Colonel Hunt was born on December 13, 1932 in Lakeland, FL and was a graduate of Kathleen High School. He felt the call to be a minster around this time and attended Southeastern Bible College during the Korean War. He later admitted, “I felt a little bad that my buddies went off to war and I went to school.” Hunt vowed to himself that if the opportunity ever came again to serve his country, he would serve, no matter the cost. In the 1960s, opportunity came knocking in the form of the Vietnam conflict.
Lamar, as his friends called him, chose to become a chaplain with the Army because he “wanted to be with soldiers on the ground.” The 1st Cavalry Division gave him the chance to serve with soldiers on the ground and in the sky in Vietnam’s War Zone C. Right from the start Captain Hunt saw a good deal of combat and even had his helicopter shot down during a routine mission.
In February 1969 Hunt conducted what came to be known as “the Whispered Service.” The padre was called on to minister to a unit under heavy fire and helicoptered in to their location. With North Vietnamese soldiers only 200 yards away, the company commander refused to let Hunt conduct the service. The CO relented when Hunt promised not to make any noise, and the chaplain commenced to low-crawl along the jungle floor to the front.
“I passed the wafers around and passed the wine in a ration cup,” he later recalled. “We whispered the whole thing – it gave me chill bumps – and I murmured the benediction.”
Hunt would leave Vietnam a Major with two Bronze Star medals. His faith was tested mightily during his tour of duty and he related that when he left for the states, “I sort of felt numb.” Hunt went on to serve 30 years and retired a full Colonel. He continued to be a pastor after the war and was heavily involved with his local veteran community.
Among his many activities, he helped establish the Quarterly Memorial Ceremony at the Ocala/Marion County Veterans Memorial Park, during which the names of veterans who died during that quarter are honored. He also raised a family of three children with his wife Shirley. 
When asked how his time with the Army Chaplain Corps impacted his life, he replied: “Profoundly. I identify myself as an army chaplain…I'm a Methodist minister and I’ve pastored churches and I've done a lot of things, but where I've seen myself mainly is… I'm an army chaplain.” 
*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events. 

Florida National Cemetery

Thank you for your dedication to God and to those men whom you lifted up on and off the battlefield. Rest In Peace Sir. 

Thank you for your life of service. I m eternally grateful. 

HENRY LAMAR HUNT

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