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Major General John Chapman Bard, 75, died
June 28 after being stabbed.
Gen. Bard was called to the home of a longtime
friend, Courtney Cash Mustin, after she was stabbed in the chest
during an altercation with her son. The son, John Townsend Mustin,
attacked Gen. Bard, who had helped raise him. Gen. Bard, stabbed
in the back with a butcher knife, and died at the scene.
- Earned the rank of Eagle Scout when he
was 14
- Gen. Bard enlisted in the Army in 1946
and was later admitted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
- Graduated as first captain of the Corps
of Cadets in 1954, ranked second in his class, and was named
a Rhodes Scholar.
- Attended Oxford University, receiving
two degrees.
- Received a master's degree in aeronautical
and astronautical engineering from the University of Michigan
in 1961 and one in business administration from George Washington
University in 1983.
- Received a law degree from the College
of William and Mary in 1993.
- Served two tours in Vietnam
- Brigade commander at Fort Hood, Tex.
- Chief of staff to Gen. Alexander Haig
when he was supreme allied commander in Europe from 1975 to 1977.
- Returned to West Point to serve as commandant
of cadets
- Retired in 1979
- CEO for Gulfstream Limousine.
- Vice president for the International Bank
in Washington from 1979 to 1982,
- President of the Aluminum Association
Inc. from 1981 until 1987.
Military awards:
Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and the Legion of Merit.
Survivors include four children, John,
James, Elizabeth, and Catherine; and eight grandchildren.
He will be buried at West Point.
This photo was taken on June 7, 1978, a
rare June Week all contained in the month of June. I remember
being worried about marching up and standing tall as I stood
at the bottom of the ramp. And then the sheer enormity of what
was about to happen to me just washed over me, and I smiled.
And I couldn't stop smiling, I was about to graduate from West
Point in front of thousands. I looked up the ramp as my name
was called, and I saw the face of our Commandant of Cadets, General
Bard, and he was beaming back at me. I guess decorum took a short
vacation for both of us. He said simply "Congratulations
Lieutenant" and I thanked him (sir). Our moment was captured
well by the photographer, on what I still consider to be the
greatest day of my life.
We in the family of the Long Gray Line
all share an innate characteristic, we want to make a difference.
We want the world to be a better place from our efforts, and
we travel through life touching the lives of those around us.
We lost General Bard while he was performing one of those voluntary
selfless acts. Those of us lucky enough to have our lives touched
by the General will always share the enrichment he brought to
us.
As a family, we need to pray for all involved
in this terrible tragedy.
Gale Satre '78
Richmond Times-Dispatch Article
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