More detail on this person: Col. Lawrence A.
Bell (Ret.), passed away on Dec. 9, 2013. He was
born in Orlando, Fla., on April 15, 1934, to
Willis Gordon and Lillian Macklin Bell. In 1952,
he was a member of the last graduating class of
Orlando High School. Upon graduation, he entered
The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. Upon completion of
the Reserve Officers' Training Corps curriculum at
the Citadel in 1956, he was commissioned in the
Regular Army as a second lieutenant in the
Infantry and awarded a Bachelor of Arts in
Political Science. His military education included
completion of the Infantry Officers' Advanced
Course, the United States Army Command and
General Staff College and the National War
College. Upon completion of Ranger training in
1957, he was assigned to the 82nd Airborne
Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. There he qualified as
an Army parachutist and Jump Master.
After this initial assignment and 21 jumps, he
attended Army Aviation Flight Training at San
Marcos, Texas and Fort Rucker, Ala. For the next
28 years, he rotated between Infantry and Aviation
assignments. He was qualified in both fixed wing
and helicopter aircraft and attained a total of
over 4,000 hours over the span of his career.
During his 30 years of service, he held a wide
variety of command and staff assignments to
include overseas service in Korea, Germany,
Vietnam and Panama. His two combat tours in
Vietnam included assignments in 1967 as Aviation
Assault Platoon Commander and Personnel Officer,
145ft Combat Aviation Battalion, and in 1969 as
Assistant Division Aviation Officer, 4th Infantry
Division. Col. Bell commanded the 145ft Combat
Aviation Battalion at Fort Benning, Ga., during
1972 to 1974. He served in the Pentagon in the
Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel
from 1974 to 1977. After completion of the
National War College in 1978, he was assigned to
the Army Recruiting Command as Inspector
General. From 1982 to 1985, he was the Deputy
Commander, 193rd Infantry Brigade in Panama. His
last assignment, 1980 to 1986, was the Army
Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, Ala., where he
served as Special Assistant to the Commanding
General and Deputy Assistant Commandant. He
retired in 1986.
Col. Bell's awards and decorations include the
Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (Third Oak Leaf
Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (First Oak
Leaf Cluster), Air Meal, Army Commendation Medal
(Second Oak Leaf Cluster) National Defense
Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Valorous Unit
Award, Vietnam Service Medal, Overseas Service
Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal,
General Staff Identification Badge, Master Army
Aviator Badge, Parachutist Badge and Ranger Tab.
In Panama, the Panama Canal Commission
awarded Col. Bell the Commission's Honorary
Public Service Award. He also was the recipient of
the commission's highest award, the gold
medallion, for his notable contribution to the
civilian and military communities in Panama.
In 1986, after 30 years of military service, he
and his devoted wife and companion, Mary Ann,
retired in Melbourne Shores, Fla., next to the
Atlantic shore. For nine wonderful years they
enjoyed great friends, golfing, fishing, boating
and cruises. In 1995, they moved to Niceville,
Fla., to be closer to family in Tallahassee, Fla.
Larry thoroughly enjoyed his new life on the
Emerald Coast making new friends and enjoying the
many activities available in this area. He loved
the game of golf and he always believed that it
revealed more about oneself than any other sport.
When he could golf no more, he volunteered for the
USO at the Airport and the VA clinic at Eglin Air
Force Base.
Larry is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, of 57
years; son, Lawrence A. Bell Jr. of Woodbridge,
VA.; son, James, and daughter-in-law, Theresa
Bell, of Tallahassee; grandsons, Tyler, Jarrod,
Wesley and Roblee; and brother and sister-in-law,
Bob and Johanna Bell of Mooresville, N.C.; nieces,
Tamara and Andrea and nephew Robert.
A memorial service will be held at St. Paul
Lutheran Church in Niceville on Dec. 21, 2013, at
11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests
contributions be made to The Wounded Warriors
Project.
Published in Northwest Florida Daily News on Dec.
19, 2013
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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