Three recently renovated Army buildings were dedicated and renamed in honor of three deceased soldiers during a band-accompanied Armed Forces Day ceremony Saturday at Fort Douglas.
The buildings were named in honor of Col. Theron Draper, Maj. Gen. Franklin McKean and Chief Warrant Officer James C. Bungard, who all served in the 96th Army Reserve Command, with headquarters at Fort Douglas.Plaques with a photograph and short biography of the men were unveiled at the ceremony. The plaques will permanently hang in the respective buildings. The widows and family members of the three soldiers were on hand at the ceremony and participated in ribbon cuttings at each building. Following each ribbon cutting was a gun salute.
Lt. Gen. James E. Moore, commander of the 6th U.S. Army, located at the Presidio of San Francisco, was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. Addressing the Armed Forces Day theme of "Secure the Blessings of Liberty," Moore said it is no accident those words are in the preamble of the U.S. Constitution. He said 23 of the 40 signers of the Constitution served in the armed forces.
"Men and women have been called to wear the uniform, to support the Constitution and to keep our country free over these 200 years," Moore said.
U.S. soldiers all over the globe, including the three honored, have helped secure the blessings of liberty by being ready and able to fight if called on, Moore said.
"It's very fitting that we dedicate these Reserve centers to the memory of three great soldiers who served their country," he added.
Building 100 at Fort Douglas was renamed James C. Bungard Hall. Bungard was a cook and food-service steward in the Army Reserve. He became a member of the 96th ARCOM's 162nd Support Group in 1978, where he served as the food service supervisor. He was killed in a 1985 automobile accident while on active duty for training.
Building 102 now bears the name Theron N. Draper Hall. Draper was a dentist and commanded the 96th ARCOM's 143rd Dental Detachment. He helped organize an annual dental seminar for military and civilian dentists in Utah. He was killed during a training mission in Alaska in 1984.
Franklin L. McKean Hall is the new name for Building 103. McKean served in the Army Reserve for more than 30 years and included a stint as commander of the 96th ARCOM. He also served as University of Utah dean of admissions and records. McKean died in 1986.
The renovated centers were open to the public for viewing following the ceremonies. Displays of medical equipment and a helicopter were also set up for public viewing.