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“You Plebes Pay Attention!” shouted a tough upperclassman to a group of us well-braced "dumbjohns.” “Take a good look at Mr. Ordway over there! That’s the way a Kaydet should Look! You’ve a Long Way To Go, so Pull Your Necks In and Heave Your Shoulders Back!" His commands brought into our sweat-blurred focus a tall, handsome, ramrod-straight cadet who personified the well-known popular image of the term ‘‘West Pointer.” Throughout his life, Godwin Ordway Jr. remained a paragon of that ideal.</p>
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Born into an Army family, Godwin was molded early for the Military Academy. His paternal grandfather, Brigadier General Albert Ordway, the Union Army’s Provost Marshal of Virginia at the end of the Civil War, became the founder and first commander of the Washington Militia. A large tombstone in Arlington National Cemetery, erected by the Militia and impressively inscribed, attests to the esteem of his Command for the General. Ordway Street in Washington also honors the name of General Ordway. Godwin’s father, Colonel Godwin Ordway Sr., a graduate of Lehigh University had a distinguished career in the Regular Army as an Artillery Officer. A rigid disciplinarian, he raised his two sons in the tradition of the Old Army to respect proper authority and to cherish the West Point Motto of 'Duty, Honor, and Country.'</p>
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Godwin’s early rearing and character, plus an unswerving will to become an outstanding soldier, made him a legend in "A,” and later in “L” companies during his cadet years. He was an exemplary Plebe and a strict upperclassman whose self-discipline equalled what Godwin expected of others. His friends were legion; his great heart, intense loyalty, and ever-charming smile made him one of the more popular members of the Class of 1925. In athletics, he was a smashing tennis player. His good looks could have made him a weekly Cullum Hall “hop exhibit,” but during his Plebe Christmas he met and fell in love with an attractive debutante from New York City, Miss Christine Sloane, so she became his "OAO” (one-and-only). They were married in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York in June 1925, soon after Godwin’s graduation.</p>
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The Infantry was Godwin’s "second love,” so the new Second Lieutenant and his bride reported for doughboy indoctrination to Colonel Duncan Major’s (USMA 1899) Infantry Regiment at Fort Eustis, Virginia. The Ordways’ next assignment took them to Fort McKinley, Philippine Islands for several years, and then as a student in the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. From Fort Benning, Godwin was assigned to West Point as a tactical officer early in the 1930s. As a “tac,’ he was remembered by cadets of that period as the "spooniest tac” at the Academy, but one of its toughest disciplinarians, though his fairness was legendary.</p>
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The gracious hospitality of the Ordways in their large home in Highland Falls was enjoyed by many of us instructing at the Academy at that time. Then tragedy struck after the Christmas Holidays of 1933. First, Godwin’s younger brother, Rodman, who was a Plebe in the Corps, contracted pneumonia and died in the Cadet Hospital. Then, several weeks later, two of the Ordway children, Albert, six, and Margaret, four, while playing on the ice of a small pool on their estate, fell through and were drowned. The Ordways’ stunning loss was profoundly felt by the Academy, but our sympathy was augmented with pride at the way the parents held up under their crushing ordeal. And, the Good Lord eased the pain somewhat by blessing them with other children, born before and after the tragedy: two strapping boys and a beautiful daughter—Godwin III ("Gwin”, USMA ’55, nominated for football All-American halfback honors) and Roderic ("Rick” or “Butch”—USMA ’58) and Claire (Mrs. Norman J. Roddy). Currently, “Gwin” and “Rick” have each voluntarily served twice as combat Infantry (1st Cav) commanders in Vietnam and both are now Lieutenant Colonels.</p>
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From West Point, the Ordways subsequent assignments again took them to overseas and domestic garrisons. These included the Panama Canal Zone where Godwin was Aide-de-Camp to General Stone, the Caribbean Defense Commander and then back to Fort Benning as an instructor and to the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. Following Leavenworth, Godwin was tapped for General Staff duty in 1940 in the Operations Division of the War Department directly under General Marshall, and later under General Eisenhower.</p>
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In line with General Marshall’s rigid dictum of assigning only the Army’s most proven outstanding officers to the critical mission of leading our assault forces on Hitler’s Europe, Colonel Ordway was ordered to England and became Chief of Staff of one of the assault Infantry Divisions of the First United States Army. After landing with his Division on Omaha Beach in Normandy, he was given command of one of its regiments. In the fierce combat action through the hedgerow country of Normandy, Godwin became sick and had to be relieved. He then served on General Bradley’s staff in the 12th Army Group until the end of the War.</p>
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After the War, Godwin again returned to Washington for General Staff duty in OPD—this time as Deputy to Major General Gailey. With trouble brewing again in Asia, Godwin was transferred to Hawaii. When the Korean War erupted, Godwin was given command of the 5th Infantry Regiment and took its Regimental Combat Team to Pusan for action. After the Korean “Armistice,” Godwin and his 5th Regimental Combat Team returned to Scofield Barracks, Hawaii, and was there until his retirement from the Army in 1955. His wartime decorations included two Legions of Merit and two Bronze Star Medals.</p>
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After retirement, Godwin and Christine returned to Washington to their attractive home in Chevy Chase and to enjoy once more their longtime membership in the exclusive Chevy Chase Club. There, this former crackerjack tennis player impressed some of us contemporaries with his prowess on the golf links too. In order to keep busy officially, Godwin teamed up temporarily with Industry, but finally “hung up his work suit” for good.</p>
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We, his Classmates in Washington, frequently had the pleasure of his camaraderie, good humor and charming smile at our monthly luncheons at the Army and Navy Town Club until illness prevented his further attendance no more than six months before his death. His doctors at Walter Reed proclaimed Godwin as one of the most valiant, cooperative, and cheerful patients they ever had.</p>
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His full military funeral with classmates and famous World War II general officers as honorary pallbearers was most impressive. He was laid to rest next to his grandfather and father in Arlington Cemetery. The memorable ceremony was a fitting tribute for this outstanding officer and loyal son of West Point.</p>
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<em>—Don Bailey '25</em></p>