Bruce Lester Helmich was born July 21, 1947 in Cincinnati, OH and graduated from Center High School in Kansas City. Bruce entered West Point in 1965 from Kansas City, where he was a strong student and star athlete. Like so many others in his class, he was motivated to enter West Point by the book West Point Story, which he had received for Christmas in 1959 and had read a dozen times or more.
Bruce had his ups and downs with West Point academics, particularly with his Russian courses, as well with the Tactical Department, but he was a solid student and good leader of men at West Point. He excelled at cross country and indoor and outdoor track and was the most highly acclaimed athlete in Company B-2 and one of the best in the entire class. He participated in and contributed to many victories over Navy.
While his academics and athletics were commendable, he was also a very good leader and outstanding classmate. Always attentive and helpful, he was all about the B-2 Team and not himself. He truly loved his classmates and corps squad teammates, and they felt the same about him. These feelings carried forth after the Academy as well, and his final days were filled with visits and calls from classmates. Many visited him while he was in the VA in Tampa, FL and in Nashville, TN.
Bruce chose the Artillery Branch during his final semester at West Point, and he would go to Fort Sill, OK to attend the Artillery Basic School and later Helicopter Flight School, where he would become a Cobra pilot. During this time, he also married Laura, the sister of his best West Point friend, who gave him two wonderful sons.
Later Bruce was assigned to Vietnam, where he distinguished himself as a Cobra pilot, winning numerous Air Medals and the Bronze Star. At one time during this tour, he was shot down by a rapidly approaching enemy force and was able to bring his damaged chopper down into a nearby clearing, where he was rescued by another helicopter just before the enemy arrived. Bruce always felt that he was lucky to have survived the experience. Bruce came in contact with Agent Orange dust in Vietnam, which would later lead to advanced leukemia and his death.
Bruce stayed in the Army 10 years after graduation. When he left, he began working for General Electric in Durham, NC, and it was during this time that he met Joan, his second wife and anchor and supporter for the rest of his life. Joan also had a son, and he joined the Helmich household. In his last years, Bruce often told his classmates that Joan had helped him survive as long as he did.
Bruce also attended and graduated from Law School at Florida State University, where he received his JD degree in 1986. He practiced law for many years, enjoyed the work thoroughly and was good at it. He was still preparing legal briefs and doing research from his hospital bed in Tampa in 2016.
Bruce was a wonderful classmate. He always invited his classmates to stay at his beach house in Florida during the winter, which was a welcome invitation to those of us sitting in the northern snow. What classmates always remembered about Bruce was his unflappable positive attitude. He always looked on the bright side and had a real sense of humor. Visitors to his Florida home would see, parked behind his house, a large old New Jersey Transit bus that he had bought at auction for a few hundred dollars and converted it to an RV and tailgate party wagon. On one side of the bus was painted a West Point Black Knight logo and on the other was a Florida State Seminole logo.
Bruce was a brave and thoughtful person, and about 18 months before his death he sent out a long email to the entire Class of 1969. In it he detailed his symptoms and possible treatments, as he knew others could be experiencing the same in their 60s. Throughout Bruce’s last 18 months, his classmates would call and visit him at the hospital in Tampa and Nashville to raise his spirits and morale. Many times those classmates would relate that he ended up making them feel better and raising their morale. It was never just about him. In his last days, he was still a rock for all of them, and one in particular can remember Bruce calmly calling from the Tampa VA Hospital two weeks before his death to get the details of inurnment at the West Point Columbarium so his family wouldn’t have to do it. He related how grateful he was for all the support in the form of calls and visits and private conversations he had had with many of us over the previous 18 months. His last thoughts were of his family and West Point Classmates that had both rallied to his side and he to ours.
Bruce was an active member of the Paradise Lutheran Church, where he ushered and was a member of the Honor Guard. Bruce is survived by his father, Lester, a World War II vet; his wife, Joan; his sons William, Greg, and Michael; his brother, Eugene, and sisters Barbara and Elaine; and four beloved grandchildren.
Bruce passed on October 9, 2016 in Tampa, and memorial services were held at his church on October 29, 2016.