Posted by Russell R. "Ray" Boyd on May 12, 2013:

We were not only classmates, but company mates. Hank was a natural leader as a cadet and as an active duty officer. Hank's deep voice made him recognizable from the time he was a plebe. He was often ordered to do the New York poop, which was "I'd rather be in New York than West Point". It always drew a laugh. And when as plebes we were driven over to audition for the cadet choir, the director had Hank sing "Glory to God" going up the scale, and Hank was almost rejected. Then he sang it going down the scale and was immediately accepted. He went on to sing with the choir in New York, and, I believe, participated in the choir recording of cadet songs. During yearling summer our company was commended at a ceremony for executing an engineering exercise well. We unanimously elected Hank to accept the award and speak for the entire company. Hank's family came to visit him at West Point several times, and we got to know them pretty well. It was a wonderful family, and we learned where Hank got his voice. Hank had an outstanding career in the Transportation Corps. In the early days of the Korean War, he was involved in establishing the important traffic patterns needed around the Pusan Perimeter. Later, in the Cold War, he was a US representative on the train running to and from Berlin, handily coping with the USSR representatives. His promotions indicated his high capability. Hank was our best man when Marion and I were married in the cadet chapel several years after graduation. He was not only supportive and helpful for the wedding, he thoughtfully arranged for Marion, a student of piano and organ, to play the cadet chapel organ. Hank was a true friend and leader who served his country long and well. He will be missed.

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