|
MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Dec '78
Eleazar Parmly IV No.15830 Class of 1946
Died 19 July 1977 in Tifton, Georgia, aged 52 years. Interment:
West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York. |
Here is a name out of history, Eleazar the First having been
a distinguished president of Dartmouth College. His great-grandson
graduated from West Point in 1946. Eleazar Parmly III also graduated
from West Point in 1924, the year before Lea was born at Walter
Reed, and went on to serve a career as a field artilleryman.
On his mother, Dorethe's side of the family were: Major Elvin
R. Heiberg (United States Military Academy, Class of 1896), Brigadier
General E.R.D. Heiberg (United States Military Academy, Class
of 1926), Colonel H.H.D. Heiberg (United States Military Academy,
Class of June 1919), classmate and cousin Colonel H.H.D. Heiberg
II, and cousins E.R. Heiberg III and W.L.H. Heiberg (respectively
United States Military Academy, Classes of 1953 and 1960). Indeed
out of, and a part of, history.
For 52 years Lea lived life to the fullest and contributed
more than his share to the growing family chronicle of service
to country. He was also a devoted husband, a loving father and
family man, and served God with the same enthusiasm that he demonstrated
throughout his life for anything he undertook-maybe even more
so!
As an Army brat he lived at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont; Fort
Sill, Oklahoma; Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; West Point; and Washington,
D.C., where he graduated from Western High School in June 1943.
It is little wonder that Lea chose to enter West Point with the
Class of 1946 on 1 July 1943. While at West Point, Lea distinguished
himself as a cross country runner and miler on the track team.
He was also frequently attendant at social events with a Post
drag, Marie West, daughter of Colonel C.W. West (United States
Military Academy, Class of 1920). Marie and Lea married at graduation,
in the West Point Catholic Chapel. They have five children as
a result of this life-long union--three daughters: Elizabeth
Marie, Barbara Jane (elementary school teacher), and Joanne Lea
(registered nurse) -and sons, Michael Eleazar and David Whitney.
Elizabeth and Joanne are married and presented Lea and Marie
with a total of four grandchildren. As of this writing, Michael
is serving with the American Embassy in Madrid and David is completing
high school, with aspirations for an Army career.
Lea chose the Infantry as a branch of service, and after airborne
training became a member of the 511th Airborne Infantry Regiment,
in both Japan and later in the United States at Fort Campbell,
Kentucky. He went on to attend the advance course at the Armor
School.
Lea had a fixed idea of his own worth and ability, and this
became apparent to others translated into self-confidence, great
interest in all things military, and great certainty that his
opinions were valid and should be heard. General S.L.A. Marshall,
in describing Lea in West to Cambodia, said of him: "one
of the most outspoken Army officers extant." No doubt, without
Lea's strong personality, sense of humor and, above all, great
enthusiasm, the outspokenness could have been a professional
handicap when dealing with superiors and others in authority,
but it was not. Lea was a professional soldier of top caliber
and this was apparent to everyone under whom he served, with
or over. His integrity and professionalism could not tolerate
less than the truth and the best.
Following a tour in Alaska with the Reserve Officers Training
Corps, he joined the 82d Airborne Division, where he discovered
the Special Forces, co-located at Fort Bragg. After a tour with
the 82d, he had his first tour in Southeast Asia with the Joint
Military Assistance Group in Thailand. It must have been during
that tour that Lea's fine insight into all manner of people and
situations became evident, a characteristic which would stand
him in good stead in future assignments. He returned to the States
to attend the Command and General Staff College, then promptly
volunteered for Special Forces, and shortly thereafter for duty
in Laos with a Special Forces task group, "Operation White
Star." Though advising Laotian Army forces, this was Lea's
first experience with combat and he quickly earned a reputation
for personal courage and leadership that constantly grew from
that time. He was widely known throughout the Special Forces
as a forceful and skilled tactician--a man who knew how to fight
and could be counted upon to do so at the appropriate times.
Lea returned again to the States for a tour at West Point
with the Tactical Department, where he became known to the cadets
as "Ranger Major Parmly." In his constant contacts
with the cadets Lea shared his experience and imparted his professionalism
and respect for authority, which was a derivative of his determination
to become the one in authority himself. Lea knew how to follow
orders and believed that the way to become an order-giver was
first and cheer-fully to be an order-taker. Although a good and
loyal subordinate, Lea was capable of a sort of good-humored
tongue-in-cheek persistence until he had his own way in the end,
to do things as he saw best. This patience, coupled with the
professionalism and great energy already described, made Lea
a success in those fields he chose to follow throughout his life-his
Army, his family and especially his God.
After two years with the Southern Command in and about Panama,
Lea returned to Southeast Asia in 1966, for the third time to
serve in Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Group. There he
was given an assignment commensurate with his ability, as commander
of all Special Forces in the South Vietnamese II Corps Area.
His command consisted of 22,000 riflemen, largely Montagnards
led by United States and Vietnamese Special Forces detachments,
and covered the largest area of the four corps. Although he served
a confusing array of American and Vietnamese commanders concurrently,
the qualities heretofore described stood him in excellent stead
and his outstanding reputation continued to spread. With approximately
30 independent camps spread over hundreds of miles of highland
wilderness, Lea was constantly dealing with tactical, logistical,
intelligence, administrative and personnel problems that could
swamp any but the most experienced commander. General Marshall
in the book previously referenced accurately describes the scope
of Lea's activities in "A Small Problem of Command,"
a vignette on a combat excursion into the remote and deadly Plei
Trap Valley. Lea left Vietnam physically drained by his constant
activities and a bout with Blackwater Fever, but decorated with
the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star for Valor, the
Purple Heart and the cherished Combat Infantryman's Badge, as
well as Vietnamese awards for valor and service.
Lea served the inevitable Pentagon
tour followed once more by a position of leadership and teacher
of future officers as Professor of Military Science at Johns
Hopkins University. He also qualified as a Master of Liberal
Arts in geography while on that campus. At that time Lea planned
to retire, but was asked to become the Treasurer at West Point.
His love of the Service and loyalty to the Military Academy saw
him take his zest for living back to the Point, the focal point
of much of his life. There Lea handled his myriad responsibilities
as superbly as he did everything prior to that assignment.
He did retire in 1975, and moved to a condominium at Crescent
Beach near St. Augustine, Florida. He grew a beard, became active
in counseling young people and in various religious activities.
At the Class of 1946 thirtieth reunion, Lea and Marie were everywhere,
bursting with enthusiasm for life and the future. He applied
to the University of Florida and was ac- cepted as a candidate
for an advanced degree in gerentology. This was entirely In keeping
with his desire to love and serve God through people where he
saw need. It was this service to his Maker which took him with
Marie and two friends to Kansas City for a charismatic conference.
There was a tragic accident near Tifton, Georgia, which instantly
killed Lea and his friend, John McGuiness, and seriously injured
Marie and Sister Roseanne (who later died). Thankfully, Marie
recovered and continues God's works. Death for Lea, this vital,
zestful individual, was unexpected and quick. There can be little
doubt that he continues his cheerfully energetic services with
the Lord.
Lea was buried at West Point from the Chapel of the Most Holy
Trinity. The Mass of the Resurrection was joyfully celebrated
by ten priests, dear friends, with Lea's children and grandchildren,
mother, sister and brother with their families, the Cursillo
and marriage encounter communities from the surrounding areas
joining his many Army friends. Truly we can praise the Lord that
Lea is with Him. Lea will always be gripping hands with us and
encouraging each with whom he came in contact in life to follow
the entreaty in the Cadet Prayer: "Help us to maintain the
honor of the Corps untarnished and unsullied and to show forth
in our lives the ideals of West Point in doing our duty to Thee
and to our Country." Lea did in this in every sense of the
phrase, We shall miss him very much!
|