Colonel Thomas B. Russell, USA, assumed command as director of the Defense Mapping Agency Inter American Geodetic Survey on 25 July 1983.
A native of Pawnee City, Nebraska, Colonel Russell entered the military service in 1959 after graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He also holds a Masters of Science degree from the University of Michigan.
His previous assignments include duty with the Office of Personnel Operations, Washington, D.C., from 1968 to 1970 and the ARVN Engineer Group, MACV, Republic of Vietnam, from 1970 to 1971. He then served with the Albuquerque District Engineer Office from 1972 to 1974.
From 1975 to 1978 he served with DMA, IAGS as the Project Chief, Rio de Janiero, Brazil. In 1978 he was transferred to Headquarters, Department of the Army, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Washington, D.C., until 1980.
Colonel Russell served as Chief, Topographic Requirements Division, DMA Hydrographic/Topographic, Washington, D.C., from 1981 to 1982. From 1982 to 1983 he was Deputy Director, Plans and Requirements Directorate at DMAHTC.
His military awards include the Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and the Army General Staff Badge.
Colonel Russell and his wife, Ann, have four children, Barbara, Lillian, Thomas and Samuel.
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase VII Campaign (1970-71)
From Month/Year
July / 1970
To Month/Year
June / 1971
Description This campaign was from 1 Jul 1970 to 30 June 1971. Fighting continued in Cambodia during early February before and after South Vietnam began its U.S.-aided drive in Laos, Lam Son 719, the most significant operation during this campaign.
Lam Son 719 was conducted out of I Corps by Vietnamese troops with US fire and air support. Their object was to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail and to destroy enemy bases at Techepone, Laos. The operation consisted of four phases. In Phases I, called Operation DEWEY CANYON II, the 1st Brigade, US 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) occupied the Khe Sanh area and cleared Route No. 9 up to the Laotian border. In the meantime, the US 101st Airborne Division conducted diversionary operations in the A Shau Valley. The US 45th Engineer Group had the mission of repairing Route No. 9 up to the Laotian border. This lasted from 30 January to 7 February 1971. During Phase II US forces continued to provide fire support, helilift, and tactical and strategic air support for ARVN units. This phase was 8 February to March 1971. Phase III ran from March to 16 March 1971; Phase IV was the withdrawal phase.
Faced with mounting losses, Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Lam, the commander of the invasion forces, decided to cut short the operation and ordered a withdrawal.
Lam Son 719, though it was less than a signal success, forestalled a Communist offensive in the spring of 1971. Enemy units and replacements enroute south were diverted to the scene of the action.
