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James R. Henry '54

 

No. 19619September 20, 1930 - January 4, 2016          

Died: Fairfax, VA

Cremated. Interred in Arlington National Cemetery, VA

 

James Robert ‘Jim’ Henry was born in New Kensington, PA on September 20, 1930 to Thomas and Ruth Henry. Bob, as he was known at that time to family and friends, graduated from Stowe High School in West Park, PA in 1948, determined to attend West Point. When he  didn't make it on his first try, he joined the Army and subsequently qualified to attend the West Point Preparatory School at Fort Stewart, NY. On July 5, 1950 he was accepted for admission to the Academy, a proud member of the Class of 1954.

   From the time he started in Beast Barracks, his classmates called him Jim. His closest friends called him J-Bob. From Beast Barracks he was assigned to Company F-1. Jim was a natural athlete and excellent student. He played baseball and lacrosse and was active in the Policy Committee, the Debate Club,

and the Spanish Club. He was, on occasion, at cross-purposes with “the system”

and spent a memorable amount of time walking the Area. But he took it all “in

stride” (no pun intended). The Howitzer remembered him as “always ready with

that winning smile and friendly advice.”

   Jim met his wife of 60 years, Mary Lou Laslie, the summer of 1953 before his senior year at West Point and her senior year of high school. She happened to be

the daughter of Coach Carney Laslie, one of the Academy’s football coaches. Mary Lou was allowed liberal use of the family car and that made her, as she recalls, very popular among the cadets. But, according to one West Point classmate, her popularity was because she was beautiful and “a very special someone.” When Jim and Mary Lou met at Delafield Pond, it was love at first sight. They were married at West Point in a beautiful wedding in July 1955.

   Upon graduation Jim’s choice was to serve in the Infantry. After Basic Infantry

training and successfully qualifying in both Airborne and Ranger courses/programs, he began a challenging and outstanding career of 20 years in the Army. Key assignments included his initial assignment as a platoon leader in Panama, followed by assignment to the 11th Airborne Division in Germany and then in Lebanon as aide to an assistant division commander and as a company commander (1955–58). This was followed by a tour in the 82d Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC (1958–60).

   He received a master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College and spent a year of study and language immersion at the University of Madrid (1960–61) leading to a three-year assignment in the Spanish Department at West Point (1962–65). From 1965 to 1966, he served in Vietnam as a MACV senior regimental advisor. After graduating from the Command and General Staff College in 1967, he was assigned to the Office of the Joint Chief of Staff (1967–70). He served during a second tour in Vietnam as a battalion commander in the Americal Division (1970-1971). His final assignment was in the Operational Test and Evaluation Agency (1971–74). He retired from the Army in 1974.

   As with most career Army families Jim and Mary Lou had their share of family

separations. Jim was notably absent for the birth of their first child, daughter

Carey, in 1957. In 1958, when their second child, son James, was born, he was in Lebanon. In 1959, at Fort Benning, GA, he was in the field when Mary Lou went into labor with their third child, daughter Elizabeth. Mary Lou was adamant

about not going to the hospital without him. He didn’t make it home in time to

take her there himself, but he did arrive at the hospital just in time for the birth.

Notwithstanding these absences, Jim was ultimately a family man and loved

nothing better than parenthood and all the joys and challenges that came along

with having four children within a span of five years.

   Following his retirement Jim held a variety of interesting positions in the DC area. Initially, he was the director of a high-risk driving school that provided

training for security personnel who were drivers for high risk VIPs. He was Director of the Concessions Department at JFK Stadium, and for a time he ran a  DC tow truck company. He settled into his long-term role as a financial planner with the United Services Planning Association and Independent Research Agency for life insurance (USPA&IRA) in 1981. He retired from that organization in 1999.

   Jim passed away on January 4, 2016 surrounded by his devoted family. He is survived by Mary Lou, daughters Carey Henry Keefe, Elizabeth ‘Becky’ Henry Ireland, Mary Alice Henry Shiflette, son Jim Henry, their spouses, 13 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

   Jim lived a life of Duty, Honor, and Country. His love for West Point never

faded. He attended all of his Class and Company F-1 reunions. His last visit to

West Point was for his 60th reunion in 2014. Even though he was wheelchair

bound he remained, as described in the 1954 Howitzer, “always ready with that

winning smile and friendly advice.”

Well done, Jim! Be Thou at Peace.

— Ken Bailey and

daughter Carey Henry Keefe

 
 

Originally published in TAPS, Summer 2017

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