Bill served in D Troop in 1965 - 1967 and remembers Frank in this excerpt from an email to another Centaur.
Enhanced photo of Frank Delvy, D Troop Operations Officer (1967) courtesy of Bruce Powell.
I REMEMBER
Bill served in D Troop in 1965 - 1967 and remembers Frank in this excerpt from an email to another Centaur.
Enhanced photo of Frank Delvy, D Troop Operations Officer (1967) courtesy of Bruce Powell.
Bill Hulls remembrance of Frank Delvy.
I have often mentioned Capt. Frank Delvy, my first company commander, mentor and role model. I have just learned that he passed away this morning. He was a man larger than life, lived life to it's fullest with compassion, dedication and loyalty. He retired from the Army as a Colonel. He served in both the Korea War and in Vietnam. He was Special Forces qualified and a pilot. Among his numerous awards were 9 Purple Hearts. He was a big game hunter and hunted Alaska, Europe, Hawaii and Africa. His people were always important to him. We knew he valued, protected and guarded us. We also knew that he would never let us down and we did all in our power not to let him down.
I often recalled little phrases he used to educate us and set his standards. Like, "Personal concern equals continued employment." He explained that if you were not personally concerned about your people you wouldn't last long in his unit. I recall him explaining his success to a general in Hawaii before we left for Viet Nam by saying, "I take care of my men, they take care of me. Sir, my people won't allow me to fail."
He was also a dedicated and loving father and husband. It was Col. Delvy that set the example for me when he refused to allow his wife, stricken with Alzheimer Disease to be moved into a nursing home. I will always recall his explanation to me, "Every time I came home bloodied and hurting she nursed me back to health. Now it is my honor to return the favor." I recall phone calls where we both cried while discussing how he felt her pain at having to have someone else change her diapers, feed her. We talked about how it felt when she didn't even remember who he was. But he kept her with him to end, loved and cared for.
When one of his officers and the officer's wife died in Germany he adopted and raised their three children. That was the dedicated and responsible type of leader and man he was and the model he set for all of us.
I spoke with Frank around Thanksgiving and he told me that he knew his time was short. His heart was failing him and he didn't expect to be around much longer. We spoke quite open and frankly about our lives. He said he felt he had lived a full and satisfied life and was ready to just move on.
Francis X. Delvy played a large and vital role in shaping an eighteen year old wayward child into the person I am today. His role model gave me the strength and courage to stand by Maria through her illnesses, pains and difficulties. He gave me the understanding and compassion to accept her passing peacefully. There is little I can do to give him the honor and respect he earned and deserves - other than attempting to live up to the standards he set for me.
I can only hope that is enough to give the man some small measure of immortality.
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