More detail on this person: Heart attack in 1983 or 84 after 30 year retirement.
From: TAPS 240th website, Mike Law
"The American soldier will use his ingenuity to make the equipment work. This does not absolve us
if we send him into battle with a piece of junk."
That has been the philosophy of USAOTC since it was known as TCATA, and was said by Col. Edward
"Jack" Derr when he was Director of the Instrumentation Directorate.
In August 1975, he was assigned to Headquarters, MASSTER, as a test officer, Combat Test Branch,
Combat Directorate. When Headquarters, MASSTER, reorganized and became TCATA, he became
Chief, Test Division A, Combined Arms Test Directorate.
Derr left TCATA for an assignment as Commander, DARCOM Research and Development Field Support
Activity, and returned to TCATA in 1983 to assume his last position as Director, Instrumentation
Directorate.
Derr is remembered by friends and colleagues of TCATA as one of the most distinguished officers who
ever worked for TCATA. He was the ultimate professional soldier who was particularly loyal to the
high standards of the Army.
Soldiers and soldiering were his life.
On April 7, 1984, Derr died at the age of 50. It was in a tribute article that fellow operational
test people provided the most poignant recommendation for the induction of Col. Derr into the
Operational Testers' Hall of Fame:
"It was his love for soldiers that motivated him to work so hard to see that you (soldiers) were
properly equipped. His love motivated him to work hard to guard against the fielding of defective
equipment, and to fight waste in the procurement process."
"Many of us only saw Colonel Derr when he was engaged in the fight for better equipment for
soldiers. It was in this role that he could meaner than a junk yard dog. Woe to the person that
would send an American soldier to battle with less than the best."
"He would not allow me, nor anyone else, to compromise the product, or capability, that the American
soldier was due. A tall order for a tall, tough man."
Burial information: Altus Cemetery, Altus, OK
This information was last updated 03/27/2018
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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025
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