Biography

Herbert M. Tuttle was born in Newport, Rhode Island to Captain Herbert Tuttle, Jr, and Marion Tuttle. Herb is a graduate of Rogers High School in Newport, Rhode Island, where he participated in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Program as the Commander of the Drill Team and JROTC Battalion Executive Officer his senior year. Herb entered the University of Rhode Island in September 1957 and joined Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. He was a member of the Inter-Fraternity Cross Country Team and participated in the Army ROTC Program as well as the Pershing Rifles drill team for two years.

After his sophomore year, Herb left URI and enlisted in the United States Army Reserve. Private First Class Tuttle completed basic and advanced individual training at Ft Dix, NJ. His next assignment was to Ft Riley, Kansas as a radio operator. Prior to departing for South Korea for a 13-month tour. PFC Tuttle married Joanne Maria Arcieri in Newport, Rhode Island on 30 May 1960. He served as a “Buck” Sergeant and received an Honorable Discharge from active duty on 3 July 1961.

In September 1961, he returned to the University of Rhode Island in the College of Business Administration with a major in Industrial Management. He rejoined the URI Army ROTC Program. He was selected as the URI Army ROTC Quartermaster Battalion Commander his senior year, designated as a Distinguished Military Graduate and commissioned a Regular Army Second Lieutenant, Army Intelligence and Security Branch upon graduation on 7 June 1964.

Lieutenant Tuttle severed his combat arms detail in Air Defense Artillery Branch. After completing the Officer Basic Course, Fort Bliss, Texas, he was assigned to Europe where he served as a platoon leader, battery executive officer, 6th AD Artillery. Captain Tuttle transferred to the Military Intelligence Branch and was assigned as the supply officer, 527 Military Intelligence Battalion and as an instructor, USA Security Agency Center & School at Fort Devens, MA.

In June 1968, Captain Tuttle volunteered for duty in South Vietnam. He assumed command of the Radio Research Company, 23rd Infantry Division, on 2 August 1968. The mission of the RR Company was to intercept enemy communications in support of combat missions. The main focus was collecting enemy voice communication along the “Ho Chi Minh Trail.” The 509th Group also monitored communications on downed United States pilots to assist in their rescue. As a result of Captain Tuttle’s outstanding service in connection with military operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

As a Captain and Major, Herb served in various command and staff positions. As a staff officer with the 66th MI Group, he provided counter intelligence and counter espionage support to U.S. Army Europe. He served as Commanding Officer, 207th MI DET in direct support of Headquarters VII Corps. The 207th provided order of battle analysis and imagery read out of daily Cold War Airborne Spying Missions looking into the Warsaw Pact countries across our border.

Many of the spying missions were flown by groups of specialists — electronic snoopers and photographers — who were strapped into specially modified variants of the C-97, T-29 and C-130s. The aircrafts were specifically picked for their size so the missions would appear innocuous and, it was hoped, unworthy of notice by Soviet-bloc fighter pilots and air defense gunners. He was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal.

After serving with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY at three different intelligence staff positions within the Division, Major Tuttle was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency. He was selected as the DIA representative on the Intelligence Community’s investigation of critical issues dealing with national security. As a result of his performance, he was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

Lieutenant Colonel Tuttle was assigned to Headquarters, Department of the Army, and Washington, DC initially as the National/Tactical Interface Officer responsible for obtaining JCS approval to station the Joint Tactical Imagery Processor, which provided imagery to XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, NC in near real time. His final assignment was with the National Reconnaissance Office which has the responsibility to design, build, and operate all spy satellites of the United States government. Lieutenant Colonel Tuttle was responsible to increase the support of NRO assets to the Combatant Commanders.

Lieutenant Colonel Herbert M. Tuttle retired from the United States Army in June 1984, after more than twenty-two years of honorable service to our country. He was presented the Legion of Merit and the United States Air Force Space Badge by the Secretary of the Air Force, the Honorable Peter C. Aldridge for his service to our country.

His awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leave cluster, Joint Service Commendation Service Medal, General Staff Identification Badge and the U.S. Air force Space Badge, as well as theater medals and ribbons for Vietnam service. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College.

LTC Herbert M. Tuttle is a long-standing member and leader of the URI Alumni Association and one of the strongest supporters of the University of Rhode Island Washington, DC, Alumni Chapter, and the URI Foundation. Herb and his wife Joanne live in Gainesville, Virginia.