16894 TRACY, GEORGE WARNER
28 June 1925-23 June 1993
Died in Leesburg, VA
Cremated and ashes incarcerated
in two urns on our mantelpiece
 

George was born to George Holmes Tracy and wife, Ruth Lydia Rosenburg, in Buffalo, NY. In 7th grade, at public school # 18, he won the Jesse Ketchum medal for "Highest Academics." The next year, he won it and the Sons of American Revolution Medal. While playing on the Fayette High School's track, baseball, and football teams, he was on the honor roll all 4 years of high school (1939-43).

In 1943, inducted into the Army at Camp Upton, NY, he was selected for the Army Specialized Training Program. The program ended, and his orders changed to the 94th Division, were he earned the Expert Infantryman Badge. He went to the 508th M.P Battalion, Ft. Sam Houston, going with the unit when it moved to Camp Polk, LA, where he was promoted to corporal. Transferred to the cadre of the 510th M.P. Battalion, he was recommended for an appointment to West Point and attended the West Point Prep School at Amherst College.

George entered West Point in July 1945. On the cross-country, track, and baseball teams, he sang in the Cadet Chapel Choir the first 3 years.

My father, COL (Ret.) WS. Triplet '24, recalls, "My strong-willed daughter, Lee, had been dating various cadets and was introduced to George. One day the telephone rang. It was CDT George Tracy asking for a date for the dance at Cullum Hall. Lee accepted. There was one complication: she was wearing a toe-to-knee cast. The next day, she asked the surgeon to cut the cast off, but he demurred saving, 'If you don't wear it for the full time, you will always walk with a heavy limp.' Her answer  was: ‘Will you take this cast off, or shall I do it?' He did.

"Saturday evening George showed up for dinner. As a former cadet private, 1 was impressed that he was a cadet sergeant and wore a ribbon indicating service in the last war."

In 1949, George graduated in the top 23 % of his class, choosing Infantry as the arm essential to the winning of wars. We married on 10 Jun 1949 in the Post Chapel. George attended the Ground General School at Ft. Riley, KS, graduating 70th out of 574. Daughter Sharon Anne was born on 20 Dec 1950, and George made first lieutenant. Held over as auxiliary instructor in the Weapons Department, George taught night vision in infrared devices and took a two-man instructional team to Panama to instruct on the 3.5" rocket launcher. He graduated 6th out of 137 from the Infantry Officer Basic Course at Ft. Benning, GA. In April 1951, he went to Korea, leaving our 4-month-old and me with mother and dad on a farm in Virginia.

George joined Company B, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division and was with them from April to October 1951. On 3 Jun, he took command of B Co. As a company commander in combat, he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and, in September, received a battlefield promotion to captain. On 5 Nov, he joined the G-3 Section, X Corps until 4 Apr 1952. He received a Bronze Star for meritorious service.

When he came back to the States, he headed for the farm, picked up his daughter (who wanted nothing to do with this stranger), me (who was thankful he had returned unscathed), and two happy dogs, and off we went to Ft. Benning. Georgia,  joined the Weapons Department as Chief of the Recoilless Rifle Instructional Team from May 1952-May 1955. During that time, he went to Alaska and found it fascinating.

On 5 May 1955, daughter Kathryn Lizbeth arrived as blue as a jay, but caught her breath and let loose a howl that shook the hospital.

From June 1955-June 1956, he attended the Infantry  Officer Advanced Course and ended up 10th out of 197.

In July 1956, he received orders to Berlin. I was 7 months pregnant. The doctor moved the due date back a month so I could sail, and off we went with a cat, a dog, and two children.

George was Commanding Officer of Company H, 2d Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment (Heavy Weapons) from July 1956-November 1957 and Plans Officer, S-3 Section, 6th Infantry from December 1957 Mav 1959.

We enjoyed Berlin. Patricia Lee arrived on 24 Sep 1956. On 22 Jul 1958, son William Triplet arrived. Both times, George was out on maneuvers.

C&GS was next. We experienced our first tornado-a humdinger. I corralled the children and dogs in the cellar, but George was nowhere to be seen. The tornado was going full blast-the children were crying, the dogs howling, and I was yelling for George. He finally appeared, having been in the bathroom. I had  a vision of him sailing out over Leavenworth on the toilet.

On 22 Jun, George was promoted to major.

We headed to Cornell University,  Ithaca, NY, where he earned a master's in English and American Literature from June 1960-August 1961..

It was great to get back to West Point in August 1961. George was Instructor, Assistant Professor. Associate Professor, and Executive Officer in the English Department. Shakespeare was beaten to death during that time. Promoted to lieutenant colonel on 28 Jan 1964, he was asked to stay permanently  but refused. We left West Point in August of 1965 for the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA. In February 1966, he took off for Korea to be Commanding Officer of the 3d Battalion, 32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, February 1966-September, then S-3, 7th Infantry Division from October 1966--March 1967, receiving the Army Commendation Medal.
He played a fast game of racquetball until the onset of his final illness
.
Virginia L. Tracey
 
 

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