A Eulogy to BG Leonard Ward

      Good afternoon.  I’m Brigadier General Mitch LeClaire commander of the 177^th MP Brigade and former engineer officer from Michigan.  I’ve been asked today to say a few words about Brigadier General Leonard Ward and I am truly honored to be able to eulogize a great soldier.

     In a recent book, news analyst Tom Brokaw referred to those who lived, worked and served in our armed forces during the era of World War II as the Greatest Generation.  Common people capable of uncommon valor.  And if you talk to any of them they will tell you that they were only doing what needed to be done.  They didn’t consider themselves heroes.  Nor did they consider themselves special.  They were committed to doing what they had to do, but they saved the nation.  And when it was over they returned to build America.  To pull it out of the dregs of war and go on.  They were my parents, they were many of your parents, or perhaps you yourself and they were so very typical of Leonard Ward.

     Born in Virginia, Minnesota on 17 November 1917, Len Ward showed an early propensity for the military.  He enrolled in the ROTC program at Michigan Tech University and upon graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1939, no easy task I might add, accepted his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and joined the Michigan Army National Guard shortly afterwards as a member of the 107^th Engineer Battalion.  In 1940 he entered active duty with the famed 32^nd Red Arrow Infantry Division just in time for World War II. 

     I’ve taken the opportunity to read as much as I can about the European Campaign during World War II.  Partly because it was required reading for the Army War College, partly because my father was a member of the 3^rd Armored Division, and partly because there have been so many documentaries about that phase of the war and in particular the Normandy Invasion and the Battle of the Bulge.  Leonard Ward not only experienced it he was a major part of it.  As the engineer operations officer for the breach force he lay on the beaches of Normandy the night prior to the invasion as the Artillery preparatory fires were conducted.  Beyond the tip of the spear I would say.  He also served as an intelligence officer during the Battle of the Bulge. Yet he would extol the virtues of those who served with him before he would relate his part in the operation.  He was a particularly humble man.  But earning two bronze stars and campaign ribbons with 5 battle stars tells me differently.

     During the war he served with the 1121^st Engineer Group who had as a subordinate element the 107^th Engineer Battalion of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, reassigned and redesignated as the 254^th Engineer Battalion, first upon the shores of Normandy and a major role player during the invasion.  General Ward knew the  254^th  well.  And in conversation with him he would particularly extol the virtues of the 254^th and how they held the northern shoulder of the Bulge against Piper’s Kampfgrupe and turned the tide of the Allied efforts against the Reich rather than what he did during that campaign although he had some very graphic memories of Belgium. 

     After reading Steven Ambrose’ Citizen Soldier I had remarked to General Ward of the hardships experienced by the 254^th during the winter in the Ardennes.  He said, “hey, the 254^th had been there since October.  They had log cabins and wood stoves for God’s sake.”  I suddenly realized that it probably wasn’t any different than a typical deer season in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, minus the Sauna.  But the 254^th did perform admirably as did Leonard Ward.

     When Len Ward returned to the States he took command of the battalion he originally went to war with.  He reinstated the 107^th Engineers and nurtured them into a fine organization.  Now those of you who knew Len Ward will appreciate this story.  It’s typical of the detail to which he took everything.  Single in those days and just returning from the war, Len lived in the old Ishpeming armory.  Not something that is done today, but in those days it wasn’t really questioned.  But when the staff would come to work in the morning or for a Drill which in those days were held weekly, they would find little notes scotch taped to desks, typewriters, coat racks….anything….little reminders of things he felt needed doing or just reminders of something that had been talked about previously.  But that was Len Ward.  Attention to detail.

     Back in 1955 when he was checking convoys enroute to Camp Grayling, almost every driver and assistant driver saw him standing at the check points and to be sure that he had the correct time he was wearing at least three watches on each arm.  Really!  He was a meticulous planner to the n^th degree.  Joyce, I’ve even heard stories of how your wedding was planned in more detail than most military operations.  So I know you can appreciate Leonard’s attention to detail. 

     And the story of how Len and Joyce met is an interesting one.  You know Len’s mind was always working and by this time the staff was thinking…we need to find Len a girlfriend to divert his attention a little.  Then Colonel Ward was the State Inspector for the armory projects up in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and you know that without a doubt the taxpayers got their monies worth on that job.  CPT Sam Dubow  was the commander of the Soo unit but he was also the principal at the High School and he had this very attractive single teacher on his staff who of course was Joyce.  So he arranged for them to meet.  Shortly after that the announcement was made of the upcoming wedding and the staff breathed a little easier.  But I can tell you that they continued to meet General Ward’s high standards.  And I can tell you that Leonard and Joyce were very happy together.

     I first met Leonard Ward when I was the commander of the 46^th Engineer Group, a National Guard command in Michigan. He religiously attended the reunions of the 107^th.  It struck me very quickly that this was a very dedicated man.  He was dedicated to his nation, to the military and in particular to his family.  That first meeting by the way was in the Soo and I remember the day vividly because we presented Joyce with an award.  Len was thrilled that we had honored you in such a way Joyce.  And as Paul Harvey would say….now I know the rest of the story.

     The 107^th Engineers exist today as a proud symbol of the role played by the National Guard in fighting our nation’s wars.  General Ward was a strong believer that the National Guard as citizen soldiers are the core of the military.  His tenure as Assistant Chief, National Guard Bureau and later Deputy Director Army National Guard allowed him to emphasize that philosophy. 

     His passion since somewhere around 1994 has been to memorialize the efforts of the 254^th Engineer Battalion during the war in Europe.  He’s led a major effort to place plaques at strategic places in Belgium and in the Armories of the units that at one time made up the 254^th Engineer Battalion.  His work is not finished.  Leonard we will continue those efforts I assure you.

     Leonard Ward was a very compassionate man with an affectionate smile and easy manner.  It has been our distinct pleasure to have known him.  A true hero in his own right and a wonderful American who epitomized selfless service.  He will be sadly missed.

     General Ward you’ve served your country in so many dedicated ways.  We are so very appreciative of your commitment and we salute you…..and we will miss you.