Thomas Francis Lancer – Colonel, United States Army

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From a contemporary press report:

Thomas Francis Lancer, 92, a retired Army colonel who served as provost marshal and military governor in Germany after World War II, died June 12, 1999 at Alexandria Hospital. He was injured in an auto accident in Arlington on April 24.

Arlington police said Colonel Lancer and his wife, Ann Lancer, both were injured when he accidentally drove their car into a garage wall at the Hyatt Crystal City.

Colonel Lancer, who lived at the Fairfax retirement facility at Fort Belvoir, had lived in the Washington area off and on since 1960s.

He was a native of New York and a graduate of Manhattan College, St. John’s Law School and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He was an FBI agent before World War II.

A commander of a military police platoon, Colonel Lancer served in North Africa, Sicily and France and participated in the D-day landings of the war.

After the war, he was military governor of Aachen and Bonn in Germany, commandant of a military police school and provost marshal in Berlin during the airlift there.

After he retired, he was special assistant to the New York City school superintendent.

He lectured at the New York City Police Academy and was a consultant to the United Nations security force.

In recent years, he was interviewed for a History Chanel program on the D-day invasions.

His honors included a Legion of Merit and two Bronze Stars.

Colonel Lancer was a consultant to the Civil Service Appeals Board in the early 1970s and a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Military Order of Foreign Wars, Civil War Roundtable of Fairfax and the Society of the First Division, Army Navy Club and American
Legion.

His marriage to Elizabeth Lancer ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife, Ann Lancer of Fort Belvoir; a daughter from his first marriage, Cynthia Lancer-Barnes of Bermuda; and three grandsons.

LANCER, THOMAS FRANCIS, COL. USA (Ret.)

On June 12, 1999 at Alexandria Hospital, COL. THOMAS F. LANCER of Ft. Belvoir, VA, beloved husband of Annie G. Lancer; father of Cynthia A. Lancer-Barnes; brother of the late Jane Lancer; grandfather of Edward A.L., Andrew R.B. and John H.T. Barnes. A service will be held at Fort Myer Chapel on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 at 12:45 p.m. Interment Arlington National Cemetery.

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