More detail on this person: Colonel Richard G.
"Dick" Legener, Artillery, USA, (Ret.) died on 26
September 2004 at the Wisconsin Veterans Home
in King, Wisconsin after a six-year struggle with
Alzheimer's disease. He was 73 at the time of his
death. His funeral included full military honors
after which his remains were cremated.
Dick was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin on 16
November 1931 to Anton and Elizabeth Legener.
He grew up in Green Bay and was a "Packer" fan
from "my earliest memories." He joined the US
Army in 1951 and graduated from Artillery OCS at
Fort Sill, Oklahoma on 19 May 1953.
He married Mariann A. Deering in Kaukauna,
Wisconsin on 23 May 1953. They would be
blessed with six children: Chris, Barb, Sue,
Carole, Tom and Jim.
He became airborne qualified and then entered and
completed Army aviation flight training in Class
54L/54P. He transitioned to helicopters in
1956.
In his 26 years of military service, Dick served
at numerous stateside bases - including the
Pentagon - and overseas in Japan, Panama Canal
Zone, Puerto Rico, with two tours of duty in
Vietnam. During his first Vietnam tour in
1965-66, he served with the 92nd Aviation Company
at Qui Nhon flying Caribou's for six months before
being transferred to the 174th AHC where he
became a platoon commander flying UH-1Ds. His
second tour in 1970-72 was with the 11th CAG after
which he extended his tour for six months to
command a battalion assigned to the group.
Dick retired in 1977 at Fort Ord, California and
returned to Green Bay where he was an instructor
in the ROTC program at Premontre High School.
He and Mariann next moved to Bryan, Texas
(College Station) where he again served as an
ROTC instructor at the high school level. In
1998, he and Mariann moved back to Green Bay to
their retirement home. He entered the Wisconsin
Veterans Home in October 2001 when Mariann
could no longer care for him at home.
Among his awards and decorations are: Legion of
Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished
Flying Cross, Bronze Star with one OLC, Air Medal
with 23 OLCs and one "V" device, Meritorious
Service Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation
Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.
Dick was a Master Aviator, an instrument examiner,
and qualified in numerous Army fixed- and
rotary-wing aircraft, all of which he flew with
precision. Those who knew him will remember his
quick wit and great sense of humor, punctuated by
a broad smile.
Anyone wishing to send cards or letters should
address them to Mariann Legener at 2120 Kassner
Drive, Green Bay, WI 54304
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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