Richard Keith McCarty was born in Northern Virginia on May 24, 1947 to Colonel Roy and Jean McCarty and was one of four sons. The son of a career Army Corps of Engineers officer and West Point graduate of the Class of 1936, Keith moved to various Army posts in the United States and Germany during his childhood. His last move prior to entering West Point was to Germany, where he attended Heidelberg High School from 1962 to 1965. There he excelled in academics, soccer and football.
In June 1965, Keith and his family returned to the States aboard the cruise ship USS United States. When Keith left Germany, he thought he was going to enter Stanford that fall to play soccer and study history and social sciences. When his family arrived at the pier in New York City on June 28, 1965, he found out that he had been appointed to West Point with the Class of 1969. Surprised, he never made it to his parents’ new home at Fort Belvoir, VA, and he reported to West Point two days later.
He reported with the Class of 1969 and quickly adapted to Beast Barracks and the new cadet military environment. He became a real support to his new cadet roommates and to others in his platoon, easing their transformation from civilians to cadets. Early on in his four-year cadet career, he became known for his unflappable positive attitude and his selfless loyal dedication to his friends. That same attitude would mark his time for the next four years. One of his roommates would go on to say, “Keith would make a room a functioning entity regardless of the characters he roomed with, as every cadet room was a different culture onto itself.” He excelled in history, the social sciences, English literature and French, while managing somehow to stay pro in math and engineering. He helped many classmates with their homework and projects in the social sciences. A real Renaissance man, he had a huge collection of books and was one of the best read and informed cadets on post. He anchored the B-2 Intramural Soccer Team and was a fierce competitor. He was active in the Military Affairs Club, French Club and the Fine Arts Forum. An excellent leader, he was B-2’s executive officer in his senior year. On branch selection night he chose Artillery, his favorite branch and first choice. Right about that time, he also purchased a brand new, shiny blue Chevy 396 Chevelle, which he dearly loved. In his senior year, he could frequently be heard saying, “It wasn’t meant to be easy” (one of his classmates favorite sayings) as he read Shakespeare with a smile while listening to Tommy James and the Shondells’ hit song “Crystal Blue Persuasion” over and over again. He was truly a character with character.
After graduation, he reported to Airborne and Ranger schools and the Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, OK. He followed that by noteworthy service in Germany with the 2nd Battalion, 27th Regiment and in Korea with the 1st Battalion, 31st Regiment as a battery XO, CO and battalion S-3. Reporting to the Artillery Officer Advanced Course at Fort Sill in 1973, he once again followed his passion for soccer and played on a team there. During one of his soccer games, he sustained an injury that required him to go to the hospital. During the medical examination, it was found that he had cancer. He then was transferred to Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio, TX, where he spent almost two years in the Oncology Ward receiving treatments. Once his treatments were completed, he was medically retired as a captain in 1975. He always said that the leadership, perseverance, and individual character displayed on that hospital ward was something that he would never forget.
Needing a new career field, he entered the University of Texas and earned an accounting degree in 1978. He went on from the university to become a CPA and auditor and worked for Cooper Lybrand, a large and very well-known accounting firm.
From Cooper Lybrand, he would move to the Gray companies in Richmond, VA, a real estate investment and management company that invested in apartment complexes and buildings. While there he served as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President and had a very successful 14-year career with Gray. He maximized his second career in accounting, which began at the University of Texas, by working hard and turning adversity to career success.
Keith’s wife, Pam; his children: Monique, David, Reid and Ian; and his four grandchildren were a real joy to him, and he was genuinely proud of them. He always spoke of the great support they gave him during his life and particularly during his medical challenges. Retiring in Glen Allen, VA, a suburb of Richmond, he enjoyed reading, traveling and visiting his children and grandchildren. He also enjoyed talking about his West Point days and classmates and had fond memories of football games, road trips, and the First Class trip in the summer of 1969 at Fort Belvoir, VA.
Keith was a true West Pointer who lived by the “Duty, Honor, Country” code in his military and business career. He was particularly fond of the one passage from the West Point “Alma Mater” that said, “And when our work is done…may it be said, ‘Well Done.’” Everyone he came into contact realized what a great guy and loyal friend he was.
Rest in peace Keith. Your work was very well done.
— Your classmates