Col. Lyman H. Hammond, Jr., US Army Ret.

May 17, 1927 - November 18, 2017

05/17/1927 - 11/18/2017

Past Services

Service
Monday November 27, 2017
1:30 pm
First Presbyterian Church Va. Beach
300 36th Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 428-6332 | Directions

Lyman Hutchinson Hammond, Jr., 90, died November 18, 2017.  The eldest child of Lyman and Martha Major Hammond, he was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. in 1927 and grew up in upstate New York.  In 1946, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, where among other activities, he was on the football, boxing and track teams.  Graduating in 1950 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry, he completed parachute training and joined the 82nd Airborne Division.  In 1951, he married Sara Ann Putnam at Ft. Benning, GA.  There they had a son, Hutch and a daughter, Ann.

His later assignments included command, staff and teaching in the United States, Hawaii, Korea (twice) and Vietnam.  He was Ranger qualified, a master parachutist and held the Combat Infantry Badge.  He received two awards of the Army Commendation Ribbon, four awards of the Air Medal, three awards of the Legion of Merit and one award of the Silver Star for gallantry in action.  His teaching assignments included the Army Infantry School and Virginia Military Institute. While on active duty he earned a Master of Science degree from the George Washington University.

In 1979, Lyman and his wife Sara Ann moved to Virginia Beach for retirement having been previously assigned on the staff of the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic in Norfolk.  In July 1979, Colonel Hammond became the director of the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk held that job until 1989.  In 1982, he became the Executive Director of the General Douglas MacArthur Foundation, retiring in December 1998.  After his retirement, he continued service to the Foundation as a member of the Board of Directors.

Colonel Hammond received the first annual Downtowner Award for his work in promoting the central business district of Norfolk.  He has been the president of the Bay Colony Civic League, president of the board of deacons and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach.  As an Eagle Scout himself, he was on the Tidewater Council of the Boy Scouts of America and on the board of directors of the Norfolk Collegiate School.  He was a member of numerous clubs and organizations.

Lyman was preceded in death by 2 months by his wife of 66 years, Sara Ann.  He is survived by a son, Hutch, his wife Lynn, a daughter Ann and her husband Wesley Page.  He is also survived by a grandson, Mark Sawyer, his wife Jackie and the light of his eye, great granddaughter, Emma Page Sawyer.

A funeral service will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach at 300 36th St., Virginia Beach, 23451, on November 27th, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.  Colonel Hammond will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to First Presbyterian Church or the General Douglas Mac Arthur Foundation or the charity of your choice.

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COL (ret) Joe Feliciano
5 months ago

Colonel Hammond was my battalion commander in Vietnam. He was the most courageous, competent and kind officer I have ever known. I will never forget you, rest in eternal heavenly peace.

Dana Gregory
6 years ago

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all, we enjoyed the brief time we had with him at First Colonial Inn.