Scoop’s Views

Special Operations soldiers, friends, and family from all around the country gathered in Peoria, Illinois, to pay tribute to retired U.S. Army General Wayne Allan Downing, a leader of the special operations community who remained a prominent anti-terrorism expert even after his military retirement at a memorial service last Saturday.

Having retired in 1996 from the Army as a four-star general, Gen. Downing died from complications related to meningitis on July 18.

“I think each generation is given only a handful of extraordinary people,” said U.S. Army Special Operations Commander Lt. Gen. Robert Wagner during the closing eulogy. “From the White House to Congress, the State Department to the media, in homes across the nation and globe, with moments of tears in our eyes in disbelief and sadness, we are here today to honor and salute a uniquely special and extraordinary man of our generation.”

During his 34-year military career, Downing served in many positions, including as commander of both the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and the Special Operations Command.

Soon after his graduation from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1962, Downing began to display his valor and leadership on the battlefields of Vietnam as a young Army lieutenant and captain. He served three tours during the Vietnam conflict, during which time he earned a Purple Heart, two Silver Stars, among other decorations.

“Again, again, and again during Vietnam, he was exactly what a military leader should be,” said long-time friend H. Ross Perot during his eulogy. “He would never leave his men behind; he would personally go out and rescue the wounded. And he was always held in the highest regard by those who served with him.”

Throughout his career, Downing always maintained a close relationship to his subordinates and would continue to mentor them, even after moving on to the next assignment, said Lt. Gen. Francis H. Kearney, deputy commander, U.S. Special Operations Command. His direct mentorship style had a distinct effect on the special operations community and many of the military’s senior leaders, both officer and enlisted, give credit to his example.

On the day of his memorial, the scope of Downing’s influence and respect were visibly evident by the variety of military uniforms and the range in age displayed amongst the 1,000 guests who filed in to fill every part of the modest St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Peoria.

Every form of special operations warrior had a roll in the ceremony, from the firing detail made up of Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment, the pall bearers representing the U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command and U.S. Army Special Operations Command to the Air Force Combat Control Team from U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command that directed an MC-130 Hercules fly-over to complete the ceremony.

“He was, and is, and always will be, a personal and professional compass for leaders, Soldiers and units, pointing the right way to go,” said Wagner. “Legends will be told of Wayne Downing but future generations will have a hard time of truly sensing the full depth of the person we know, love, honor and respect. No one personified the word Ranger or the Ranger Creed better than Wayne A. Downing, ‘father of the modern-day Rangers.’ His life is filled with incredible accomplishments.”

His loss also has a large impact on the civilian community as well.

After his retirement 11 years ago, Downing went on to serve in positions of national leadership and influence as a member of President George W. Bush’s cabinet after the attacks of September 11 and as a military and anti-terrorism on-air expert for NBC News.

“We worked together on many, many projects; we traveled together extensively,” said founding AOL CEO and West Point classmate Jim Kimsey during his eulogy. “We went to places like China, Iraq and just a few weeks ago we were in Israel together. And on all of these trips, Wayne dispensed his advice to our various constituencies in a way I’ve heard no one else do. And, I will say to sum it all up… He was a true anomaly. Here was a man who was commander-in-chief of the most lethal fighting force on Earth; yet, he is one of the most compassionate, giving, caring, loving persons I’ve ever met.”

Downing leaves behind his wife of 12 years, Kathryn Bickerman Downing, two daughters from his first marriage to Linda Chester Downing-Elizabeth Revell and Laura Downing; six stepchildren; his mother, Eileen Downing; a sister and four grandchildren.

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