Obituaries

Marshall Gill EngleArmy Colonel

Marshall Gill Engle, 80, a retired Army colonel who commanded units in Korea and Vietnam, died Aug. 3 of multiple myeloma at his home in Warrenton. A longtime Herndon resident, he moved to Warrenton this year.

After his military retirement in 1977, he spent a decade as director of safety and training at William A. Hazel Inc., a site-development contractor headquartered in Chantilly. He implemented regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and became a national authority on trench safety.

Col. Engle was born in Newport News and grew up in Arlington, graduating from Washington-Lee High School in 1945 and Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in 1949.

He enlisted in the Army later that year, saw action in the Korean War and was awarded the Purple Heart. He also saw action in the Vietnam War and commanded infantry, mechanized infantry and armored units.

He served two tours of duty in Germany. As part of the 3rd Armored Division during the second tour, he participated in the ceremonial welcome of President John F. Kennedy when he made his famous speech in Berlin.

During a second tour of duty in Korea, Col. Engle was a member of the United Nations Armistice Commission meeting in Panmunjom with North Korean and Chinese officials to discuss armistice infractions, including the seizure of the spy ship USS Pueblo.

"The Army was in his blood," said a daughter, Sharon L. Hughes of Middletown, Md. "His license plate was 'The Colonel.' "

After his second retirement, he occasionally consulted, and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He traveled to Canada, Alaska and Arkansas to be with family members -- and to hunt and fish.

Besides his daughter Sharon, survivors include his wife of 58 years, Catherine Alba Marshall of Warrenton; two other daughters, Patricia A. Engle of Jeffersonton, Va., and Marsha K. Stumpo of Warrenton; and six grandchildren.

-- Joe Holley