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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly May '99
Harry Arthur Floyd * 1946
15984 * 23 Jul 1921 - 5 Nov 1997
Died in Arlington, VA * Interred in Arlington National Cemetery,
Arlington, VA |
HARRY ARTHUR FLOYD was born in Lynn, MA in 1921
and spent his youth there. He graduated from Lynn Classical High
School in 1939. Unlike most of his classmates, Harry did not
attend college. Rather he entered the work force as a steamfitter
for General Electric. He enrolled in and successfully completed
the GE four-year Factory Construction and Maintenance Apprentice
Course. While in that course, he completed the first year of
a two-year Mechanical Course at the Lowell Institute School.
Harry had just completed that course when he gained his coveted
appointment to West Point where he joined the Class of 1946 on
the Hudson on 1 July 1943.
Cadet life was a challenge that Harry met as he
did each time a challenge turned up in his life. The comments
of his roommates tell about him. Bill Grisham wrote: "Harry
was a decent, quiet, unassuming and totally humble soul. Academics
came hard for him, but he made up in effort what he lacked in
brilliance. And Harry never spoke ill of anyone. He was loyal
almost to a fault. And I know of very few people in my life who
were as patient and long suffering as Harry -- he was a veritable
rock." Dick Lynch remembered: "Harry was one of the
most modest, self-effacing, thoughtfully considerate men I have
ever known. Nothing, not even Plebe Year, ever seemed to ruffle
his always calm, cool, steady demeanor." His third roommate,
Dick Burgess, recalled: "Harry came to West Point 4 years
after high school graduation. Obviously Plebe Math came hard
for Harry, but he went through the whole time proficient all
the way." Harry was commission as a second lieutenant in
the Infantry at graduation.
Following basic Infantry schooling at Fort Benning,
GA, Harry was first assigned to the 27th Infantry in Japan. While
at Fort Benning, Harry had married Ann Joyce at Brookline, MA
on 29 December 1946. From Japan, the Floyds returned to the States
to Fort Campbell, KY where Harry was a Company Commander in the
11th Airborne Division. It was back to Benning to the Infantry
School before Harry went to Korea to again serve in the 27th
Infantry. His next posting was as Ass't. PMS&T at Canisius
College in 1954. This was followed by a tour with the 82d Airborne
Division at Fort Bragg, NC and then on to C&GSC before assignment
to SHAPE in Paris, France. On his return to the States, Harry
went to the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, DC. In
1967, he served in Vietnam with MACV. After his return to the
States, Harry retired in 1969 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Harry went to work for Blake Construction Company
in the Washington, DC area in 1970 in their Fiscal and Finance
Division. He earned an Associate Degree in Business Administration
from Benjamin Franklin University at night in 1973. Harry remained
with Blake until 1983 when he decided to concentrate on the things
he really liked to do such as travel, golf and hockey. Harry
had a passion for hockey. He grew up with the Boston Bruins and
after his retirement, he and Ann had season tickets for the Washington
Capitols. Harry died from pneumonia as a complication of Alzheimer's
on 5 November 1997. His wife, Ann; two daughters, Vicki and Stacey
and two sisters, Pat and Virginia survive him.
Harry Floyd was indeed what a West Pointer should
be. A solid, dependable performer who never strayed from the
tenets of the credo of Duty, Honor, Country that meant so much
to him. The remembrances of his roommates tell best about the
man who was Harry Floyd.
Dick Lynch said: "Ann's gentle, loving care
for Harry in his final illness was truly admired by all. It was
a privilege to know and to serve with Harry. I will always revere
him as a true son of West Point and a deservedly honored member
of the long gray line. He loved and revered West Point and was
proud of every moment he spent in the service of our country.
May God grant him the eternal rest he so richly merits and deserves."
Bill Grisham remembered: "So good night Harry
--sleep well -- and may your soul rest well in the Immaculate
Heart of Mary, within the Sacred Heart of Jesus, forever."
Harry's loving and devoted wife, Ann, remembered:
"Harry was a quiet, kind, considerate person and good friend.
A loving, caring husband and father. He was very proud of his
two daughters who are both responsible adults. I am proud and
happy we had 51 years together."
To these words of love, praise and honor, the Class
of 1946 is proud to add those words that would mean so much to
our classmate: "Well done, Harry; Be Thou At Peace!"
'46 Memorial Article Project and his wife, Ann
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