Richard B. Dunbar
 Dunbar pictured in The Bomb 1908, VMI yearbook | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1, 1886 |
| Died | November 12, 1968 (aged 82) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1904–1907 | VMI |
| Position(s) | Guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1914–1915 | Southwestern Louisiana Industrial |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 10–5–1 |
Richard Battaille Dunbar (April 1, 1886 – November 12, 1968) was an American college football player and coach, military officer, and civil engineer. He served as head football coach at Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute—now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette—for two seasons, from 1914 to 1915, and compiling a record of 10–5–1.
Dunbar was born on April 1, 1886.[1] A native of Augusta, Kentucky, he attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), where he played football as a guard before graduating in 1908 with an engineering degree.[2] At VMI, he was a classmate of George S. Patton.[3] During World War I, Dunbar served with the United States Army Corps of Engineers in France. In World War II, Dunbar commanded the 343rd Combat Engineer Regiment in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. He spent 39 months serving in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). A 1,500-foot bridge constructed over the Rhine in Germany during the war was named in his honor. Between the two world wars, Dunbar worked as a civil engineer.[4]
Dunbar moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1919. He died at a hospital there, on November 12, 1968, following a long illness.[3]
Head coaching record
[edit]| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Louisiana Industrial (Independent) (1914–1915) | |||||||||
| 1914 | Southwestern Louisiana Industrial | 5–3 | |||||||
| 1915 | Southwestern Louisiana Industrial | 5–2–1 | |||||||
| Southwestern Louisiana Industrial: | 10–5–1 | ||||||||
| Total: | 10–5–1 | ||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ "Historical Rosters: Richard Battaille Dunbar". Virginia Military Institute. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
- ^ Lewis, A. P., ed. (1908). "The Bomb 1908". The Bomb. XXVI. Lexington, Virginia: Virginia Military Institute: 33. Retrieved July 23, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b "Richard B. Dunbar Services Scheduled". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. November 13, 1968. p. 6C. Retrieved July 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com
.
- ^ Crimmins, Madeline (September 23, 1945). "Rhine Bridge Bears Name Of Fort Worth Colonel". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. p. 4, section 1. Retrieved July 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "2024 Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Louisiana at Lafayette. p. 56. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
External links
[edit]
- 1886 births
- 1968 deaths
- 20th-century American engineers
- American civil engineers
- American football guards
- Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football coaches
- VMI Keydets football players
- United States Army officers
- United States Army personnel of World War I
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- People from Augusta, Kentucky
- Coaches of American football from Kentucky
- Players of American football from Kentucky
- Military personnel from Fort Worth, Texas
- Military personnel from Kentucky