David D. Barrett
| David Dean Barrett | |
|---|---|
Colonel Barrett with Mao Zedong
|
|
| Born |
August 6, 1892 Central City, Colorado |
| Died |
February 3, 1977 San Francisco, California |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | Thirty-five |
| Rank |
 Colonel
|
| Commands held | U.S. Army Observation Group to Yenan |
| Awards | Legion of Merit |
David Dean Barrett (August 6, 1892 – February 3, 1977) was an American soldier, a diplomat, and an old Army China hand. Barrett served more than 35 years in the U.S. Army, almost entirely in China. Barrett was part of the American military experience in China, and played a critical role in the first official contact between the Communist Party of China and the United States government. He commanded the 1944 U.S. Army Observation Group, also known as the Dixie Mission, to Yan'an, China. However, his involvement in the Dixie Mission cost him promotion to general, when Presidential Envoy Patrick Hurley falsely accused Barrett of undermining his mission to unite the Communists and Nationalists.
David Dean Barrett was born in Central City, Colorado. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1909 and served for three years. He then entered the University of Colorado, graduated when he was 23. He taught high school English for the next two years, but when the United States entered the First World War, he reenlisted, earning a commission as a second lieutenant. However, he spent the war serving in the United States.
He chose to make the military a career and volunteered to take part the American expedition to Siberia to fight the Bolsheviks in 1920. Instead, his troopship was sent to the Philippines, where he spent the next four years. Barrett learned of an army program to train officers in foreign languages and signed up in hopes of traveling to Japan and learning its language. Disappointed once again, was ordered to Beijing, China.
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