Theodore L. Futch – Brigadier General, United States Army

Born on January 19, 1895, he graduated from West Point in 1917 and was commisioned in the Field Artillery.

He served in France during World War I. His other assignments included service with the 2nd, 3rd, 11th, 13th and 18th Field Artillery Regiments; ROTC duty as Professor of Military Science & Tactics, Iowa State University and Auburn University; instructor duty at the Field Artillery School and attendance at the Command and General Staff College and Army War College.

He was responsible for developing a new fire adjustment technique and later for the artillery support provided in the U.S. breakthrough against the Germans in World War II, shortly after the 1944 landings at Normandy. During World War II, he served as Assistant Commandant of the Field Artillery School, training officers for combat campaigns. He was then named the Field Artillery Officer of the XVIII Corps and joined the 35th Infantry Division. He then served in combat in France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

His last military assignment was Commanding General of the Indiantown Gap Military Reservation in Pennsylvania, where he retired in 1954 after 37 years of active service. His military decorations included the U.S. Legion of Merit, Soldiers Medal and Bronze Star with four oak leaf clusters; the French Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre with Palm and the Dutch Orange-Nassau Award.

Following his retirement from the Army, General Futch was the Commandant of Cadets at Lyman Ward Military Academy in Camp Hill, Alabama from 1959 through 1967. Through his efforts this small military school was able to enter the National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC) program in 1962 and then the Junior ROTC program in 1966. The Alumni Association raised funds and the school placed a granite marker naming the L.W.M.A. Parade Field in his honor on May 2, 1992.

He died on January 18, 1992 and was buried on January 27, 1992 in Section 6 of Arlington National Cemetery.

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