It is with much regret and deep sorrow that we report the passing of
James Lee Tedrick, Company K-1, USMA Class of 1961.
Remembrances:
Class Memorial Pages\K-1 Jim Tedrick.pdf
Assembly/Taps Memorial Article:
Myron (Jim) and Eugenia Winifred (Tibby) Tedrick's son James Lee Tedrick grew
up in Casey, IL, with his younger sisters Sharon and Nancy. At Casey High
School, he was an excellent student and athlete who loved golf; basketball,
and running. With only 57 seniors in Casey's
Class of 1957, having two graduates selected for a service academy was a
significant accomplishment
(Jim for West Point and his best
friend, Paul Stephen, for the Air Force Academy).
Entering Beast Barracks, Jim met the
man in the Red Sash and joined the sea of faces that
would be organized into 5th New Cadet Company. He easily mastered new
tasks--keeping shoes shined, his chin in, and
spouting off plebe knowledge to keep the upper
class at bay. At the end of Beast, Jim was assigned to Company K-1, a
band of brothers whose cohesive fraternity
lasted throughout their Army careers. K-l's motto
was "Not Obnoxiously Eager." Jim found it a
useful description of how to handle success; achieve
it routinely without boasting.
Jim fit in well. As academics began, he secured a
solid academic ranking. His Star Man roommate
recalled how Jim could knock out a 2.7 or 2.9
English paper in one shot, while his own
multiple drafts received only a 2.3 or 2.5.
Jim also performed well in intramurals, particularly in cross-county, and he
was considered the class's best non-Corps
Squad golfer. Quiet and laid-back, he was never flustered by
the Plebe system or academics. Between classes, he
frequently curled up under his Brown Boy while his favorite
album, "Oklahoma," played. Jim also shared his company-mates' enthusiasm for
after-hours pranks--painting a part of George
Washington's horse, relocating the company guidons, and painting South Area.
Warm hearted and caring,
Jim always was
willing to go above and beyond the call of duty
to help. This was true of him not only as a cadet,
but also in later years. This trait was
illustrated by his unexpected arrival at his
ex-roommate's mother's funeral and his driving his ex-room mate's car from New
Jersey to Illinois.
After the round of weddings following graduation,
Jim headed to Ft. Knox and the Armor School. Following the basic course and
Airborne School, Jim's first assignment was with the
14th Armored Cav Regiment in Germany. During this
period, Jim met and married Wray Everhart. Wray passed away in 1976.
After serving as a platoon leader and in staff
duties, Jim returned to Ft. Knox for the advanced course. His next assignment
began in Kansas, took him to Panama, and,
ultimately, to Viet Nam, where he
demonstrated his preparedness for combat. The
9th Infantry Division's history records that, while preparing for deployment to
Viet Nam, CPT Tedrick was selected to establish its Long Range Reconnaissance
Patrol (LRRP). Jim interviewed 130 soldiers, selecting 40 to form the "War
Eagle" platoon. Jim led the platoon through training at the Jungle Warfare
School, deployment to Viet Nam in January 1967, and completion of MACV's Recondo
School. He and his unit then settled into the
Mekong Delta and began combat operations during which Jim earned two Bronze
Stars, one with V, two Air Medals, one with V,
and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
After Viet Nam, Jim's knack for writing led to a
master's and his return to West Point as an
English P. Responsible for Plebe year students, Jim's motto was "They shall not
pass (unless deserved)." During this tour, Jim
also obtained his MBA at Farleigh Dickerson
University, highlighting his growing interest
in business and finance. When Viet Nam called again, he served in MACV
Headquarters, participating in writing the official history of the Viet Nam
campaigns. For this work he received a Joint Service Commendation Medal.
Next, at HQ TRAdoc, Jim worked on the
Integration of Women in the Army study and
was subsequently
assigned to
the
Comptroller's Office. No longer traveling alone,
Jim had met Anne Dryden Colton. They married
on 27 May 1977, while Jim was
attending the Professional Military Comptrollership
School at Maxwell AFB, AL. With Anne, and subsequently their children, James
in 1979, and Elizabeth in 1980, the Tedrick family's journey together included
a career change for Jim. He exchanged his Armor brass for that of the Finance
Corps. Jim and Anne both now were involved in financial careers involving
service to our country. Their daughter, CPT Beth
Tedrick, is following in the family tradition of
service.
It wasn't too tough a road to travel, however,
as Jim and Anne managed to spend a few years
assigned to Ft. Shafter, HI, while honing his financial skills. In 1981, Jim
was assigned
to the Comptroller of the Army's office as a career proponent officer and
editor of its quarterly magazine. His new financial interests provided a
bridge into civilian life. He retired in 1983 after sequential assignments in
the Office of the Army Comptroller and with the Ballistic Missile Defense
Program Office, where he was awarded the Legion of Merit.
Jim's decision to retire was influenced by Anne's highly successful rise
through the ranks as a DOD Civilian. After leaving the
Washington, DC, area, they moved to Greenfield,
IN, and then to Korea, following Anne's career assignments, while Jim developed
his investment business. Jim's business interests allowed him to be helpful to
others, a trait which he valued highly.
The friendships that Jim and Anne made during their
careers were lasting ones. Always well liked and respected, Jim died on 12 Aug
1993, creating a deep sadness for all who knew
him, but most deeply in the hearts of his family.
The "Cadet Prayer" reads, "Help us to maintain the
honor of the Corps, untarnished and unsullied,
and to show forth in our lives the ideals of West Point in doing our duty to
Thee and to our Country." And so
Jim did! "Well done! Be thou at peace!"
-Anne
Tedrick, Bill Tyler
'61
and K-1
classmates
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