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<p><em>William Perry Boyd</em> was born to Ollie and William M. Boyd and grew up in the vicinity of New Bern, NC. He was president of his high school class and valedictorian at its graduation. A federal judge attending the ceremony was so impressed that he asked Perry if he would like to go to West Point. Perry said, “Yes.” But, he heard nothing further, so he attended East Carolina University for the next two years. Then, without any interim communication, he was informed that he had received a congressional appointment to West Point, and he entered on July 4, 1951 with the Class of 1955.</p>
<p>During his cadet years Perry’s extracurricular activities revealed his personal interests and values: Art Club, Sunday School teacher, Honor Code Committee and Forum. Academically he finished in the middle of the class, but he was first in history, his favorite subject. So, logically, he would be on track for an advanced degree in history and a tour at West Point teaching it.</p>
<p>Instead, he went in a totally different direction. When the Army offered incentives to strengthen its team of nuclear scientists, Perry signed up and earned a master’s degree in nuclear physics from Tulane in 1963, followed by three years as a project officer in the Defense Atomic Support Agency. On the way there he went to church back home in North Caroliona and met the pastor’s daughter, Barbara Lane. That successful meeting culminated in marriage in June 1967, after Perry completed a course at the Command and General Staff College and a month before he left for Vietnam, where he commanded an artillery battalion that was heavily involved in stopping the surprise Tet Offensive of 1968. Returning stateside, he received a second consecutive battalion commander assignment, an unusual stamp of approval; Barbara entered Army life as a battalion commander’s wife, a challenge she handled in stride. Following attendance at the Army War College, Perry had several high-level staff assignments, including chief of manpower at USEUR (1977-80) and ending with five years at the War College (Department of Strategic Studies) and retirement as a colonel in 1985, completing a distinguished 30-year military career.</p>
<p>Perry’s focus on integrity of character was reinforced shortly after his retirement when he wrote an eight-page article for Army Magazine (September 1985) titled “Men of Character, Principles of Honor?” in which he deplored the corrosive effects of careerism in the Army, illustrated (without names) with examples he had personally witnessed in several of his assignments in which senior officers had taken actions directed toward enhancing their careers, rather than what was optimal for the situation at hand. He also called attention to the obvious inflation of personal efficiency reports, where any grade less than “Superior” threatened a stunted career. He also suggested some corrective actions, starting with a proposed revision of the efficiency report system and extending to the process for choosing commanders.</p>
<p>His article drew a strongly supportive response in the magazine, supplemented by a handwritten personal letter to Perry from none other than Lieutenant General James Gavin, the famed airborne pioneer and World War II commander (82nd Airborne Division and only general to make four combat jobs with his men), who passed up a fourth star and retired in 1958 because of what he called the “deteriorating state” of the Army. Gavin wrote that he was aware (through his Army contacts) of numerous situations in Vietnam such as those Perry described and said that the problem would not be corrected without forceful emphasis from the topmost levels of the Army.</p>
<p>Perry and his family, now including daughters Melinda (born 1971) and Caroline (born 1972), settled in Chapel Hill, NC, where Perry prepared himself for another career, teaching, by earning a master’s degree in education from the University of North Carolina. He then taught advanced placement high school physics for 15 years before retiring again in 2002.</p>
<p>With more leisure time available in full retirement, Perry happily indulged his long-held interest in art (already a skilled painter), history, literature and music (developing his piano skills). He was one of a select few people not only interested but talented in both the arts and sciences.</p>
<p>Throughout his life Perry earned respect and admiration from contacts in all fields. This followed largely from his personality and unwavering fundamental values. He was friendly, modest, calm, deliberate, conscientious, and considerate of others while still commanding the authority to “get the job done,” whatever it might be. He took pleasure in the many times his physics students later sought him out to thank and credit him for his impact on their lives. He was devoted to his family and had an intense bond with them all.</p>
<p>It came as a terrible shock to all when Perry, who kept himself in excellent physical condition, had a stroke in 2006, brought on by undetected bleeding in the brain. It was dismaying to find him suddenly partially paralyzed and unable to speak, although mentally alert. He regained a limited speaking ability but was unable to achieve much else in the way of recovery. For such a talented man it had to be a very frustrating existence, from which he is now released. </p>
<p>Perry will be remembered as the wonderful, all-around person he really was. He truly lived his values: “Duty, Honor, Country”—and more.</p>
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