Rutland D. Beard Jr., 84, a retired Army colonel who served in three wars, died of sepsis due to renal failure Dec. 21 at the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda. He was a Potomac resident.
Col. Beard served 33 years in the Army before retiring in 1978. He enlisted during World War II and served in the infantry in Europe. After the war ended, he graduated from Georgetown University with an officer's commission. His unit was sent to Korea with the Marines for the Inchon invasion and the liberation of Seoul.
In 1963, he helped develop a concept for using helicopters in the tactical movement and support of light infantry units. The approach was applied two years later to the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam.
Col. Beard had three command assignments in Vietnam, including command of an airborne infantry battalion in the 1st Air Cavalry Division, command of the 196th Infantry and plans officer at the U.S. joint military headquarters in Vietnam.
His decorations included four awards of the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Bronze Star Medal and 17 awards of the Air Medal. He was a master parachutist. CIB with 2 stars.
Col. Beard was born in Washington and raised in Chevy Chase. He entered Virginia Military Institute but soon left to join the Army.
He won silver and bronze medals in swimming in the Maryland Senior Olympics. He was a past governor of the D.C. Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America.
His other memberships included the Potomac Rotary Club, with 24 years of perfect attendance. He also was a lay reader and lay Eucharistic minister of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac.
His wife of 61 years, Lucille Stewart Beard, died in 2008.
Survivors include four children, Rutland D. Beard III of Silver Spring, David Stewart Beard of Odenton, Dr. Jonathan D. Beard of Rochester, N.Y., and Kathe Renee Beard Garren of Marlton, N.J.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Col. Beard served 33 years in the Army before retiring in 1978. He enlisted during World War II and served in the infantry in Europe. After the war ended, he graduated from Georgetown University with an officer's commission. His unit was sent to Korea with the Marines for the Inchon invasion and the liberation of Seoul.
In 1963, he helped develop a concept for using helicopters in the tactical movement and support of light infantry units. The approach was applied two years later to the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam.
Col. Beard had three command assignments in Vietnam, including command of an airborne infantry battalion in the 1st Air Cavalry Division, command of the 196th Infantry and plans officer at the U.S. joint military headquarters in Vietnam.
His decorations included four awards of the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Bronze Star Medal and 17 awards of the Air Medal. He was a master parachutist. CIB with 2 stars.
Col. Beard was born in Washington and raised in Chevy Chase. He entered Virginia Military Institute but soon left to join the Army.
He won silver and bronze medals in swimming in the Maryland Senior Olympics. He was a past governor of the D.C. Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America.
His other memberships included the Potomac Rotary Club, with 24 years of perfect attendance. He also was a lay reader and lay Eucharistic minister of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac.
His wife of 61 years, Lucille Stewart Beard, died in 2008.
Survivors include four children, Rutland D. Beard III of Silver Spring, David Stewart Beard of Odenton, Dr. Jonathan D. Beard of Rochester, N.Y., and Kathe Renee Beard Garren of Marlton, N.J.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Rutland D. Beard Jr., 84, a retired Army colonel who served in three wars, died of sepsis due to renal failure Dec. 21 at the National Naval Medical Center at Bethesda. He was a Potomac resident.
Col. Beard served 33 years in the Army before retiring in 1978. He enlisted during World War II and served in the infantry in Europe. After the war ended, he graduated from Georgetown University with an officer's commission. His unit was sent to Korea with the Marines for the Inchon invasion and the liberation of Seoul.
In 1963, he helped develop a concept for using helicopters in the tactical movement and support of light infantry units. The approach was applied two years later to the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam.
Col. Beard had three command assignments in Vietnam, including command of an airborne infantry battalion in the 1st Air Cavalry Division, command of the 196th Infantry and plans officer at the U.S. joint military headquarters in Vietnam.
His decorations included four awards of the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Bronze Star Medal and 17 awards of the Air Medal. He was a master parachutist. CIB with 2 stars.
Col. Beard was born in Washington and raised in Chevy Chase. He entered Virginia Military Institute but soon left to join the Army.
He won silver and bronze medals in swimming in the Maryland Senior Olympics. He was a past governor of the D.C. Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America.
His other memberships included the Potomac Rotary Club, with 24 years of perfect attendance. He also was a lay reader and lay Eucharistic minister of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac.
His wife of 61 years, Lucille Stewart Beard, died in 2008.
Survivors include four children, Rutland D. Beard III of Silver Spring, David Stewart Beard of Odenton, Dr. Jonathan D. Beard of Rochester, N.Y., and Kathe Renee Beard Garren of Marlton, N.J.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Col. Beard served 33 years in the Army before retiring in 1978. He enlisted during World War II and served in the infantry in Europe. After the war ended, he graduated from Georgetown University with an officer's commission. His unit was sent to Korea with the Marines for the Inchon invasion and the liberation of Seoul.
In 1963, he helped develop a concept for using helicopters in the tactical movement and support of light infantry units. The approach was applied two years later to the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam.
Col. Beard had three command assignments in Vietnam, including command of an airborne infantry battalion in the 1st Air Cavalry Division, command of the 196th Infantry and plans officer at the U.S. joint military headquarters in Vietnam.
His decorations included four awards of the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Bronze Star Medal and 17 awards of the Air Medal. He was a master parachutist. CIB with 2 stars.
Col. Beard was born in Washington and raised in Chevy Chase. He entered Virginia Military Institute but soon left to join the Army.
He won silver and bronze medals in swimming in the Maryland Senior Olympics. He was a past governor of the D.C. Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America.
His other memberships included the Potomac Rotary Club, with 24 years of perfect attendance. He also was a lay reader and lay Eucharistic minister of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac.
His wife of 61 years, Lucille Stewart Beard, died in 2008.
Survivors include four children, Rutland D. Beard III of Silver Spring, David Stewart Beard of Odenton, Dr. Jonathan D. Beard of Rochester, N.Y., and Kathe Renee Beard Garren of Marlton, N.J.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
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