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<em>Stanley J. Kuick </em>was born in Iron River, MI, to Stanley Jacob and Ruth Kuick. Stan’s father had been a professional football player but became a schoolteacher to earn more money. How times have changed!</p>
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Stan attended Longfellow Junior High in Flint, MI, and graduated from Northern High School, also in Flint, in 1945. He had one younger brother, Don, and his younger sister Kay was born while he was in high school. Stan always was very thoughtful of his baby sister and liked to take her for walks in her baby buggy. It was not until much later that Kay learned Stan had realized good-looking girls his own age were quite attracted to a handsome young man pushing a baby carriage! His baby sister is now a doctor and, in February 2001, went to Viet Nam with an organization called “Physicians with Heart.”</p>
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Stan attended the University of Michigan and spent some time in the Army before entering West Point in 1948. As a cadet, Stan was on the track team and played football during his Plebe and First Class years, lettering in 1951. One summer, Stan and his roommate, Gerry Nabor, traveled together to Michigan to visit with both of their parents, as well as visit with some young ladies they had met on a cadet orientation trip to Tampa.</p>
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After graduation and commissioning in the Infantry, Stan spent three years in Germany, where he met and married his wife Trudy. Their two sons, Stan and Rork, were born in 1956 and 1958. In 1959, while commanding D Company, 17th Infantry, 7th Division in Korea, Stan marched his heavy weapons company back from training while the rest of the regiment rode in trucks. Later, Stan received the Army Commendation Medal for his outstanding leadership while in command of D Company. In 1960, the Kuicks moved to New Orleans, LA, where Stan earned a master’s degree in physics from Tulane University.</p>
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Stan’s first tour in Viet Nam was during 1966—67, with the 1st Infantry Division, as executive officer of the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, then as Assistant G-3 and, finally, as commander of the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry. After graduating from the Army War College in Carlisle,<br />
PA, Stan was sent to the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers, Europe, in Belgium. In 1972, GEN Hollingsworth asked Stan to return to Viet Nam to assist him in helping the South Vietnamese.</p>
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Tragically, Stan was killed by hostile fire in July. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with “V’ device, Purple Heart, Air Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. At the time of his death, Stan was on the promotion list. He was promoted to colonel posthumously.</p>
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“My father was somewhat stern, disciplined, and loved the outdoors—in particular fishing and camping. He liked to keep in shape and compete in sports, and he liked to relax with a good drink or two at the end of the day,” says his oldest son Stan.</p>
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Son Rork says, “I find his actions at SHAPE commendable and perhaps noteworthy—he started little league baseball and basketball and performed as executive officer for those leagues. His family assisted by planting several newly acquired beet fields to grass, by hand, and preparing and hawking innumerable hamburgers and hot dogs at games to help raise funds.”</p>
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Some of Stan’s classmates at the Army War College were surprised to find not only the good athlete and friendly giant we remembered, but also a blossoming intellect. Stan participated vigorously and effectively in the political and strategic debates. Rork says, “He was quite addicted to bridge and, in particular, to its most perfect form—duplicate bridge. That, and chess playing,</p>
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I take to be related to admiration for people with great mathematical horsepower.”</p>
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Stan’s funeral was at the Old Cadet Chapel at West Point, followed by interment in the post cemetery.</p>