LEON "DOC" LUSCHER De CORREVONT was born on a campus in Ypsilanti, MI, now part of the University of Michigan. After Doc arrived, his mother, a student at the university, chose to finish her education, deciding it would be best for Doc to stay with one of her sisters who was married to an Infantry officer. During those few years, his uncle was influential to him, and in the ensuing years, Doc would spend part of his summers with his uncle and family on a number of Army posts. Doc later credited his uncle with strongly influencing his Army career.

The nickname "Doc" was acquired at age three and given to him by his parents, who wanted him to pursue a medical career. Although Doc felt his career was with the Army, he followed his parent's wishes and attended Cornell, as he had been unable to obtain an appointment to West Point and was too young to enlist. During his second year as a pre-med student, he enlisted in the Reserves and was called to active duty, spending the ensuing two years as a "cannon cocker." In 1945, he finally received his cherished West Point appointment.

Doc was a free spirit, always full of pizzazz and very upbeat. Academics were never a concern for him after his time at Cornell. As for the cadet indoctrination system, Doc never took it seriously, much to the frustration of the more driven upperclassmen. Thus, after several ill-fated encounters, he quietly made his way to the more laid-back 2d Regiment during his Yearling year. Doc was a good athlete. He played a robust defense on the varsity soccer team for all four years, lettering in the last three. Culturally speaking, each year saw him holding down a tenor seat in the cadet choir.

His First Class year roommates schemed to give Doc the lone upper bunk in their room and also managed to switch the room orderly responsibility card around to keep him popping in and out of duty throughout most of the year. He returned the favor aplenty, however, as he was commander and detail distributor of the company table during meal formations. Never one to shy away from any extra or unauthorized boodle, Doc hid a hot plate in his desk for after-hours boodle fights.

Upon graduation, our friend Leon led the class stampede to the altar, whisking his high school sweetheart, Margaret Jane (Peg) Williams, to Averill Harriman's estate in Arden, NY, just two hours after clutching his diploma and tossing his cap. Evidently, the wedding lineup at the cadet chapel was much too long for Mr. Impatience after already having waited four years. Doc was now free of cadet regulations, let alone graduation traditions. He was definitely generating his own head of steam! Having fallen in love during high school, Doc and Peg shared a love that grew the rest of their lives together.

Doc returned to the Field Artillery branch after graduation. Their first child, a daughter, was born in 1950, two weeks before he shipped off to Korea and the war. He joined the 2d Division, initially as a forward observer, and later as XO and CO of a battery. Promoted early to captain, he held that rank and command for the last seven months of his first combat tour.

After Korea, Doc spent two years at Ft. Sill and four at West Point teaching chemistry. Their son was born in 1952 during their time at the Academy, and a second daughter arrived at Ft. Sill in 1958. Intervening was Columbia University for a master of science degree, followed by a year at Command and General Staff College. The young family headed to Europe and Central Army Group-NATO, in Heidelberg, for his assignment as a G-3 Readiness Inspector. In July 1964, he assumed command of the first 175mm Gun Battalion at Ft. Sill. A year later, Doc took the battalion to Viet Nam and was exceptionally proud of having commanded the unit for his entire second year of combat.

Doc spent a year at the National War College before assuming command of a specialized training brigade at Ft. Sill. His excellent career performance led to his appointment to the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. Due to association with certain State Department personnel at the War College, Doc volunteered for a second tour in Viet Nam as Senior Military Advisor to the State Department at Da Nang. Here, during the early 1970s, he watched the North Vietnamese invasion and the resulting downsizing of civilian efforts in that area. He drew up and effectively executed the timely evacuation plan of American civilians from Da Nang.

Following another tour in EUCOM and a stop at the University of Connecticut, after more than 30 years on active duty, Doc and Peg decided to retire to Ft. Smith, AR, not too far from their old artillery stomping grounds at Ft. Sill. They bought a home, and Doc went back to school, earned his MBA from the University of Arkansas, and became a local banker. After five years, he retired fully and began volunteer tax work with VITA, and pushed wheelchairs at the local hospital. This wasn't enough, so he began working full-time, driving cars for Enterprise Rent-a-Car throughout Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. He and Peg also enjoyed traveling through Elderhostel and meeting new and old friends.

Doc died of a brain tumor shortly after his 79th birthday. He was a fine officer, a staunch patriot, and a strong family man and friend. A superior officer once described Doc as aggressive and forthright by nature, possessing a fierce pride in his outfit and an almost insatiable loyalty to his subordinates. What more could one wish for? You are sorely missed, Doc!

By Doc's family, in conjunction with two of his Academy roommates

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2004 TAPS

Personal Eulogy