328. Homage to Judge Billy G. Ward 2020

Author
May 16, 2020
4 min read

Updated: Mar 24, 2022

Today, the Honorable Billy G. Ward was laid to rest after a long life dedicated to his family, justice, and his nation. Billy Glenn Ward was born in Walnut Hill, Florida on September 4, 1924, the son of Horace Ward (1898–1981) and Minnie Lou Morgan (1902-1996). His lineage is represented by a long line of farmers and public servants. And his great grandfather was none other than the infamous Private Celestine Ward, of the 15th Confederate Cavalry and his uncle was Ernest Ward of which Ernest Ward High School is named. His father supported their family first as a farrier (blacksmith) then as a farmer for the rest of his life. After WWII began, Billy waited until he graduated from Ernest Ward High School in May 1943 before enlisting in the Army eight weeks later on July 6, 1943. He was initially sent to Camp Blanding, Florida for his medical, physical, and aptitude processing.

When all was said and done, Billy was assigned to the 3422nd Ordnance Medium Automotive Maintenance Company. The company was designated "medium" because of the type of maintenance they performed. "Medium repair" was defined as more difficult tasks such as replacing an engine or transmission or replacing the recoil mechanism of an artillery piece. A "heavy" company would actually rebuild an engine etc. His company was finally sent overseas to England to the small seaside town of Ilbracombe in Devon County. Prior to D-Day, the American army was scattered in small downs all over southern England awaiting the invasion. By April 12th, the company had been moved to Okehampton within the same county. But when it came time to embark, the company's first detachment loaded onto LST-1006 for transport to the beaches of Normandy. But sadly on June 9th, the ship was torpedoed and sunk with loss of the entire 3422nd detachment. Luckily, Billy loaded onto the second ship and landed on Omaha Beach where the bodies of the original landing force were still lying about three days later. The shock of seeing all of those young men struck down in the prime of their life stayed with Billy to the end of his days! But as the American divisions broke out of the beachhead, Billy and his company packed up and followed along close behind.

On September 5th, the 3422nd became part of the 9th Army and moved into Holland with the 12th Army Group. The 9th was comprised of the XVI, XIII, and XIX Army Corp, each containing three divisions. From that day on, Billy and the 9th Army slugged it out with the Germans, taking heavy casualties all the way through Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. Along the way he spoke of the sights he saw such as the young French girls who wanted to kiss every American GI they saw. He also spoke of the horrors he witnessed through misty eyes! One such was the site of a Jewish concentration camp stacked high with the emaciated bodies of the brutalized victims. The vision of such inhumanity never left Billy!

Discharged as a Tech Sergeant in 1945, Billy returned to Walnut Hill to take up farming again. For the next seven years he became heavily involved with the planting and harvesting of his crops and those issues facing his community in post war America. Then in 1952, he chose to enter the world of politics. He campaigned hard, but lost his first bid for the District 4 Justice of the Peace position. However, he was determined to gain the bench so he returned in 1956 and this time it paid off with victory! Over the next sixteen years he was victorious five times. Then in 1972, a constitutional revision abolished the position of Justice of the Peace and reduced the Florida court system to only two tiers represented by the Circuit and County court. But, Billy was grandfathered into the position, thus becoming a County Court judge. He served in this position until his retirement in 1988.

After retirement, Billy remained involved in his community through the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club that he helped found in 1947. He also stayed true to his faith through his dedication to the Walnut Hill Baptist Church where he served as deacon. His honesty, fairness and compassion made him one of the county's most renown judges that many remember to this day. His community support to the northern part of Escambia County earned Billy the distinction of having the Century Courthouse renamed in his honor on August 21, 1997. Escambia County has truly lost a great man and patriot with the passing of Billy G. Ward!

Judge Ward's parents Horace and Minnie Lou Morgan Ward, 1968

1943 Graduation from Ernest Ward High School, Walnut Hill

Pensacola News Journal 6-4-1943

A young man of Walnut Hill, Florida 1943

Leaving his sweetheart Lois behind

Lois King Ward

Lois King Ward

The 3422nd Company at Fort Dix, New Jersey 1943

True love is naming your truck after your sweetheart

US Army, 1943

Preparing to embark for Europe. 1944

Private Billy G. Ward, US Army

1944

1944

1944

Sittard, Holland, 1944

Winner of the "Bundle of Rice" Competition of the Alabama-Florida

Agriculture Fair, Pensacola News Journal 10-14-1948

Pensacola News Journal 4-10-1949

Pensacola News Journal 12-17-1949

Pensacola News Journal 2-10-1952

Pensacola News Journal 1-22-1952

His announcement to run for Justice

of the Peace of District 4.

Pensacola News Journal 3-9-1956

Billy runs again for Justice of the Peace

Pensacola News Journal 4-20-1956

Billy G. Ward elected Justice of the Peace for 1957

Pensacola News Journal 3-2-1960

Billy wins election by stating that "during my three years in office I have made every effort to make the people feel that this office has been in safe hands!"