Col. Anthony Walker, Usm

Middletown, RI - Col. Anthony Walker, USM, 87, of 409 Wolcott Avenue, Middletown, died Friday, November 5, 2004 at Forest Farm Health Care Center Middletown, RI.He was the husband of Judith D. Davidson Walker. Born in Baltimore, MD on Feb. 24, 1917, he was the only child of the late John Read Walker and Virginia McBlair Walker.His aunt Cornelia McBlair, cared for him in Norfolk, VA while his parents served in France during World War I. Col. Walker graduated from the Berkshire School in 1935 and Yale College in 1939 where he boxed, played football and majored in economics.After college he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served at sea, then was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1941 and deployed to the South Pacific in World War II. As a Raider company commander he led part of the successful attack upon Viru Harbor, New Georgia and was later wounded on New Georgia at the battle for Bairoko. Returing to combat, he fought in the campaigns of Emirau, Guam and Okinawa. On Okinawa he commanded the 6th Marine Division?s Reconnaissance Company, leading numerous night patrols and attacks. The end of the War marked 30 continuous monts for him in the Pacific Theater.After the War, Col. Walker served tours of duty as a U.N. observer in Kashmir, a battalion and regimental commander in the Fleet Marine Force, a commander of Marine Barracks at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and a student and instructor at the U.S. Naval War College. He concluded 32 years of active duty in 1971 with a year in South Vietnam as the Operations Officer of the Joint Military Assistance Command.Widely known in the Marine Corps as ?Cold Steel? for his expertise in bayonet and hand-to-hand combat, Col. Walker was most highly regarded for his tactical and leadership skills. His decorations include two Silver Stars, the Purple Heart, a Presidential Unit Citation, a Navy Unit Commendation and the Legion of Merit.Col. Walker published two books and numerous articles on mainly military history, especially the Revolutionary War. One of his books, So Few the Brave, is the definitive history of the Rhode Island regiments in the R evolution.Col. Walker was a President of Middletown?s Little League, a volunteer for the Sachuest Point Wildlife Sanctuary and a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Middletown Historical Society and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.He is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Judith Davidson Walker of Middletown, RI, three sons William W. Walker of Winston-Salem, NC, Daniel A. Walker of Hartford, CT, and Lt. Col. Andrew D. Walker, USMC, retired, of Poolesville, MD, and six grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, November 10, 2004, at 11:00AM in St. Marys Episcopal Church, 324 East Main Road, Portsmouth. Burial will be in St. Marys Churchyard in Portsmouth.In lieu of flowers donations in his memory may be made to the Redwood Library, Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840 or to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, PO Box 420, 307 5th Avenue, Quantico, VA 22134-0420.