"In thinking back through a lifetime of immersion in the high tech field of missiles and rockets, of military readiness and operations, and the leadership and management of enormous resources, I realize that my electrical engineering education at Purdue has been tightly intertwined in the total makeup of my life."

 

Admiral Arthur received his BSEE from Purdue University in 1956 and completed graduate work at New Mexico State University. He served in the Navy during the Korean War from 1949 until 1953 followed by service in the Navy Reserve. He was commissioned lieutenant (junior grade) in the Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) specialty in 1962, held various unit positions, commanded five reserve commands, had many active duty tours and assignments, and retired after 38 years of service. His last position was deputy commander for Mobilization Readiness, Naval Sea Systems Command, and he was the senior EDO in the Naval Reserve. In his parallel and overlapping civilian career he was a Department of Army civilian at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), New Mexico, starting as an entry level electronics engineer in 1956. During his career he held various test and evaluation positions including flight safety field engineer, test conductor, systems analyst, project engineer, chief of branches and divisions, materiel test director, executive director of the test center, and finally technical director/deputy commander of the missile range, the senior civilian position. He retired in 2004 after 48 years of service at WSMR and a combined 55 years of federal service.

Admiral Arthur is married to Joy (Lim) Arthur and they reside in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She shares her husband’s honor in also being named an OECE this year. Admiral Arthur is a member and officer of various technical and defense-related societies. He has been debilitated by a recent stroke but previously was a karate instructor, and enjoyed wilderness backpacking, gardening, and was an avid runner. Hopefully he will regain some of this very active life. He, along with his wife, was inducted into the WSMR Hall Of Fame in 2005. They have two children and two grandchildren.