Elvin R . Heiberg III Elvin Ragnvald Heiberg III ( March 2 , 1932 – September 27 , 2013 ) was a United States Army general who was Chief of Engineers between 1984 and 1988 . Biography . Born at Schofield Barracks , Hawaii , Heiberg became a third - generation West Pointer when he graduated fifth in the United States Military Academy class of 1953 . He later obtained three master ' s degrees ; the first a Master of Science in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , then two Master of Arts degrees from George Washington University , one in government and one in administration . He also received a degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces . Heiberg graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces . Early in his military career Heiberg served as operations officer of the 3d Brigade , 3d Infantry Division , in Germany , and taught in the Social Sciences Department at the Military Academy . In 1968 - 69 he commanded the divisional 4th Engineer Battalion in Vietnam and was awarded a Silver Star . He then served as special assistant and executive assistant to the director , Office of Emergency Preparedness , under the Executive Office of the President . Heiberg served for a year as executive to Secretary of the Army Howard Callaway . He then headed the United States Army Corps of Engineers ' New Orleans District and in 1975 - 78 the Ohio River Division . He served as senior engineer on the staff of U . S . Army , Europe , in 1978 - 79 . Heiberg was the USACE director of civil works in 1979 - 82 and then Deputy Chief of Engineers . After managing the army ' s Ballistic Missile Defense Program for a year , he became Chief of Engineers in 1984 . Heiberg , the 46th Chief of Engineers , remains the youngest " Chief " of the Corps of Engineers since 1838 , when Brigadier General Totten became the 11th " Chief Engineer " ( then the title ) . Heiberg retired as a lieutenant general ( three stars ) in June 1988 . As a civilian , Heiberg was chief executive officer of Rollins Field Services , Inc . , under the Delaware firm Rollins Environmental Services , 1988 - 1990 . He then moved to J . A . Jones Construction , a major engineering firm headquartered in Charlotte , NC . He headed J . A . Jones Construction Services from 1990 – 1993 and , in 1992 started J . A . Jones Environmental Services . In 1993 , Heiberg moved back to the Washington DC area and founded Heiberg Associates , Inc . , which provides engineering and environmental consulting services to a variety of clients . Heiberg was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1995 , and later became a founding member of the National Academy of Construction . Heiberg often provided volunteer services to the National Research Council , the research / study arm of the two National Academies ( Science ; Engineering ) . Starting in 2000 , that work was primarily in reviewing draft reports before they are finalized . Heiberg married Kathryn ( " Kitty " ) Schrimpf in Kansas in 1953 , after graduating from the United States Military Academy . She accompanied Heiberg on most of his military assignments . They resided in the Washington DC area , where Heiberg Associates was headquartered , and where Mrs . Heiberg ran her own business in antiques , porcelain repair and custom framing ( " Creative Concepts " ) . Among her many volunteer efforts , Mrs . Kitty Heiberg performed work within the Nixon White House and a great variety of Army and Army wives ' community efforts . They had four grown children , all married , and several grandchildren . He died of cancer on September 27 , 2013 in Arlington County , Virginia . Awards and decorations . Heiberg ' s military awards include ; References . " This article contains public domain text from "