Posted by Charles W. Bagnal on June 28, 2012:

Hawley Oakes was a dear friend whom I had the pleasure of knowing for almost 60 years. Hawley was a third generation West Pointer: his grandfather graduated # 2 in the class of 1897 and retired as a Colonel in the Corps of Engineers, and his father graduated in the class of 1928 as an artillery officer and retired as a Lt. General. He was the son of Jack and Margaret Oakes, brother to Sue, Jimmy and Margie, husband to Carol Dunn Oakes for 40 years and father to Caroline, Jack and Sue. He had 11 grandchildren. Also, he was husband to Cindy Cooper for 10 years. Hawley had an outstanding career in the United State Army and retired as a Colonel in 1986. He began his career as an artillery officer in the 101st Airborne Division, then to the 14th Artillery in Germany, an instructor at the Air Defense Artillery School in El Paso Texas, in 1965-66 as an artillery advisor to the Vietnamese Army, in 1967-70 at West Point in the tactical department, then a battalion Commander in the 4th Division at Fort Carson, next to Korea as an action officer in the operations division of the 8th Army staff, then as a staff officer on the DA Staff in the Office of the Inspector General. In 1979 while I was Deputy Superintendent at West Point I hired Hawley to be Chairman of Alumni Affairs and Gift Programs. He was able to stay in that job for 7 years because of the excellent work he performed. He spent one-third of his active duty career at West Point. General Goodpaster thought so much of Hawley's capabilities that he asked Hawley to be his special assistant. Hawley was very frank with General Goodpaster and thanked him for the offer but told the general that he did not think that he was cut out for that particular job. After General Scott became Superintendent he asked Hawley where he was going next. Hawley told him that MILPERCEN wanted him to go to Germany and that was fine with him. General Scott asked: "What do I need to do to get you to stay here?" Hawley said they have been mad at me for 3 years because Charlie Bagnal was able to persuade General Yerks to change my orders to come here. He said it will probably take a letter to the DCSPER. General Scott said write it and I will sign it. Hawley was able to stay at West Point until he retired. Hawley had a tremendous positive impact on so many cadets who became fine officers and some whom are still serving today. The same is true for many officers and soldiers who served under his command or tutelage. One day at West Point one of our classmates said to Hawley that he was the mother hen of women at West Point. Hawley told him that he took that as a great compliment. This particular classmate asked Hawley how he knew so many cadets. Hawley said that after he asked a cadet how are you he always took the time to ask them another question that could not be answered with just a yes or no response. Let me tell you a couple of stories about Hawley's character. As most of you know both his father and father-in-law were generals, both reaching the rank of Lt. General. At least on one occasion for each they tried to "help" Hawley in his career. Soon after Hawley arrived in Germany in 1960 to the 14th Artillery his battalion commander called him into his office and told him that he was to report to Division Headquarters to be interviewed for a possible job as aide-de-camp to a 4 star admiral down in the Mediterranean area. Hawley told his battalion commander that he was not interested. His battalion commander told Hawley to go to division to be interviewed. Hawley was interviewed by the personnel officer at division. Hawley told him that he wasn't interested and that what he wanted to do was to be the best fire direction officer in the division. The personnel officer told him to go on down to the admiral's headquarters to be interviewed. So when Hawley arrived there were 3 lieutenants there to be interviewed. The Navy captain doing the interviewing told them that he was pleased that the 3 of them had volunteered for this important assignment. Hawley raised his hand and told the captain that he was not a volunteer. The captain was shocked and took Hawley aside and told him that it had been arranged that Hawley would have the job. Hawley told him that he was not interested and so he went back to the 14th Artillery and became the best fire direction officer in the division. Later Hawley asked his dad in a nice way to please butt out of trying to help him in his career. In 1963 after the Artillery Advanced Course Hawley was assigned to be an instructor at the Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Bliss. General Dunn, Hawley's father-in-law, being a died-in-the-wool field artilleryman just knew this would be the death of Hawley's career. So he tried to intervene. Hawley received a call from a Colonel at the field artillery school at Fort Sill saying that he wanted Hawley to come work for him as an instructor. Hawley told the Colonel thank you but that he was not interested. The Colonel was aghast and told Hawley he was making the wrong decision. Later Hawley talked with General Dunn about trying to interfere in his career. Hawley was G-3 advisor to an Army of Vietnam Division for 4 months in 1965-66 and then for 8 months as a field artillery battalion advisor. A couple of our classmates who were infantry advisors teased Hawley one night about not going out in the field on operations as they did as infantry advisors. In other words Hawley did not get in the action like they did. So Hawley asked; "When is your next operation?" He went out on 4 missions before his division artillery advisor, Colonel Gary Turner told Hawley that was not his job. But Hawley was not teased by these 2 again. Hawley took over the worst field artillery battalion in the 4th Division and within a year it was the best. He was ably assisted by 2 young officers, Wally Kaine and Mike Krzyzewski, who look upon him as a great mentor in their lives. Let me read you excerpts from a letter written to Hawley by Pat Haley, a classmate of ours from Class of 1956, on February 8, 2012: It was really good to hear your voice the other day. Every time I hear that familiar voice it has a hint of something humorous about to pop out. It has been too long since we have been together. Charley is doing a good job of keeping us posted on all that is going on. I well understand the decision you have made concerning the future. I admire your strong faith and the outlook that you have. I needed to once again tell you what you have meant to me and my family through the years. As I look back on all that you have done in this life I am almost overwhelmed with all that you have done and the tremendous number of lives both you and your bride have touched. You are indeed a special person and God has to smile as he watches over you. The best years were when Vivian was under your wing while a cadet. You two really watched over her and it was comforting to know that you were there for her. The kicker was when you were able to get me in to see the Supe when she and Randy were in trouble. Had it not been for you those two would have been bounced. There never will be a way that we can repay you for what you were to all those cadets during your tour. To say your service was selfless would be a gross understatement. In short Hawley, you are the epitome of what the members of the long grey line aspire to be. I love you like a brother and admire you more than I can tell you. John and your gals have to be so proud to have you as their father. Time grows short my friend and I look forward to the day when you and your bride are reunited in heaven. If I don't make it to see you know that you are in my prayers and I will see you on the other side. Love, Pat What a tribute!!! Patsy and I were married the day after graduation on June 6, 1956. Both Hawley Oakes and Carol Dunn -- soon to be Carol Oakes -- were in our wedding. So we have loved each other for a long time. So it was a heart rending tragedy when Carol was killed in a freak accident in 1996 while she and Hawley were walking the dog after dinner. Obviously, this was a stunning happening for Hawley and all of his family and friends. He told me on more than one occasion that he loved Carol with all of his heart and that they were truly one. He told me that he really did not know whether he was going to make it or not. But God had other plans for Hawley. I won't go into many details but Hawley started drinking way too much and within a year recognized that he was an alcoholic. He was sent to AA by a judge and Hawley knew this would be a temporary excursion. But it wasn't. He became a member and in March of this year received his 15 year chip for being alcohol free for the past 15 years. When he received the chip he received a standing ovation for a long duration. Many said they had never seen such an outpouring of love on such an occasion. Hawley has helped so many become and remain alcohol free. For many years he would go to meetings more than seven times a week. He had a meeting for several years in his home every Thursday. For 4 1/2 years he has been going to the VA Mental Ward each week and ministering to patients there. Before he died he made sure that this work would continue. He has performed miraculous duty in AA for his community and for his God. Cindy, Hawley wanted me to tell you that he liked you as a friend, that you were a pleasure to be with and that if it he had not been with you that he would probably have started drinking again. Hawley also said that if it had not been for AA he would not have been able to beat Jim Anderson consistently in tennis. Hawley's daughters, Caroline and Sue, are both accomplished writers. Caroline writes a column weekly for a local newspaper and writes a monthly column for a prestigious newspaper and Sue is an educator with considerable writing skills. Here are a couple of pieces from Sue Oakes Verlaan, first a note to her Dad and second excerpts from one of her poems: 1. Hi Daddy: I tribute you with giving me the spirit to love and understand Whitman and all the other philosophical stuff that relates to and is like his vision of things. I tribute Mom with giving me the spirit to love the possibilities in everything, to stay hopeful and happy and to find the delight in the silly things that keep us smiling. And I tribute the both of you together with giving me the spirit to love love itself, and to love laughter, and to understand how love and laughter each in its turn propels and ignites the other. Thank you Daddy for you. Thank you Daddy for Mom. Thank you Daddy for all that the two of you have given me. I love you. Your Sue Bug. 2. One day, Daddy, you will be flying among the clouds -- the white ones, the fluffy ones, the ones that cluster and laugh around themselves, the ones that seem to dance and play with each other as my plane glides through them, over and under and sometimes around, on this my first trip of many I will make to see you through your illness. One day, Daddy, I will be like this plane, flying up to reach you, to laugh again with you, to hear again the stories you have told me, and to recognize once more the insights you have sent me, to feel again the jubilation of the two of us making each other laugh. King Solomon talking about friends in Ecclesiastes said: "Two are better than one, because they have good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him." Hawley, you had many friends and we say to you as someone else has said that a friend is trust, a friend is warmth, a friend is always there to add to every happiness and to lessen every care, and that a friend is a flower in the garden of life. Hawley, you helped teach many others about that type of friendship and we thank you for that and hope that we have learned our lesson well. Hawley, we shared many wonderful times together. During the last 4 months of your life I saw you truly come to know happiness in your life. Your children are so precious and loving. It was just wonderful that Caroline was able to spend almost all of her life with you during the past 4 months. The two of you were able to share so many unforgettable moments together. You wanted to live long enough to receive your 15 year chip and God allowed that to happen. A little girl came home from Sunday School one day and told her mother that her teacher said that God is bigger than anything in the whole world. She asked: "Mother, is that true?" Her mother said: "Yes, darling that is true." The little girl said: "My teacher also said that God is in our hearts. Is that true?" Her mother said: "Yes darling that is true." The little girl asked: "Mother, how can anything so big get into my little heart without showing?" Of course, we all know the answer. If God is in your heart it shows. Hawley, we know that God was in your heart because it showed in your actions day by day.

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