Howard L. Barnard

BARNARD, WAGNER

Posted By: Skipton
Date: 1/4/2011 at 18:38:46

Howard L. Barnard (Barney), 88, was born Jan. 22, 1921. in Chicago, Ill. He died in Phoenix, AZ on March 3, 2009.

Barney grew up in Columbus Junction, Iowa where his grandparents, Fred and Lillie Wagner owned a General Store on Main Street in 1909. His parents, Arthur and Flossie Barnard owned several small businesses in Columbus Junction in the ‘30’s and 40’s, including Barnard’s Diner, a Skating Rink, and a Soda Pop Bottling Co. Barney played football at Columbus Junction High School where he graduated with the class of 1940. Right after graduation, Barney joined the Navy. During his Navy career Barney was in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th, 1941 during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was assigned to the Destroyer USS Balch. The ship was a member of the fleet of the carrier ship Enterprise. From Hawaii the Balch and Barney sailed into the Central Pacific where they fought in the Marshal Island Raid in Jan of 1942, the Wake Island Bombing in Feb., the Marcus Island Bombing in March, Toyko in April, the Coral Sea Battle in May, the Battle of Midway in June, Guadalcanal and the Western Solomons in August, Santa Cruz in Oct., then a round trip from the USA to Fuji which ended in June of 1943. Barney was then assigned to 2 other ships for the rest of his service in the Navy.

Barney left the Navy in 1948 and returned to Columbus Junction where he started a small Refrigeration Company. After a short time he then moved on to Arizona. Barney then worked in many areas of Law Enforcement including a Police Officer with the City of Phoenix, a Federal Special Agent on the Alaska Railroad, a civilian security position equivalent to an Army Major for the Vinnell Corp. in Cam Ranh, South Vietnam, a Police Officer in Auburndale, Florida, his own private investigation company in Phoenix, and then retiring from security at the Maricopa County Hospital, in Phoenix.

Barney loved to travel. From his many trips down the Alaska Highway to his trips to Australia, New Zealand, and all over Europe. His favorite was Hawaii and the USS Arizona Memorial, which he attended by special invitation on the 50th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7th, 1991.

Barney is survived by his wife, Sharon, 3 stepdaughters, 13 step-grandchildren, 14 step-great-grandchildren and 7 step-great-great-grandchildren. Barney was a great man who always had a great story to tell and he will be missed.