Courtesy of his classmates
United States Military Academy, Class of 1946
Harry Arthur Floyd * 1946 – 15984
23 Jul 1921 – 5 Nov 1997
Died in Arlington, Virginia
Interred in Arlington National Cemetery
HARRY ARTHUR FLOYD was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, 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, Georgia, Harry was first assigned to
the 27th Infantry in Japan. While at Fort Benning, Harry had married Ann Joyce at
Brookline, Massachuisetts on 29 December 1946. From Japan, the Floyds returned to the States to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, 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 Assistant
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
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard