Bertram Arnold Bunting was born on 4 Jan 1936 in Norfolk, VA, the son of Rose and Louis Harry Bunting. He grew up in Norfolk, to include graduation from high school in 1954. He attended William and Mary during 1954–55 and finished his prep­aration at Columbian Preparatory School in Washington, DC, in 1956. During this same period, Bert enlisted in the Virginia National Guard on 24 Feb 1954 and served in the Guard until his entry into West Point on 3 Jul 1956.

At West Point, Bert joined the Sailing Club and enjoyed sailing on the Hudson River and competing in collegiate events at Annapolis and King’s Point. He also sang in the Chapel Choir, was a member of the Por­tuguese Club, and competed as a member of the Pistol Team. Bert was an outgoing cadet with a great sense of humor and a daring sailboat skipper. He left a lasting impression.

Upon graduation from West Point, Bert was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers and married Jean Halstead in Norfolk, VA, during the summer following graduation. His first assignment after Engineer School at Ft. Belvoir was with the 65th Engineer Battalion in Hawaii. This was followed by assignment to the 1st Battle Group, 14th Infantry, in Hawaii.

While in Hawaii, two daughters were born: Stephanie in 1961 and Kelley in 1963. In 1967, he was assigned to the Hampton Roads Army Terminal, where he earned a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from North Carolina State University. In recogni­tion of the excellence of his work, a synopsis of his thesis was published in the January 1968 issue of the Journal of Applied Physics.

Bert reported for duty in Vietnam on 9 Jul 1967 and was assigned to the U.S. Army Engineer Command. At the beginning of the Tet Offensive, Bert was operations officer, 86th Combat Engineer Battalion within the 79th Engineer Construction Group. On the first day of the Tet Offensive, Bert volunteered to fly to the C Company location, isolated at Ben Luc, to assess the situation and aid in the defense. On the morning of 1 Feb 1968, during the ap­proach to Ben Luc, the aircraft received heavy fire from the ground. The crew chief was wounded and unable to fire his weapon. Bert went to his aid and returned the en­emy fire despite a wound received during this act. When the pilot was wounded, Bert moved to his assis­tance. While helping the wounded pilot, Bert received a second wound. Bert was evacuated and scheduled to fly to Japan. He had a chance to talk to his wife by phone but died hours before his scheduled medical evacuation flight.

Bert was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. The Silver Star Citation read in part, “His voluntary flight secured vital information of enemy activity, road conditions, and sta­tus of isolated units enabling the successful completion of the battalion’s mission. His gallantry in action is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.” On 26 Jul 1968, the C Company lo­cation at Ben Luc was ded­icated in memory of Bert Bunting by BG Curtis W Chapman, Jr.

Bert’s class ring was donated by his family to the Class of 1960 Cadet Room at West Point. He will be remembered for his friendship, good humor, and his dedicated and self­less service to the nation. —Provided by classmates