Ladd Hayden Metzner

West Point, 1965

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Brigadier General and Mrs. Ramon M. Ong (Ret) on May 31, 2006:

As a Second Classman (Junior) at West Point, my summer job was the training of new Plebes at Beast Barracks. Ladd Metzner was one such New Cadet in my squad. I got to know him inside and out, during our one month stint together. Ladd was the quiet type. He did his job with no fuss. It was a joy to teach him how to be a Plebe because he learned fast and never complained. Putting a gloss on brass and leather, cleaning spotlessly his room and equipment and flawlessly spewing out little bits of info that Plebes are required to memorize, he passed them all with flying colors. We parted immediately after Beast Barracks because we belonged to different companies, far apart from each other. I rarely saw him afterwards. I was proud to learn later on that, as an upperclassman, he had earned his letter as a valued member of the Army Rifle Team. I was not surprised, because he was the best rifle marksman in my squad. I know little or nothing of what he did after graduation, but I like to think that he did okay. Someday I hope to find out. Be thou at peace, my son! Brigadier General Ramon M. Ong (Ret) Armed Forces of the Philippines

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