Legendary Brigadier General Futch - Essay Example

The problem with having a larger-than-life hero is that any building never seems quite grand enough to fit the bill. Frustrated and disappointed, Brunner headed to the parade field to think. He had inadvertently steered himself to the very field on which thousands of military service members had drilled, and no more appropriate tribute was conceivable once the notion had entered his head (Brunner, 2).

A mere two years after discovering his quest, Brunner and some of his fellow LWMA alumni had personally footed the bill for the construction of a monument to be placed on the field in the General’s honor. The response was overwhelming. The amount needed was soon met, and contributions were soon turned away. Fulch died that year at the age of ninety-six years- only one day short of ninety-seven; he was a survivor as a service member and as a civilian. He was laid to rest with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, and one of his daughters filled in for him as the guest of honor at the ceremony that officially dubbed the field the Brigadier General T.L. Futch Parade Field. It was made of brick- the very bricks that had graced the walls of his office in Russell Hall before it burned down in 1985.

West Point also saw fit to include the dedication of the parade field in its July 1993 newsletter. A copy of this article, which was submitted by one of Futch’s daughters, stands today in West Point’s Tallapoosa Hall (Brunner, 3-4). His division (the thirty-fifth) was legendary for its contributions to World War II and the fight against the Nazis. It was a desperate time following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and men were afraid. It took strong men to lead them. Although not a general at the time, Futch fought valiantly and founded the legacy of military excellence for which he was known throughout the rest of his life.

The defense of the Cotentin Peninsula was a vital part of the strategy of the Allies to regain control of Europe and free those countries from the dominion of Hitler and the Nazis. As Roosevelt, himself said, “We are fighting for our way of life”.

Parade grounds, such as the LWMA’s Futch Parade Field, were originally built solely for the more-conservative military ceremonies of the nineteenth century. Brooklyn saw the establishment of the first such field. However, the use of the field soon declined, and the local citizens took it to heart as a hallowed American heartland and paid tribute by using it for America’s favorite pastime, Baseball. The simple framing of the parade grounds soon evolved into an athletic complex and eventually comprised a police precinct and recreation center- upholding the military standards of work and play (New York Parks & Recreation, 1).

Baseball greats, including Sandy Koufax, Joe Torre, and Johnny Franco, once swung a bat and felt history fall behind as they slid onto the base at that very “founding father” parade field. In 1999, the New York Mets even considered making the Brooklyn parade-turned-baseball field into their temporary minor league home. The restorations were completed in 2004 at a whopping cost of $12.5 million. As it oversees the respect of its military roots and the promise of future greats, it is worth every penny (New York Parks & Recreation, 1-2).

Former President Theodore Roosevelt championed the establishment of parade grounds. He was a former military service member himself, and in his early years of political service, he immediately took up the cause of honoring such a sacrifice, especially where lives and not only years were lost. The year was 1882, and then prior military service and/or “respectable” family ties were practically socially-enforced prerequisites for public service. The New York Times article gives them all their due- stating their qualifications in a proper manner which diplomatically illustrates the experience of the leading men of America at that time. The previous locations that had been considered had been deemed impractical and overcrowded, and these important men allotted time to the cause of the construction of a new military parade ground, a cause that was important to the American citizens at large (New York Times, 1882).

Today Futch’s contributions are not forgotten. The Brigadier General’s parade field sees a lot: Army ROTC and Ranger training, the Drill and Rifle team practices, flag football, the mentor program, and Bible Study. All of the above are time-honored traditions, like military service itself. Besides his name is etched in stone, memorabilia from his thirty-seven resplendent years of military service in the Army are displayed in the LWMA office’s museum. In the outside world, there was no special recognition for the General (Brunner, 4). The man who had courageously commanded thousands during his years of active service was reduced to a five-year struggle to sell enough insurance to support his family. Even as a civilian, the preservation of the quality of life was important to him, and that is at the heart of America herself.