Sometimes we lose touch with our classmates. Sometimes we think of them fondly but just don’t get around to reaching out. And sometimes, we learn it’s too late to make that contact. John Cranwell “Tank” Fitz-Henry, respected and loved by those who went through the experience of West Point with him, died on 5 Nov 1998, in Berkeley, IL. We wish we had had more time together.
Jack, or “Tank” as he was nicknamed at the Academy, was born in Canton, IL, on 17 Nov 1946. He graduated from Canton Senior High School in 1964 and attended Western Illinois University, in Macomb, IL, for a year until he received an appointment to West Point from Congressman Robert T. McCloskey.
Most Americans probably think the typical West Pointer is six feet tall and built like a Grecian statue. Tank did not conform to that mold; in fact, his broad physique, which gave birth to the nickname he bore with pride, was the cause of great concern for his Beast Barracks roommate, who was responsible for giving him the tight appearance of a well fitting shirt, known as the “dress off.” By the time the Tank had gone down several flights of stairs, his shirt was no longer tight, and his roommate received the inevitable reprimand. That’s the way it was. We learned that we actually are our brother’s keeper. Having a brother like Jack, you received more than you gave.
The same body that made him “The Tank” was also without an ounce of fat, and this made him a formidable wrestling opponent. His physical toughness was matched with an iron will and unstoppable determination that would be demonstrated again and again throughout his life. At the same time, he was one of those unforgettable gentle souls, with a selfless attitude, whom we knew we could count on if we needed his help.
Anyone who knew him as a cadet cannot remember him without smiling. Once, as Yearlings, during a rather long chapel service at Camp Buckner, he started to softly recite GEN Douglas MacArthur’s last speech to the Corps of Cadets. When he got to “and the Corps, and the Corps, and the—,” Tank began to choke and settle to the ground, clutching his chest as if having a heart attack. This was hilarious to those who witnessed it, because, after all, we were still slightly irreverent teenagers. Even though demerits were passed out as a result, it was one of those bonding moments.
Along with a great sense of humor, he must have had one of the highest IQs in the Class of ’69, because no one can recall the Tank ever studying, and yet he made academics look easy. A whiz at computers, he offered assistance to others. He would start term papers the night before they were due yet was never late. One classmate recalls struggling while studying for a psychology exam, but the Tank appeared to care less. The closer the exam came, the more Jack wrapped himself in his “brown boy” comforter and pursued his passion of reading the science fiction novels he received from home by the hundreds. Sure enough, when the grades were posted, Tank had scored considerably higher.
He not only read sci-fi, he lived it. In the fall of 1967, Star Trek’s second season, Tank was in his command module in the TV room above the Old North 23rd Division. During the show, Mr. Sulu yelled out that the Enterprise was losing power and beginning to shake; and Jack immediately said: “Hit the de-magnetizing stabilizer!” Not five seconds later, Captain Kirk said: “Activate the de-magnetizing stabilizer, Mr. Sulu.” The Enterprise stabilized and resumed speed, and both Captain Kirk and “Captain” Fitz-Henry nodded sagely.
Upon graduation, he was commissioned as an Infantry officer, and, after receiving his airborne wings and Ranger tab, served as a platoon leader and assistant S-3 of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division, in Kitzingen, Germany. During this assignment, Jack earned the coveted Expert Infantryman Badge at a time when only about 10% who tested were successful. In late 1971, he went to Vietnam, where he served as a Military Assistance Command-Vietnam advisor with the 16th Regimental Combat Assistance Team in the Delta Regional Assistance Command and was awarded the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman Badge. Jack next was assigned to Ft. Bragg, NC, and became a Special Forces A-Detachment commander with the 5th Special Forces Group until leaving the service in October 1973. He then served approximately eight years in the Army Reserve.
After active duty, true to his selfless character, he never married. Instead, he chose to stay with his parents who were caring for his older sister Jean, an invalid from multiple sclerosis, and helped support and raise her children, whose father had abandoned them. His influence on those who knew him was profound. In fact, his younger brother, Theodore, who became a U.S. Navy SEAL, once confided he couldn’t think of quitting the rigorous training because he would “never be able to face Jack again.”
The Tank’s last battle was against cancer, which had invaded several major organs. When told by doctors they could keep him comfortable for his remaining months, he, instead, chose to fight back with typical bravery and determination, and insisted upon the most aggressive treatment available. Despite the debilitating side effects of the treatment and relentless pain, he was motivated to hang on for his family, who needed him, and never complained.
Knowing that he has gone away for good, the world is worse off without him. John “Jack/Tank” Fitz-Henry was truly a unique person, both intellectual and caring, and a special part of two great groups—the West Point Class of ’69 and Company A-4.