Richard Lee Moriarty, retired U.S. Army

Col. Richard Lee Moriarty, 86, died March 17 in St. Augustine, Fla. He was born to the late Joseph and Myrtle Weaver Moriarty in The Plains.

A 1937 graduate of Marshall High School, he went on to graduate from Virginia Military Institute in 1941 and the National War College, Washington, D.C., in 1967.

As a nuclear chemist, he worked in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Richland, Wash., on the Manhattan Project during the development of the first nuclear weapon. In 1949-50, he was a liaison officer with professor Von Braun and his associates in Fort Bliss, Texas, and the White Sands Proving Grounds. He served three years with the Sandia Base Atomic Laboratory in Albuquerque, N.M.

He also had assignments in Europe, Korea, Vietnam, and many stateside military posts, including three years as a member of the organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon. He retired after 30 years in the Army.

During his military career, some of his awards were the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, ARCOM with one oak leaf cluster, Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Commendation with one oak leaf cluster, VC of G with Palm Unit Citation, and Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze service stars.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret Lee Simpson Moriarty; his children, Karen Lee Moriarty Graves of Rocky Mount, Va., Rick M. Moriarty of Amissville, and Edward L. Moriarty of Milton, Fla.; and two grandsons.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. June 10 in the Old Post Chapel, Arlington National Cemetery, with full military honors.

Memorial contributions may be made to Paralyzed Veterans of America, 801 18th Street NW, Washington DC 20006, Attn: Development.