Richard Joyce

West Point, 2002

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Fran Murphy on September 20, 2003:

What follows below are my words about Rick at our battalion's Fallen Soldier Ceremony 5 September 2003 in Schweinfurt, Germany. I can't say enough about the fellow soldier and friend Rick was; his example and the time we had together will inspire me the rest of my Army career and throughout my life. Mr. & Mrs. Joyce, Christy, and Kerry - You are always in my thoughts and prayers as we all deal with this incredibly difficult loss. Fran Murphy ___________________________________________________________ This week we lost one of our own and one of the best among the Steel Tigers. But Second Lieutenant Richard Joyce leaves a legacy that cannot and will not be forgotten by those who served with him and knew him best. Although he was the consummate soldier and scholar, he was above all else a warm, caring, and dependable friend who enriched many lives. Rick and I have been close friends for about two years. He had an academic and military reputation at West Point that preceded him; I knew of Cadet Joyce long before I ever had the pleasure of knowing who Rick really was. He was a star man, as they are called there, every year at school, based on maintaining a high GPA as he pursued his degree in operations research. He also excelled in the military program as an integral member of the cadet chain-of-command. He helped with the operational planning of cadet summer training for those classes that followed ours and later served as a battalion executive officer during our senior year. He was also chosen during that year to represent West Point as a Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship candidate. Rick graduated with Honors in the top 2% of our class and received his diploma and commission directly from President Bush on June 1st, 2002. 2LT Joyce showed no signs of slowing down after graduation; he was hardly content to rest on his laurels once away from the Academy. He instead mastered tactics and troop leading procedures last fall at the Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox. As was his nature, he was also very helpful to the other students who struggled during the course. His real passion, however, was the pre-Ranger training program; he was among the steadiest and most motivated among the group of us that did all of the extra early-morning physical training and nighttime ruck marching. In particular, I remember one cold morning that Rick and I had a conflicting engagement and thus missed a ten-mile ?fun? run that included the "Pain and Agony" hill series at Knox. Rick insisted later that afternoon after work that we would make up the run on our own and together we did just that. I can honestly say that by myself, I wouldn?t have done it. But with Rick, I couldn?t fail. And because of him, I didn?t. It came as no surprise then that he flew through the Ranger course as a first-time go, despite attending the school during the frigid months of January and February. He also smoked the Scout Leader Course prior to his PCS to Germany. Arriving in our Steel Tiger battalion in May, he quickly distinguished himself from the myriad other new lieutenants by his hard and dedicated work in the S4 shop. He was soon rewarded with the mortar platoon; it?s fitting in retrospect that Rick?s only platoon was a specialty platoon normally reserved for successful and more experienced first lieutenants. Beyond his competence and success, however, the very jewel of Rick?s being was as a friend, always approachable, easygoing, and willing to listen. He loved just to hang out, whether at a cookout, on a trip somewhere, at a fest, or even at the club. He rarely drank to excess, though he was known to enjoy from time to time a litre or two of Kreuzberg beer or a fine scotch. For Rick, the larger part was always in relaxing and spending quality time with friends. That?s exactly how we spent our last night together, Wednesday of last week, drinking Kreuzberg at my place while we talked about good times, the mortar platoon, and whatever else was on our mind. Rick also loved to cook and took great pleasure in having the guys over to his place for dinner or for a cookout. However, he was happiest of all about his fianc?Kerry, whom he loved deeply and to whom he had just proposed not more than three weeks ago today. Today and this week start a long and difficult goodbye. I know for me that I can?t soon forget the soldier, scholar, and dear friend that was Rick Joyce. He almost seemed too much and too good to be true for this fickle and fleeting life that we know; I can honestly say that it was my privilege to know him and to call him a close friend. So as his time here is complete and his journey to a better place has begun, I cannot help but return to the Alma Mater of the institution whose ideals Rick embodied so well: And when our work is done Our course on earth is run May it be said, ?Well done: Rick, Be thou at peace.?

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