Colonel David E. Hartigan, Jr. was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 2 August 1951, class number 1. His first duty assignment was as Tactical Officer, 9th Officer Candidate Company, The School Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Company Executive Officer and Platoon Leader, The School Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia and company C, 16th Infantry Regiment, Schweinfurt, Germany; Platoon Leader and Assistant Regimental S-3, Company B and HHC, 16th Infantry Regiment, Schweinfurt, Germany; Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon Leader and Company Commander, HHC and Company F, 16th Infantry Regiment, Schweinfurt, Germany and Fort Riley, Kansas; Company Commander and Battalion S-3, Company F and HHC, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, Fort Riley, Kansas; Advisor to the Burma Army Parachute Training School and Assistant PMS, Burma Army Parachute Training School, Rangoon, Burma, and USA ROTC Instructor Group, The Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska; Assistant Division G-3 (Chief, Operations Division), HHC, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Staff Officer, Program Division, Military Assistance Directorate, Headquarters, USEUCOM, Paris, France; Staff Officer, Plans and Policies Division, Military Assistance Directorate, Headquarters USEUCOM and Brigade Deputy Commander/Executive Officer, Stuttgart, Germany and HHC, 2d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, Vietnam; Battalion Commander and Staff Officer, Plans Division, ODCSOPS, Headquarters, CONARC, HHC, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 61st Infantry, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, Vietnam and Headquarters, CONARC, Fort Monroe, Virginia. | Colonel Hartigan's awards and decorations include: Combatman Infantry Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Air Medal (16 Devices), Bronze Star, Legion of Merit (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (Gold Star, 2 Awards), Distinguished Flying Cross and Silver Star.