Rufus Melvin Overlander III, also known as “Hap,” was born on May 28, 1936 in the Bronx, NY. After competitive testing by the New York National Guard, he was admitted to West Point on July 3, 1956. After the summer break following plebe year (1957), Rufus was informed by the Surgeon General that he would receive a medical discharge for a service connected disability, a stomach ulcer.
Rufus returned home to New York City, and for eight months he worked for the United States Postal Service. In October 1958, he drove to California and began work with Rocketdyne as a production development analyst. A few years later, he transferred to metrology. Meanwhile, he also studied electronics at Pierce College.
Two years later, he transferred to North American Downey and enrolled at the California Polytechnic Institute Pomona. A year later, he transferred to field engineering and, for eight months, modified GAM-77A ground support equipment (GSE). After that, he began writing Apollo GSE procurement specifications. Two years later, he began alternating between working and going to school.
In 1968, Rufus received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He then became a field engineer with Litton Industries. His work was specifically with the AN/TYQ-2, Tactical Air Operations System. After a few months, he went to the Marine base at Yuma, AZ for on-the-job training. In November, he flew to San Francisco, was issued uniforms, and then flew to Okinawa. After six months at Camp Schwabb, he flew to Vietnam. For two years, he lived and worked on Monkey Mountain, Da Nang with the Marines.
In 1971, the aerospace industry was in a slack period and indications were that Rufus would be laid off upon return to California. Instead, Litton sent him to Germany where he installed modifications on the Luftwaffe’s Hawk missile batteries. When he returned to California in 1972, he was put in charge of a modification team for the AN/TYQ-2. For the next three years, his team modified the systems at various sites in Okinawa and the United States.
He returned to Litton in 1975 and studied the AN/TSQ-75 “Missile Minder” system, a Hawk missile battalion control center. In 1976, he assisted in the installation of the system in Dezful, Iran and worked there for 19 months.
Rufus returned to work at Fort Bliss, TX, and enrolled for an MBA at the University of Texas El Paso. After eight months, Litton wanted to send him to Germany, He resigned and went to school full time. He obtained the MBA degree in 1978. He then accepted a job as a reliability engineer on the Orbiter Data Processing System (Space Station) with Boeing Aircraft in Houston, TX.
Rufus retired in 2002 and moved to Dell Web, Sun City, TX, where he was an active member of the Computer Club, Genealogical Club, German Club, and several others.
Hap, when available, attended the major reunions for the Class of 1960. He thoroughly enjoyed his time with his former companymates. He continually expressed his love and admiration for West Point. He remains our brother-in-arms. He served our country in a different, but effective way.
Hap was a lifelong bachelor. He is survived by his brother, Thomas; sister-in-law, Margaret; and his niece and nephew, Mary and Marshall. Following his instructions, his remains were cremated and interred at the Texas Veterans Cemetery in Killeen, TX.
— Thomas Overlander, brother, and “Deacon,” M-1