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<em>Richard “Dick” Kenneth Jordan </em>was born 12 August 1936 in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Walley Jordan of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Throughout his youth, Dick had always expressed an interest in the military, athletics and West Point. He attended R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston Salem, where he was a star athlete in football and track and field events. Following graduation in 1954, he entered Duke University, pending acceptance to West Point. He reported to West Point with the Class of 1959 on 5 July 1955.</p>
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As a plebe in Company H-l, Dick was outstanding and always managed to attract the eye of an upperclassman. He received more than his fair share of attention during Beast Barracks, but his personality, coupled with his quick wit, made light work of the Fourth Class System. He was a gifted athlete and threw the javelin for the track squad with some moderate success. He won a USMA Monogram and was a member of the first 150-pound football team. During the limited free time of a cadet, Dick would listen to albums while studying in the afternoon. He liked one album so much that he played it over and over again until the record was literally worn out. Even after all of these years, I still remember the melody of Julie London’s album, “In London, In Love.”</p>
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Following graduation on 3 June 1959, Dick enjoyed a short vacation prior to his wedding on 20 June 1959 to Jane Hughes Turner, whom he had met at Montgomery Air Force Base during the Cow trip. After a short honeymoon, Dick and his bride reported to Fort Sill for the Officer Basic Course. Completing OBC, Dick continued on to Fort Benning for the Airborne and Ranger courses. He then completed flight school in 1960. Jane presented Dick with a daughter, Mary Ann (Jodi), on 22 March 1960, followed by another daughter, Janet, on 27 February 1962.</p>
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Dick was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in an aviation battalion for two years prior to an assignment to Vietnam in 1963 as a HU-IB pilot. During his first tour in Vietnam in 1963-1964, Dick received the Bronze Star for Valor and the Air Medal with 13 clusters. His primary job was that of helicopter pilot flying in support of ground operations. He flew more than 300 combat missions. Two weeks before he was to return to the United States, his helicopter was shot down in an area infested with Viet Cong.</p>
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Rather than leave behind valuable radio equipment, maps and armaments when the rescue helicopter arrived, Dick instructed his crew to salvage what they could. While removing the equipment, the crew began to receive automatic weapons fire. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, Dick took one of the crew weapons and, exposed to the enemy fire, returned the fire until all equipment and personnel were safely aboard the rescue aircraft. On 15 February 1965, Dick was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device for his leadership and heroic actions.</p>
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Dick returned to the United States and attended the Artillery Officer Advanced Course at Fort Sill. His assignment upon graduation was to join the Big Red One (1st Infantry Division) at Fort Riley, Kansas, in a ground role as a Battery Commander. Dick approached his new assignment with enthusiasm and helped to mold the men of “D” Battery, 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery into a cohesive, well trained and professional military unit. The 1st Division was alerted for deployment to Vietnam, and Dick put all of his energies into the difficult task of getting a major unit ready for deployment overseas to a combat zone, the experience he had gained on his first tour was a tremendous help in training the young men of his battery to prepare for a very difficult assignment.</p>
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Because Dick had just returned from Vietnam, he could have requested not to go on the deployment; however, the call to duty on his part was such that he could not refuse the challenge. The decision to go was not a spur of the moment one for Dick, as he was a family man who dearly loved his wife Jane and their two daughters. Dick commented to Jane: “I have an obligation to make this country safe for you and our daughters. I’d rather fight on foreign soil than have to do it on home soil.”</p>
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Dick provided the leadership and organizational ability to move his unit effectively from Fort Riley to a staging area near the Bien Hoa Air Base. On 20 October 1965, Dick led his battery on a road march to a position on the 3rd Brigade defensive perimeter in Phouc Vinh. Once on location, he moved with characteristic energy and efficiency to establish his battery’s exact position and perimeter defenses. This involved placing outposts in areas that had not been cleared of surrounding jungle. During the hours of darkness, Dick left his command post to visit his men and every position on the perimeter. His direct and personal approach were characteristic of his entire life. He held the welfare and safety of the men in his command above that of his own. As he approached one post on the perimeter, a fire fight broke out, and Dick was fatally wounded. He died on 22 October 1965.</p>
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Dick would be proud of his two daughters Mary Ann (Jodi) and Janet. Janet is now a registered nurse who has her hands full watching two sons Murry and Jordan grow up. Jodi is a special education teacher working on her Master’s. Recently, she was chosen as the “Most Outstanding Teacher of the Year” in the state of Alabama. Dick’s widow, Jane, is remarried to an old friend in Montgomery and has two other children, James and Paula.</p>
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It is one of the ironies of fate that such an outstanding leader and brilliant individual would be taken away just when he was beginning to contribute greatly. The Army lost a dedicated professional soldier. His family lost the light of their lives. His classmates lost a friend and comrade. Dick is missed by everyone who knew him. He was a true son of West Point. To his devotion to “Duty, Honor, Country” must be added his devotion to “Family.” These precepts were the foundations of his life and his every action reflected great credit upon himself, his family and his country.</p>