, interment, with full military honors, will be Tuesday, November 20, 2007 in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 2150 Boteler Road, Brownsville, MD 21715.
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