Posted by Tom Kehoe on March 10, 2001:

I was a classmate of Len Hanawald at West Point (1953-57). Upon graduation we both chose Infantry as our basic branch our paths crossed numerous times over the following years. At Fort Benning in 1957-8 we roomed near to one another while attending the basic course. During this period I remember Len never worried too much about studying for the courses; rather he would spend spare time reading books. He was an avid reader with wide interests, to include books on philosophy -- a subject I gave little thought to at thetime. Then at Ranger School he really came into his own. It was obvious thathe was a great fit for an infantry officer. He liked to lead! We were both assigned from Benning to Fort Campbell (from1958-60). During this period we were inthe same battle group - the 501st. Len spent his entire time there in Company C, becoming the Company Executive Officer before rotating to Germany in 1960. When we arrived at Campbell we were both bachelors and spent the time doing things that bachelors do; but after I was married in December '58 we remained friendly. Len would come overand spend time with Kay and myself at our quarters. I remember one night we received a phone call that there were extra parachutes available for a Recondo School "jump" and he and I ran out ofthe house (to Kay's consternation) for an impromptu night jump. He liked the airborne assignment and thechallenge of jumping. By the time we left Campbell, Len was well on his way to becoming a master parachutist. Our paths diverged in the early 60's. Len to Germany (and an airborne assignment), and I went to Alaska. When we linked up again it was at Benning (again) in the advanced course in 1963. During this period, I saw Len in class daily and he visited our house often. It was at Benning that he met a young schoolteacher from Atlanta whom he began dating. In 1964 he asked me to be an usher at his wedding to Peggy. After the advanced course our paths again diverged. We were both among the first assigned to Vietnam;but I never met up with him there. Between '64 and '68 Len was among the first in our class to be promoted to both major and lieutenant colonel. Everyone who had seen him at work viewed him as dynamic and a person who would become one of the Army's leaders in the years to come. In '68 I remember calling into Infantry Branch from graduate school, and found Len on the other end of the telephone. He told me he'd probably be going back to Vietnam in '69 (and alerted me that once I finished at the U. of Alabama I would probably be going back as well.) Over the next months our conversations were frequent. (When you are "away from the flagpole", it is always good to keep touch with someone who is mear to it.) Then, when I was back in Washington visiting my parents in December of '68, Len and I met at "branch", discussed old times and agreed to "keep in touch". I knew his departure for Southeast Asia was imminent; mine had been deferred for a while. I know Len went back to Vietnam in '69, returning command a battalion in our old unit, the 101st. I was deeply saddened to learn of his death.

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