Colonel Harold C. “Hal” Lamm, U.S. Army retired, of Springfield, Va., passed away peacefully on Friday, February 8th, 2019.
Born in Wernersville, Pa., he was the youngest and last surviving son of the late Alvin and Mary (Feeg) Lamm. He was the husband of the late Mildred A. (Gahrsen) Lamm and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary prior to her passing in August 2018.
Chaplain Lamm was an ordained clergyman of the United Church of Christ (Evangelical and Reformed). He attended Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa., graduating in 1953 with a B.A. in history. He received his Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1956 from the Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, Pa., and in 1967, he received his M.A. (educational psychology) from Teachers College, Columbia University, N.Y.
A Vietnam War veteran, Chaplain Lamm entered active duty with the Army in June 1956 and attended the U.S.
Army Chaplain School, Fort Slocum, N.Y. Tours of duty included assignments in Georgia, New York, France, Germany and South Korea. In 1974, he was assigned as Director of Personnel and Ecclesiastical Relations at the Pentagon and later as the Executive Officer, Office of the Chief of Chaplains. In 1980, he was assigned as Executive Director of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board, OSD, (MRA&L) until 1983 and later served as Staff Chaplain, First United States Army, Ft. Meade, until his retirement from the U.S. Army in 1986. Chaplain Lamm received the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four awards), Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
After his military service, Chaplain Lamm served as Interim Senior Minister and Interim Associate Pastor at Little River United Church of Christ in Annandale, Va., and in interim pastor roles at the United Church of Christ of Seneca Valley, Germantown, Md., St. John’s United Church of Christ in Cantonsville, Md., and Bethel United Church of Christ in Arlington, Va.
Chaplain Lamm is survived by sisters-in-law, Helen (Forry) Lamm, of Robesonia, Pa., and Marie (Gahrsen) Kruse, of Berlin, Md., as well as numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
Interment will be at St. John’s (Hains) United Church of Christ in Wernersville, Pa.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Little River United Church of Christ, 8410 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003, or to St. John’s (Hains) United Church of Christ, 591 Church Road, Wernersville, PA 19565, or the American Cancer Society.
