1. Maj Gen Leslie Ray Sears Jr
Letter to the Boston Traveler possibly written in 1948 due to vote reference when Les was a business school student at Boston University. (ad for American Airlines says Travel to Chicago in 4 hrs 25 min on reverse of letter)
"When the Secretary of Agriculture issues such statements as to hold the wheat crop on the farm and reduce the production of cattle he is acting contrary to the interests of the people all over the country, including
the farmer.
If the farmer produces less than he is capable of, prices will stay up and although his income now might be increased slightly he will continually pay more for all the other commodities of life. In order for the consumer to buy food he must ask higher wages which eventually reflect back to the farmer in everything he buys.
Food is practically the only major commodity whose price has not stayed level or started to decrease. Why have the prices of radios, automobile tires, shoes and other products started the downward trend? Simply because of increased production and the supply has met the demand. Food is our most important commodity and its price above all should be down.
Farm income since the war has been the highest ever and farm debt has been reduced to nothing. It is time these profits were passed on to the consumer. Let the Department of Agriculture wake up and stop worrying about the farm vote next fall and start doing something about the increasing food prices."MILITARY: Official US Army Biography - General Sears was born in S. Weymouth, MA. He served with the US Navy as an electronic technician on the aircraft carrier, USS Boxer out of Treasure Island, San Francisco Bay, during 1946-48 and upon his discharge attended Boston University where he received hisBachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1950.
General Sears entered the Army in 1951 and was assigned as radar officer, 685th Anti -Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion, Camp Edwards, Cape Cod, MA.
After serving three years in Germany with US Army, Europe, as an anti-aircraft artillery platoon leader and assistant finance oficer, he attended the Finance Officer's Basic Course, Ft Benjamin Harrison, IN.
Upon graduation he was assigned as Finance and Accounting Officer, Springfield Armory, MA. Two years later he became a student at the Harvard Business School, Boston, and in 1960 received his Master's degree in Business
Administration. He graduated first in his class and was offered an assignment in Washington, DC by the Chief of Finanace.
He was subsequently assigned as an automatic data processing systems staff officer, Office, Chief of Finance, Washington, DC. He was a key individual in the development of the computerized payroll system-Joint Uniform Military Pay System (JUMPS).
In 1963-64 General Sears attended the Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, KA. After graduation he was ordered to Vietnam where he became Chief, Management Section, Office of the Comptroller, US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV).
Returning to the United States, General Sears served as a member of the Department of the Army Board of Inquiry on Army Logistics Systems (Brown Board) from Jul 1965 until April 1967 at which time he was designated Chief, Cost Research Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Army. He was subsequently named Chief, US Army Field Operation Cost Agency.
After graduating from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1969 he became Military Assistant and Executive Officer, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management). He became Assistant Director of the Army Budget in July 1971.
General Sears was designated Comptroller, Headquarters, US Army Materiel Command, Washington, DC, on 1 Dec 1972.Citations and Decorations-
Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf ClusterBoston Herald article- Oct 20, 1941 Les was a Life scout.
Boy Scouts at Jamboree at East Weymouth. Richard Park, Charles A Jordan Jr., Kenneth Park, Dexter Dyment, Leslie Sears, Edward Frederickson, members Troop 9,Old Colony Council, E Weymouth, MA. Nearly 100 Boy Scouts from troops in 23 cities and towns of Norfolk and Plymouth counties closed their annual two-day fall camporee yesterday with an exhibition of scouting craftsmanship before 350 onlookers at the Clapp memorial field in E Weymouth.DEATH: OBITUARY: - St Petersburg Times - Leslie R Sears, Jr., 57, of Treasure Island, FL died Friday (April 5, 1985) at home. Born in S Weymouth, MA, he came here in 1977 from Arlington, VA and retired as a Major General from the Army in 1976.
He graduated from Boston University in 1950 and enlisted in the Army in 1951 as a Lieutenant. He graduated from Harvard Business School in 1960 with his Master's degree and was designated a Baker Scholar for his high academic achievement. He held many finance and budget positions in Europe and the Far East and served on the Department of the Army General Staff. He served as comptroller of the Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command in Washington, DC until his retirement after 30 years active service. Locally he was a realtor and appraiser/consultant with several realty firms. He was past commodore of the Bath Yacht Club, past president of Isle of Palms Civic Association and member of Pasadena Community Church, where he was a member of the Chancel Choir. Survivors include his wife Claire; a son Leslie Ray Sears III, Duncan, OK; two daughters, Marilyn Sager, St Petersburg, and Pamela Cooper, Kittery, ME; a sister Sabra Martin, S Yarmouth, MA, and one
granddaughter. Lewis Mohn Funeral Home, Seminole. Burial to take place at Bourne National Cemetery, Cape Cod, MA.Major General Les Sears was lovingly described as the humble general at his funeral. He would never use rank or authority to influence a situation but would rather gain the respect of others through an engaging smile and well
established knowledge as an expert in any field he chose to study. He was a loving father and husband and his children are very proud of his accomplishments.SSDI: lp. 33706 (St Petersburg, Pinellas, FL); 013-20-4166
Biography and Genealogy Master Index, 2d ed, Gale Research, ISBN 0-8103-1094-5, p140; WhoAm 78
Yarmouth Register, 26 Jul 1957, p 4, East Dennis - Mr and Mrs Leslie R Sears, Jr and family [Ray, 5; Marilyn, 3] are visiting Mr Sears' mother, Mrs Leslie Sears, at her home on Main Street.
LIVING
!Personal History - My husband grew up around the ocean, Cape Cod Bay to be specific, and had a long line of seafarers for ancestors. He was given his first boat when he was about five years old. This story surprised me until I learned that it was a very old wooden boat which was quite worthless but at age five he didn't know what the adults knew. The bottom had so many leaks that he could bail it out for hours on end and never get all the water out so he never did get to launch it. It sounds like a very healthy activity for a 5 year old.
We were both 21 when we first met and he proudly took me down to the shore and out in a small Cape Cod Cat sailboat. It was a totally new experience for me and I soon realized there was more to sailing a boat than keeping your hand on the tiller.
One of the biggest lessons I learned from him was to "Get Your Bearings when you first set out to sea." When you are out on the bay with water all around, it can be frightening, especially if the wind picks up and the water gets rough, or the fog begins creeping in. He was never frightened (as I was) because he knew those waters like he knew the palm of his own hand but he also had several old water towers on shore which served as landmarks and he would line up the prow of his little boat with a certain water tower and sail that little boat right into the harbor, no matter what hazards were presented by wind, waves, even rocks, shifting sands and low tides.
It never came easy for me but I did learn a few things about sailing. The most valuable lesson was "Get Your Bearings before you set out to sea."
We were married 17 Mar 1951 and in Jul 1952 when we were expecting our first child, he was determined that I continue to go out sailing with him and his father, Leslie Sr. I don't know why I went along because it was very hot and uncomfortable for me but I knew he had an ulterior motive--that his first born (son) would be born on Cape Cod and be a sailor in the family tradition. I'm not sure if it was the pre-natal sailing/fishing trips but he got his wish and our son is an avid sailor and feels right at home on and in the water be it Cape Cod Bay or the many lakes near his home in Duncan, OK. He is a natural at the tiller and having been trained as an engineer at Carnegie Mellon, he knows about things like boxing the compass, charting a course, and getting your bearings before you set out to sea. His father and I have always been very, very proud of our Leslie Ray Sears III.35 Temple St - Boston lived there when going to BU
Mom told folks her middle name was Lavinia since she didn't like Lavina. "I never had a grandmother." Grandma married at 14 or 15 (b.1 Feb 1885) m. 1900 Roy also 1 Feb . Grandma d. 7 Mar 1930 ae45 (Mom 3 yrs old) Ethel Ballou came down to the Cape 15 years and she had a picutre of Grandma holding Mom on her lap. First pic of grandma. Had twin boys b. day of marriage. One d. at 1 mo, other d. at 2 mo., then Lizzie was born within the year and grandma was b. Nov and husband killed in saw mill accident - she then m. Ballou and her name Minnie Lavina.
Postcard from Katherine to Harriet and Leslie congrats and I know where you got that name.