At Yale, former NSA director was just Professor Odom
Smith: Three-star general was ‘academic, practical and worldly’
William Eldridge Odom, three-star general, former leader of the National Security Agency and Yale faculty member — a man who challenged preconceptions and defied expectations — died suddenly on Friday, May 30. He was 75.
“We all remember the last time we saw him,” said political-science professor David Cameron, Odom’s colleague at Yale. “He was, as always, enthusiastic about something and had an idea he wanted to talk about.”
#2
By SM '98 (Unregistered User)
12:50am on June 25, 2008
He was a really excellent teacher - a clear, organized thinker with an obvious passion for his subject.
Often the lone voice of reason among academic "theorists," Odom was inspiring. That a retired Little General would give so generously of his time and insight to the ignorant (and I do not use that term pejoratively--I mean "those ignorant of what it means to be a 3-star," i.e., civilians generally and students in particular) speaks to his greatness and to his mission, as well reflecting credit upon himself, the US military, and the Yale of yesteryear.
May Yale be so fortunate as to find another General Odom. We hardly knew ye, sir; au revoir and rest in peace.